LIBRARY
OF THE
MASSACHUSETTS
AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGE
THE
AND
BEE-KEEPER'S ADVISER.
EDITED BY
THOMAS WILLIAM COWAN, F.G.S., F.K.M.S., etc.
Author of -The British Bee-keeper's Guide Book.'
VOLUME XVI.
January-December, 1888.
PUBLISHED BY JOHN HUCKLE, KINGS LANGLEY, HERTFORDSHIRE;
AND BY
KENT AND CO., 23 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.O.
UNIVERSITY OF
MASSACml'Q
AMHerst, mass.
(o 3 8. 0 S~
7 7-h
V, / (o
L'ONDON" :
PEINTED BY STEANGEWAYS AND SONS
Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
INDEX.
Abbott, Brother?, Pitts
apiary, BonthaU,29j sec-
tions, 86, 156 ; hoiipy-
new method of hsing
foundation, 72
Abbott,C.N.,bissyrup-can,
139 ; on in-and-in breed-
ing1, 140; his wax-guide,
185; his wax-smelter, lb.
ABC for beginners, 489
Adapting-boarcL?, -11
Adulterate. I foundation,
307
Adulterated honey, 129
Adulteration, 333;of honey,
233,329,43!!, ami wax, 315
Afternoon off, an, 291
After-swarmp, 310, 391 (
Aids to success, 504
Albcrti hive, 152
Albnvy Heath, 485
Alighting-boards, 194
Alley, H., on queen intro-
duction, 113; his cheap
queenB, 422; and Carnio-
lan queens, 530; Thirty
Vears among the Bees, 576
Alpaugh, Mr., his found-
ation-fastener, 199
Aluminium, 433
Amateur carpenter, notes
by, 531
' Amateur Expert,' his
apiary, 3 ; who is be ?
51,64; on third-class ex-
aminers, 76 ; jottings by,
224, 907, 422, 132, 508,
528, 538, 551; Carnio-
laus, Italians, &c., 553
Ambulant apiary in Bel-
gium, 166
America, product of honey
in, 311 ; weather in, 120
American ApiculturUtt 536
American bee-keepers, with
the, 574, 600, 610
American enamel cloth.
S« Enamel cloth.
Ancient bee-keepers, 128
Andreua\ 243, 363; effect
of, on a lawn, 308
Andreu, F. C, bis apiaries
in Minorca, 339. See Mi-
norcan bees.
Antcnnrc cleaner of byme-
noptora, 414, 599 ; func-
tions of, 401
Anterior legs of bees, 599
Ants, getting rid of, 613
Aphidiau honey, 575
Apiary, demoralised, 41 ;
establishing, 107 ; posi-
tion for, (o, ; locating,
227; a new enemy iu,
32.".; Bpaee for, 362; help
in the, 395 ; situation of,
400; strange visitants to,
553
Apiaries, introducing fresh
blood into, 30; isolated,
65; site for, 207; Mr.
M'Nally's, change in lo-
cality, 512 ; class in
schedules for small, 558
Apiciilture, report of some
experiments in, 460, 476,
484,565
Apicultural terms, glossary
of, 122
Ai>i,
488; Buckwheat, 207;
Canada thistle, 497 ; Cat-
niint, 207; Chapman's
honey plant, 497 ; Clover,
523; Uotoneaeters, B5
Cotoneaster microphyl-
la, 195; Crocuses, 400;
Echinops globosa and
ritro, 497; Eehinops
spluerocephalus, 32 1, 391 ',
432; Echium (bug '
322; Erica vagaDB, 529;
Figwort. 207; Giant bal-
sam, 502; Giant globe
thistle, 508 ; Gorse, 136 ;
Groundsel, 68; Heath,
cross -leaved, 399;
Heathe-, 362, S09f 415,
4-14, 472; Honey plants,
565; Hoya enrnosa, 121 ;
Lamium (dead-nettle),
321 ; Limnanthes Doug-
las ii, 85, 322; Ling, 899;
Medicago lupulina, 322,
333 ; Melilotua lunoan-
tha, 467 ; Mignonette.
322; Milotus alibi, 4(17;
Nopeta.321,390; N. Mas-
gilli, 272, 488; Mustard,
207; Parsley, 362; Pha-
celia, 207 ; Protea melli-
fera, 198, 310; Sainfoin,
343; Scrophularia, 322;
Teucriuni, 321, 890; Tvi-
fulium incarnatum, £5,
251; Trifolium minus, 322,
333; Trifolium procum-
bens, 333 ; Trifolium re-
pens, 333; Wallflowers,
85,400; White arabis, 400;
Winter beans, 85
Bee-flowers, 122, 830, 107
Bee garden, County Down,
591
Bee-hive, damage to a, 39:1
Bee-hives, long or short?
497
Bee-house, 109, 135
Bee-hunter, a, in trouble,
128
Bee-keeper, accident to a,
212 ; in prison, 225 ; anti-
quated, 331 ; a young,
572
Bee-keepers, to, 403
Bcc-kecpcr's Aih'i ser, 137,155
Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion's and Shows : —
Bedfordshire, 189; Berks,
61, 140, 519; British, 1,
5,15,44, 86,111,175,209,
222, 233, 260, 309, 325,
331, 352, 379, 103, 493,
526, 539, 565; Bury St.
Edmunds, 1 ; Caledonian,
392 ; Cambridge, 299 ;
Craven District, 285 ;
Derbyshire, 114, 452 ;
Devon County Agricul-
tural, 343, 356; Essex,
100, 223; East Lothian,
452; East Stirlingshire,
452 ; Ebor, 264 ; Gla-
morganshire, 331 ; Glas-
gow International, 19,
20,154,176, 245 ; Glouces-
tershire, 111, 153, 176;
Hants and Isle of Wight,
331 ; Herefordshire, 99 ;
Herts, 492 ; Hudders-
field, 424; Hull and Dis-
trict, 237 ; Hnnts, 5,44,
46,379,622; Irish, 19, U 0,
L52, U8, 837, 331, 406,
435, 463, 495, 552, 601 ;
Kent, 32, 579; Lancashire
and Cheshire, 73, 98,165,
299 377, 135, 151 ; Leices-
b i bin', 61, 72, 128, 153,
170, 348, 368 ; Lincoln-
shire, .'148, 601 ; Lowes-
toft, 222 ; Middlesex, 114,
222, 368; Monmouth-
shire, 237; Northamp-
tonshire, 99, 165, 369,
495; Northumberland, 1 ;
North-east of Ireland,
431, 463; North of Scot-
land, 249; Nottingham,
L00, 233, 309, 331, 340,
369; Oxfordshire, 72;
Royal Agricultural at
Nottingham, 197, 238,299,
831,340; Shropshire, t2:;;
Somereet, 98, 115 j South-
gate, 222; Staffordshire,
104 ; Surrey, 463 ; Suther-
land, 343 ; Todmorden,
425; Warwickshire, 293 ;
Waterford, 393; West
Cumberland, 552; Wig-
townshire, 116; Wilts,
368; Windsor Royal
Show, 558, 565; Worces-
t. rsnire, 141, 166, 176;
Wotton-u.-Edge,435,601 ;
Wrockwardine, 47, 477;
Yamton, 464; York-
shire, 73, 249, 423, 590
B< i -h Bpei ' tffl (fl ■ ■■ '"', 105
Bo -keopoi s" Review, 105
Bee-keeper'e song, 565
Bee - keeper's vocabulary,
L75, 188, 246, 366, 379,
408, 122, 133, 529, 541,
550, 562
Bee-keeping, 428; pro-
gress of, 4 ; alone, or
with other pursuit-, 32 ;
teaching, in schools, 106 j
how to commence, 107 ;
prospeol 3 of, 149 j pro-
gress in, 241 ; in Russia,
322,603;conducting,378;
investments in, 393; as
a hubby, 4s:; ; time for
beginning, 4;'2 ; locality
for, ib. ; illustrations of,
for children, 522
Bee-master, of a century
■ 281, 292, 302, 3 19 ; a
gentle, 320; out of har-
ness, 433
Bee parasites, 192
Bee pasturage, 509
Bees, do they select a
borne, before swarming?
10 j -electing b home be-
fore swarming, 20, 407;
how they extract pollen
from flowers, 21 ; cruel
laws as t<> destruction of,
33; stealing honey, ib. ;
what induced me to keep,
39, 50; old, 41 ; decamp-
ing, 55 ; best variety of,
55; Irish and Moorish,
77 ; in peach-house, 81 ;
scenting, 94 ; moving,
94j in skepa starring,
95 ; natives of England,
121 ; in roof, 122 ; on
the first night of, in
spring, 134 ; do they
Bleep? 135; dead, 135,
147, 161 ; a nuisance,
147, 338 ; killing each
other, 160; confining to
the number of frames
they cau cover, 163 ; for
pleasure and profit, 168 ;
proving a nuisance, 171 ;
and blast furnaces, 1^4 ;
•dying in the midst of
stores, 184; fixed iu
comb, 219 ; vacating
hive, 219, 254 ; are they
worth keeping ? 221 ; best
for all purposes, 227 ; col-
lecting honey, 239, 294;
at shows, 241; deserting
skep, 243; benefit of, to
agriculture and horti-
culture, 253, 272 ; carry-
ing ont larva?, ib. ; dying,
2 16 . improving race of,
272: damaged in transit,
289, i9S; in skep, driving
and transferring, 298 ;
deformed, ib. ; celling,
307; refusing a qua n,ib.;
arc they a nuisance ? ib, ;
immature, thrown out
of hive, ft. ; has
out, 308,319 ; busy, 317 j
in Winona, 323 ; im-
paled, 327; one pound
of, 327, 572; to cover six
frames, 337 ■ -■ ranning,
ib. ; management of, ib. ;
in a riddle, 335, 348;
carrying polli a, 387 :
vacating hive, lb.; variety
of, fl>. ; beautiful colour-
ed, 348; number of, in a
hive, 367; and nion;i i ■ h ' .
if., ; iu Natal, 369 j g rub
from, 370; short of food,
374 ; in roof of hive, '' i
who should keep, .178 ;
and bee-stings, 384 ;
illegal interfering with,
415 ; dislodging, ib. ;
travelling, ib. ;
nitiou by, 118 ; do they
mix honey in the cell- J
422; getting out, of sec-
tions, 423 ; some queer
things about, ib, ; on the
raid, 425; and clover ,432;
.•-warming on a qow'g
back, 13-5 ; rapidity of,
in gathering honey, 411 ;
in skep- building com! -
parallel to the enl I
442; the battle of, 107
what they will do, 499 ;
have they a memory
shiny, 472 ; best book on,
492; do they hear? 500;
and pigeons, race bi -
t ween, 529; time for pur-
chasing, 563; their
of smell, 562; best age
of, to go into winter
quarters, 565 ; how they
eat honey and pollen,
569 ; hunting,
educators, 6u5; u. fruit,
til 1 ; defensive works of,
615; as food, €25
Bee-shows. 75
Bee-space in body-box, 38 ;
1 n t .veen rack and frame- ,
243 ; in tiering-np l
of sections, 323
Bee, stung by a, 361
Bee-stings, what b« o m<
of that part left in the
flesh ? 426. Set Stings
Bee-teachings, 251
lke-ti nt-, 104, 122, 132
Beet sugar, 418
Beginners, early instruc-
tion for, 189
Bell-glass, cleaning a, 298
Benton cage, 30
Benton, F., and the Carni-
olans, 432, 496, 544, 554,
567 ; his imported queens,
538 ; more about the Car-
niolans, &c, 551
Berks B. K. A., its pro-
posed journal, 74
Bert rand, M. E., Conduttti
an Kucher, 105
Bibliography of bee-kcep-
ing, L4
Birds, 85; and fruit-buds,
201, 146 ; and fruit-trees,
227, 277; impaled, 331;
and bees, 4 12, 541
Birds perforating flowers,
£51
Blackberry honey, 478
Blizzard, 163,187, 22 1, 236,
331
Blomster-faZendsr/or Biav-
h,c, 386
Blood, fresh, 140
Blow, T. B., visit to his
apiary at Welwyn, 291 ;
his visit to Amerie i , 460;
with the American bee-
keepers, 574, 600,610
Bogenstulper, 376
Bombus lapidarius, 400
Bonner, J., his appreciation
of the drone, 226 The
Tke-muutvrs1 Co i'ii 'anion »
281, 292, 309
Booh of Noodles, 471
Borgue honey, 498, 547, 570
Bottle and shovel. 138
Box-hive, 147; transferring
from, 195, 196
Brace-combs, building, 80
Braula ceeca, 290, (!'2
Breeding, 302; late, 278
Brine for soaking dipping-
boards, 206
British and Irish standard
frames, 363
British Bee Journal, 488;
monthly issue of, 74; its
benefit to associations,
ib.
B.JS.K.A. ami affiliated
i " iaiions, 533, 512,
555, 617 ; aud county
associations, 580, fDl
British made comb-foun-
dation, 301, 314, 324, 3oH
British Honey Company,
222
Brood, uii-. al. d, 14; cast-
ing out, 255 ; cast ont,
308j hatching, 338; ex-
posing, ::t^ ; without
honey, 120; starved,
176, and reoipe for cur-
ing, ib. ; absence of, 491,
Brood - chamber, giving
i], 259
Br Uesa -warm, 3i9
Brood-nest, 536; extend-
in-, 101
Brood-rearing, suppression
of, 377
Brown>paper fastening to
tin, 195
Brown sugar feeding, 27*
Brussels Exhibition, 189,
245, 392, 103, 614
Buckwheat, its value as a
honey plant, 325,575
Biihne-Lanban, M. his
horizontal honey - ex-
tractor, 3s'i
Bumping . 327
Buncefield apiary, 376
Burmah, bee-keeping in,
326
Ban-owing bees, 243, 307;
po ling turi by, 297
Butcher-bird, 325, 353
Calvert's carbolic soap, 235
Camphor, 41, 496
Canada, bee-hunfing in, 9
Canadian feeder, 417
Canadian Ho\
105
Candidates, second - class
examinations, ■>
Candy, 195, 531 ; making
of, 57, 94, 109, 400;
placing in frames, 109;
soit, for spring feeding,
211 ; recipe Eor, 808
Cam iiL-.u , transformed in
the stomach of the bee,
311 ; and granulated
honey, 595
Capacity of hive, 135
Cape, bee-keeping at the,
436
Carbolic acid solution, 161,
4-17 ; as a bee-quieter, 283 ;
and tar a cure for foul
brood, 378
Carbolised cloth, 139, 161,
322, :i:y.^ 3*9, 397, 488;
recipe for, 171; and fea-
ther, 333
Carcenao, M., death of, 449
Caruiola, 293
Carniolan bees, 1£0, 301,
321, 391, 399, 413, 495,
196, 509, 528, 529, 543, 567,
613; drones, 81 ; drowsy,
337; hybrids, 399; v. Li-
gurians, 399,456; wanted
some one to bear the
blame of yellow bands in,
465 ; banded, 530, 531;
and other races, 531 ; and
their raisers, 555
Carpenter bees and flowers,
507
Carson's black varnish ,
495,563
Castor sugar, 109, 147
Cellar and clamp wintering
of bees, 174, 561, 565
IV
INDEX TO VOLUME XVI.
Cell, geometrical construc-
tion of, 40 ; structure of,
432
Cells with several eggs in,
289 ; singular deposit in,
548
Centipedes, 231
Central system, the, 78 ;
Association, 613
Cera japonica, 68
Certificates, candidates for,
1
Chaff-bos, 58
Chapman honey plant, 148,
488. Sec Echinops, Bee
Flora
Cheap hive, how to make,
480
Chelifers, 369
Cheshire, F. C, completion
of his work on bee-keep-
ing, 2 ; on the bacillus
alvei, 461 ; errors in his
Bees and Beekeeping, 506
Cheshire foundation fixers,
209
Children, thoughts for,
about bees, 607
Chilian honey, 38, 609
Chilled brood, 245
Chimney, removing bees
from.108,254,277; colony
in, 471
Chyle, 5S2
Cleansing flights, 29, 85
Clipping queen's wings, 08,
499
Cloth underneath feeders,
207
Clover honey, 317
Cluster, position of, 195
Coccida-, 370, 595
Colonies, queenless, 113 ;
weak, 113, 235; equal-
ising, 235; old, 34 1; driv-
ing and uniting, 415 ; in-
crease of, without di-
minishing honey - yield,
547; without providing
queens with parent
stocks, ib.
Colonist, a would-be, 337
Colony, supplying it with
a queen or leaving the
bees to rear one, 378
Colour for hives, 147
Comb-foundation manufac-
ture ou a large scale, 83
Comb-honey, 287, 432 ; ob-
taining from a stock that
swarms, 95; production
of, 106; in sections, 299;
three ways of working
for, 468; and extracted,
296
Comb in section, 326 ; sus-
picious, 298, 327, 337, 374,
482; bulging, 374; build-
ing, 415
Combs from foul-broody
hives mixed with others,
14; treatment of old, 40;
getting, drawn out, 68;
old, 108; mouldy, id. ; too
wide, 13.} ; irregular, 147 ;
cross-built, 231 ; with
syrup, 289; fallen down,
337 ; containing brood,
extracting from, 387 ;
shaving, 429 ; spare, 475,
560; unsealed, 5ti0
Combination hive, 500 ;
principle, the, 438, 454
Coming bee, the, 91
Commotion in hive, 386
Compensation on eviction,
265
Condemned bees, 41, 337,
391, 415, 420, 472, 482,
523; feeding, 415
Confectioner's dust sugar,
538, 586
Confections, 51
Consanguinity, 33, 48, 61,
89, 90, 101, 129, 144, 145,
157, 200
Contractingbrood-nest, 312
Convertible makeshift, 111
Cook, Prof. A. J., on the
chemical properties of
pollen, 212; memoir of,
486 ; on honey-digested
nectar, 500 ; his Bee-
keepers' Guide, or Manual
oj the Apiary, 505; ex-
periments in apiculture,
565; on the anatomy of
the honey -bee, 588 ; on the
legs of the bee, 599 ; his
portrait, 600; visit to
his apiary, ib.
Co-operative festival, a, 137
Co-operators, moi-e about,
146 ; amongst the, 406
Cork-dust, 502 ; float for
drinking fountains, 333
Corneil, S., memoir of, 54
Correction, a, 397
Cottage, a voice from the,
75
Cottager champion hive,
34
Cottager, a voice from a,
170; what is a? 178;
seribblings from a, 295
Cottagers' monthly bee
journal, a, 43, 59, 83, 97,
103, 111, 198
Cottagers' hives, 65
Cotteswold apiary, a small,
169
Couuty Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciations, 2, 21, 36, 37, 52,
62, 63, 78,79,88,118,197,
225, 251, 526, 542, 555,
567, 579, 593, 602, 623, 624
County Down bee-garden,
591
Cover, the best in winter
and summer, 449
Covering for bees next
frame, 337
Covers, 611
Cowan, T. "W., his visit to
the bee-keepers of Ame-
rica, 2, 18 ; new edition
of his Guide-book, 2; his
extractor, 108, 389; his
Guide-book in Spanish,
385; his method of ex-
tracting wax, 495 ;
helped by his book, 559
Crate for Lee's sections, 94
Crates, putting on, 316
Crooked combs, 14, 28
Crosfield's sugar, 418
Cross bearings for skeps,
134
Cross between English
drono and Camiolan
queen, 218
Crowding hives, 245
Crown-boards, 338, 619
Cuban apiary, a, 437
Cumberland, notes froni,
469
Current events, chat on, 395
Current topics, notes on,
333
Cyprians, 254, 41 3
Cyprians and Oarniolani,
190 ; and Syrians v. Li-
gurians, 587
Dadaut& Son, 83, 294, 315
Dalmatian bees, 413
Darwin, C.,on the fertility
of plants, 564
Dead bees, 183, 254, 374;
brood, 251; queen, 307,
308, 362; qneens, 251,
297
Death from a sting of a
bee, 471
Death-rate, heavy, 95
Decoy hives, 522
Demerara syrups, 196 ;
sugar, 418
Dcunler, M., 151
De quibusdam, 305
Deserting hive, 55
Destroyers, the, destroyed,
336
Dines, Messrs., their new-
feeder, 53S
Diplomas, 156, 587 ; of the
B.B.K.A., 192
Diseased bees, 481
Disinfecting hives and
combs, 147
Distance between top
frames and bottom of
racks, 254
Districts, formation of, 103
District system, the, 78
Dividers, 300
Dividing colony, 148, 367,
415
Division boards, 311, 425,
562
Dobbie, H., his packet of
seeds, 109
Doubling, 68, 80, 172, 218,
254, 255
Doubling hive, 266, 308;
neglected, 327
Doukoupil, M., 321
Dragon-fly an enemy to
bees, 395
Driving bees, 217, 473 ; two
skeps, 415
Drone, the, 225
Drone-breeder, 195
Drone-brood, 147,207 ; cast
out, 374
Drone-comb, 195 ; produc-
tion of, if starters are
used, how prevented, 161;
proportion of, 337
Drone-eggs, 316
Drones, 92, 169, 231, 327,
374, 401, 471, 485 ; and
the fertilisation of
qneens, 179 ; and larva?
ejecting, 349 ; cast out,
289,362"; flying, 183,482,
flying at night time, 250;
time when they ought to
be flying, 547 ; their re-
ception by other colonies
than their own, 126 ;
trapping, 148 ; turning
out, 327, 337
Drought not the only cause
of a light honey-crop, 179
Dry-feeders, 497
Dry sugar feeding, 147, 206,
305, 508, 517
Dummies, 297, 545
Duucau pearl sugar, 418,
447
Dwindling, 207
Dysentery, 109, 254, 488,
587, 612, 617, 626
Earthenware barrel, stor-
ing honey in, 245
Earth- wax. 68
Earwigs, 429
East Glamorgan, reply to,
456
Eastern races, temper and
characteristics of, 413
Echoes, passim
Echoes from Wilts, 53
Eden, Mr., on inserting
foundation in sections, 5;
his foundation fastener,
198
Eggs by post, 140
Ecrgs, several, in one cell,
255, 572
Ekes, 283
Elizabeth, Quccu, her par-
tiality for methes'lin, 303
Enamel cloth, 122,110,212,
415, 472,491, 49t, 512
Entrance-slides, 119
Entrances, 94, 2S3, 538, 563,
617; contracting, 591
Equalising, colonics, 471 ;
in spring, 311 ; stores, 212
Essex, from Herts to, 417 ;
rectory, an, 215
Eucalyptus honey, 398, 415,
450
Europe, weather and crops
in, in 1888, 450
Evaporation, 008
Examination of colonies,
139, 161, 494
Excelsior bee-feeder, 71,
498
Excluder, use of, in top of
brood-nest, 135 ; is it
required? 312 ; using, 407
Excluder, zinc, 41, 68, 171,
183, 243, 254; in body of
hive, 583 ; width of holes,
289
Excluders, 235, 255 ■
Experience, 275, 617
Experience, an, 383 ; the
value of, 414
Experiences, 412, 618 ; of a
young beginner, 491 ; in
1888, 581
Experiment, an, 570
Expert, puzzling the, 448
Experts, 235 ; visits of, 63 ;
warned, 391 ; and Asso-
ciations, 446
Explanation required, 142 ;
wanted, til
Extracted honey, 432 ;
taken from stored combs,
its appearance the second
season, 113 ; working for,
135 ; from skep, 255
Extractor, 217; for loose
comb, 68 ; best, 184
Extracting, 283, 391, 433;
frame for, 243; best time
to finish, 360
Fancy comb, production
of, 601
Fanning, 266
Fast feeder, 480
Fecundation, 400
Feeder, an amateur's expe-
rience with a new, 480 ;
fast, 418 ; how to make a
fast, 445
Feeders, 44^, 499, 545;
rusty, 49 .J
Feeding bi es, 122, 125, 163,
169, 187, 210, 338, 3t>5,
386, 400, 443, 472, 475,
478, 481, 492, 502; in
January, 31, 41 ; in
spring, 57 ; gentle and
rapid, 126; swarm, 217,
322 ; on thin syrup, 235 ;
slow, 326; rate or, 349;
back extracted honey,
397, 410, 422, 469; for
the winter, 417, 558, 604 ;
with last year's honey,
414 ; rapid, 445, 446 ; in
skeps, 48S, 491; in au-
tumn, 575
Fertile queen-intiodnction,
181
Fertile worker, 348, 349,
572, 420
Fertility of perforated
flowers, 564
Field-mice, 5S3
Fighting, 327
First attempts, 177
First-class certificates, 221
First frame hive, the, 92
Fixing foundation, 193, 217,
231 ; in sections, new
method of, 72, 91
Floating apiaries, 106
Floating exhibition, 322
Floor-boards, 80, 147, 444;
cleaning, 218
Florida, east coast of, 223
Flour-candy, 195 ; recipe
for, 57
Flowers, polliuation and
perforation of, 506, 551,
564; to plant in garden,
400
Food, amount of, for win-
tering, 560 ; for queen-
cages, recipe for, 163
Foreign:—
America, 486, 565 ; Aus-
tralia, 450, 589; Belgium,
166, 189, 519; Brazil, 5S9;
Brussels, 189, 392, 403;
California, 495 ; Canada,
18, 106, 312, 392, 437, 449,
519, 614 ; East Africa, 516;
France, 18, 106, 419.519;
Germauy,529 ; Italy, 106,
166, 529; Minorca, 323 ;
New Zealand, 392; Nor-
way, 496 ; Ontario, 106 ;
Kussia,322,512 ; Queens-
land, 248; Switzerland,
496, 519, 590 ; South
America, 128; Southern
California, 189 ; United
States, 16, 31, 142
Foreign bees and their im-
portation, 440, 562
Foreign races, 176, 52S, 553
Formic acid, importance
of, in honey, 409
Fonl brood, 187, 298, 326,
327, 346, 458, 492 ; cure of,
310 ; cured by keeping
bees without food for
forty-eight hours, 550;
germs of, contained in
honey, 377; how it is
Spread, 378 ; experiments
with, ib, ; theory of the
first cause of, 562; con-
tagion of, 608
Foul brood solution, 171
Foundation, 400 ; iusertiug
in sections, 5 ; v. im-
pressed comb, 38; fast-
ening, 65 ; brittle, 94,
254, 378 ; for sections
and brood-frames, 97 ;
fasteners, 108; in frames,
122 ; drawn out in spring,
135 ; natural based, ib. ;
fixing, 185 ; makers, 228 ;
full sheets of, or starters
in sections, 249 ; flat-bot-
tomed or natural-based,
ib, ; number of super-
ficial feet of, to the
pound, ib. ; sheets of,
266; fixing full sheets,
on sections, to prevent
sagging, 284 ; fixing on
four sides to prevent
popholes, ib. ; old, 289 ;
for swarm, 307 ; strength-
ening sheets of, 575
Four-way sections, r 02,315
Frame -hives, placing skeps
on, 109
Frame lifter, 119
Frame range, 365
Frames, 67, 97 ; the best,
28 ; how to handle, 161 ;
a plea for large, 180 ;
without shoulders or
ends, 252 ; spacing of,
289 ; distance between,
297; adjusting, 338; at
right augles or parallel,
421 ; when feediDg num-
ber of, 536 ; proper
number of, w. ; reduc-
ing, ib. ; shallow, 571
position of, 612
French works on bees, 41
Fresh blood, 158
Frog and bees, 334
Fruit-blo=soni honey, ob-
taining, 195
Fruit culture and apicul-
ture, 36
Full sheets of foundation
or starters in brood-nest ?
68
Fumigating, 608
Fumigator, 266
Garden-bee plants, 321
Gardeners as bee-keepers,
193
Gayton hive, 455
Godde, John, 302
Germany and Austria, a
review of the literature
of, 151
Germany, comb and ex-
tracted honey in, 486
Giant glube thistle seed,
528 ; how to grow it, ib.
Glamorganshire, bee-keep-
ing in, 500
Glasgow Exhibition, Irish
honey at, 76
Glass sections, 19S, 216, 316,
490, 525, 533
Glazing sections, 466
Gleauings,310,3r7, 132,550,
562, 575, 600, 613
Good's candy, 538, 5,s6
Government carbolic pow
der, 235
Granulated honey, 55, 60,
334, 387 ; is it suitable
fur bees :J 132; will bees
live ou it? 154, 155
Granulated sections, 160 ;
sugar, 458 ; pearl, 447
Gray's feeder, 95
Greeuhalgh, Mr., his expe-
rience of wintering I e -
in a cellar, 174
Gridley, Mr., his apiary,
574
, Griffin, W. N., his honey
dubbin, 365
Griqualaud bees, li'l
Grimshaw, R. A. H., his
apifuge, 1 ; lecture by,
on bee-keeping, 19 ; Ins
paper ou * Specialisa-
tion,' 41 ; his paper ou
' The Sting and its Poi-
son,' 514
Grimsby Naturalists' So
ciety, 212
Grooved sections, ^r>l
Grubs thrown out, 254
Guia del Agicultor Britan-
ico, 385
Guilmeth, M., and euca-
lyptus honey, 398
Gwmynydd, 385
Hairworms, 369, 370
Hallamshire law, 181
Hanging frames, new mode
of! 81
Heat of hive, 298
Heather, moving bees to,
two miles distant, 14 ;
growing, 68
Heather lioney, 64, 94, 304,
512
Heddon, Mr., his hive, 32,
121 ; affected with catar-
rhal symptoms when
handling bees, 117
Hertfordshire, bee-keeping
m, 356
Herts, from, to Essex, 447
Hetherington, Captain, his
cage for rearing queens,
70 ; his use of Van
Deusen foundation, 209 ;
his device for preventing
foundation sagging, 210
Hibernation, 310
INDEX TO VOLUME XVI.
Hilton, G. E., of Fremont,
memoir of, 247 j his
apiary, ib.
Hill's device, 360, 395, 420,
429, 475
Hind legs of bee, 5S8
Hire, and honey shows,
63; to prevent swarming,
81; new, 122; best, 227 ;
with twelve frames, 289;
proper heat of, 293 ;
dying-out, 337 ; size of,
3S3; with foul brood,
415; cleaning, 429; ;i
novel, 471 ; average
profit of, 492 ; the choice
of a, 556 ; blown over,
620
Hive-entrance, 66
Hive-making, 60, 596
Hive sides, keeping packed,
147
Hive situation, 561
Hives, 122 ; murmuring
noise in, 14 ; burying
during winter, 15 ; and
their management for
cottagers, 19, 34; removal
of, to other locations, 60 ;
cleaning and scalding, 97;
examination of, 113,161 ;
watertight, 119, 620 ;
temperature of, 160, 367 ;
changing, 163; position
of, 195; with top en-
trance, 206; establishing
a frame, 230; and super
cases, 235 ; and surplus
chambers, 287; capacity
of, 295; on the level, 815;
doubled, 3b7 ; possible
average of results from,
458; broodless, 487; damp,
494; varnishing, 495; re-
moving in winter, 563 ;
examination of, in winter,
588 ; in cellars, 60S
Hiving- swarms, 147, 217,
254,258,259; driven bees,
415
Hoge, Mr., 94, 128, 233, 440
Holding breath and exemp-
tion from stings, 435
Holy Land, 248
Holy Writ, 28, 41
Home market, how to build
up, 228
Honey, 215,243,399; market
price of, 10; mention of,
in the Bible, 20, 21; price
Of, 26, 38, 400, 466 ; cost
of production of, 31; pro-
duction, 38 ; and mella,
40; inuunnished sections,
41; markets for, 52; con-
sumers of, 55 ; value of
comb and extracted, 55 ;
granulated, 55, 60; ob-
taining, 109 ; promotion
of sale of, 118; neglected,
122 ; adulterated, 129 ;
uusealed, 135 ; disposing
of, 155 ; nsed as a condi-
ment in China, 167; soli-
dified, 195; poor quality,
216; analysis of American,
234 ; ten "tons of, 266 ; old
combs having, 266 ; medi-
cinal properties of, 285 ;
feeding with, 326; adul-
teration of, 329, 432, 439,
011; its Havour, 374; of
last year, 386, 400; can
it be obtained from a
swarm the same season,
391; surplus, 401; ex-
tracted, standard frames
or shallow, for, 407 ; of
indifferent finality, 429;
suggestions tor the use of,
438; in Ireland, 44 fc; old,
ib. ; putting up for mar-
ket, 466 ; mai ket in the
United States, 477 ; sell-
ing, 492; not digested
nectar, 500 ; and honey-
comb, display of, 510 ;
why some is not safe as
winter food for bee3, 510 ;
and wax, imports of, in
Belgium, 519; uses of,
553, 571 ; from cucum-
bers, 566 ; best for win-
tering, 594; purity of,
ib.; value of microscopic
tests of, 604; statistics
of, 609
Honey ant, 215
Honey bee, contribution, to
the physiology of, 582,
588, 599
Honey boards, 211, 2:2 1, 235,
271, 278 ; are they neces-
sary ? 312
Honey classes at the Co-
operative festival, 1, 433
Honey-eomb designs, 171
Honey crop, failure of, 471
in California, 477
Honey district, 308
Honey fairs, 63
Honey flow, 147, 273 ; com-
mencement of, 218
Houev, imports of, 1, 19,
74, 143, 190, 237,294,332,
393, 453, 520, 535, 553,
615 ; and exports, 609
Houey leaflet, 28
Honey liquors, 51
Honey plant of Florida,
565 ; a new, 198
Honey pHnts, 207, 583. Set
Bee flora
Honey producer, the suc-
cessful, 217
Honey season, close of, 327 ;
a poor, 613
Honey supply, 159
Honey yield,' 218, 314, ;»t ;
average, 572
Honeyed food, 169
Honeyless stocks, 390
Hooker, J. M., his t Snide
to Successful Bee-keeping,
361, 365; his winter
management, 440, 468 ;
hive exhibited by him,
540
Horizontal honey extrac-
tor, 389
Hornets, 48, 136; how to
destroy, 14; in Palestine,
156; in Malta, 456
Horticulture and apicul-
ture, 11
Hot or cold system ? 30
Howard, J. H., his sections
with grooves all round,
67 ; his section block,
231 ; his section box,
302 ; his foundation fix-
ing block, 326 ; his hives
at the Nottingham Show,
365; his comb filler, 516
Hruschka, Major von, me-
moir of, ;{jl
Hull, U.K. A. for, 198
Humble bees, 278; in New
Zealand, 302; plants per-
forated by, 564
Hundredweight hive, 520
Hunger swarms, 113, 231
Hvbrid, best, 219
Hybrids, 266
Hymenoptera, poison of ,575
Iceing sugar, 568
Ichneumon pupa?, 482
Improvement, a slight, 607
In-and-in breeding, 93, 173,
187, 194, 199, 213, 237
Increase, making, of divi-
sion, 296 ; pi-evention of,
40, 68,77,91,332; work-
ing for, 432
India, safe arrival of two
stocks of Italians in, 39
Information desired, 176
Insects, composition and
function of blood in, 575;
antenna; of, ib.; sagacity
of, 501
Inserting foundation in
sections, 120
International American
Bee Association, 566
In the dark ages, 585
In the hut, 129, 214, 313,
453,520
Invertedhives,116; frames,
311 ; skeps, 346 ; combs,
482
Ireland, an example from,
108
Irish Association's stand-
ard hive, 409
Irish Exhibition in London,
193, 377
Irish honey at the Glasgow
Exhibition, 76
Italian bees, 153, 164, 301,
373; and red clover, 507
Italian Exhibition, honey
and wax in the, 363
Italian strain, 362
Italian works on bees, 41
James, Rev. C. C, large
swarm hived by him,
317
Jenkins, W. H., his rever-
sible section crate, 264
Jenyns, Rev. C. F. &., death
of, 61 ; memoir of, 71 ;
resolution of B.B.K.A.on
the loss of, 86 ; remini-
scence of, 108
Jews, the, and hom-v, (53,
508, 526
Jones, D. A., his extractor,
495
Jones, H. P., Y&wmynydd,
385
Jottings, 496; by "Wood-
leigh, 345,558. Stc Ama-
teur Expert
Journals, British and Ame-
rican, 198
Joyce, W. T., his glass sec-
tions, 231
Judging hives, 556; single,
516
Junior bee-keeper, from a,
229; cohiQin, 277
Killarney.a voice from, 469
Klinitz, queen-catcher and
cage, 95
Koerbs, H., his new arti-
ficial comb, 7, 21, 34, 139,
19S
Kohler method, 140
Lancashire, expert of, 337
tanffstroth fund, 253, 269,
299, 311, 319, 874, 549;
a boy's observations on,
297
Langstroth, Rev. L. L.,
257, 264 ; revision of his
work on the Honey-bee,
6 ; sympathy for, 18 ;
fund for, uV ; visit from,
303 ; acknowledgment
by, of contributions of
American lice - keepers,
415; his photograph, 459;
memoir of, 577
Langstroth hive, 111, 557
Larva; thrown out, 400 ;
food for, how prepared,
532
Law on bees, 522
Lectures on bee-keepinc-,
19, 63, 113, 170, 218, 587,
607
Lee, J., hi:; frames, sections,
and crates, 1, 5, 41, 218,
294 ; sectious, glazing,
338
Legs of the beo, 414, 583
Lentil flour, 57
Leriche, M., his work on
houey, and its com-
pounds, 429
Lessons of 1888, 431
Lewis ami Co., their sec-
tion factory, 610
Library of the B.B.K.A.,
147
lognrian or Italian bees,
Ligurian dead queen, 400
Lincolnshire bee-keepers,
896
Lincolnshire B.K.A., re-
formation of, 285, 601
Lincolnshire, a honey-
yielding county, 502
Louth, T., his extractor
for sections, 263
Lyle's suurar, 418
Makeshift hives, 98, 111
Malagasy honey bee, 131
Malta, bees and bee-keep-
ing in, 14, 92, 456; notes
from, 178, 20 1
Maltwort for feeding, 147
Manipulation, 29, 139,391;
in January, 31
Mantis and wirewornis, 369
Markets for honey, 53
Marketing honey, 431
Marsh, Dr., on the cause
of hay-fever, 117
Martins, 420
Mason bees, 307
M'Laiu, Professor, his ex-
periments in apiculture,
32 ; his report on starved
brood, 390; report of
some experiments in api-
culture, 460, 476, 484;
appointed superinten-
dent of the American
Bee Department at the
Paris Exhibition, 601
McNally, E., his section-
holders, 290, 355
Mead or metheglin, old
receipts for, 303
Meadows, W., his Notting-
ham rapid feeder, 447 ;
his extractor, 495
Mella and honey, 40
M' llieraton, 595
Mermis, 370
Metheglin, recipe for, 316
Mice in the apiary, 58, 67
Microscopes, 400
Microscopic tests of honey,
Minorcau bee3, 181, 339,
591, 573, 580, 591, 602;
barricades, 563, 615, 616
Minorcan queens, .557, 372,
425,481; faihu-e in intro-
ducing, 344; success in
introducing, 345
Mismanagement, 396
Mites on old combs, 560
Modern Bee-keepingfii with
the aid of, 178
Modem Bet Form, extract
from, 563
Monthly Journal.SO, 85, 129
Moor honey granulating, *1
Moors, a journey from the,
511
More hopeful, 478
Morell Mackenzie, Dr., on
hay fever, 117
Mouidy comb, 122, 195, 4*8
Mouldy combs, 206 : pollen,
308
Moving bees. It, 108, 159,
195, 218, 231, 254, 266,
522 ; into dean hives,
135, 147 ; from England
to Scotland, 584
Muller, H., onbeesexl ract-
ing pollen from flowers,
21
Muskhara manufacturer,
affairs of, 487
Nadiring, 109, 207
Nails, a chat about, 127
Nassonow and Krotkow,
Messrs., their floating
exhibition, 322
Natal, bee-keeping, 546 ;
bees and insects m, 369 ;
oocoidsa of, 870, 595
N at ional Co-operative
Show at Crystal Palace,
1, 339, 377
Natives i\ foreigner-, 34 i
Natural bees-wax not
white, 358
Natural swarming, 1*7,235
Nectar, the odour of, 166
Neighbour & Sous, their
apiary at Bunecfield, 376
New year's greeting, 4
New artificial comb, 7, 21,
34, 167
New hut, a, 143
New Zealand, bees in, 141,
372, 541
' Nil desperanduni,' 503
Non-alcoholic drink-, 266.
276
North American Conven-
tion of Bee-keepers at
Chicago, 16, 31
North Wales, bees in, 204 '
Notes and queries, 440
Notes on bee-hives, 50, 68, ,
134, 180, 215, 252, 382,
307, 438, 490, 521, 533,
568, 603, 619, 624
Notesoncurrenttopics,315 j
' Nothing new under the ,
sun,' 91
Nottingham show, romi- j
niscences of, 365 ; bee
department at the, 380
Notts honey fair, 6
Novice,blnnders,accidents,
cover
walls and fence, 195;
cultivation of, 218
Pleurisy root, 311
Pollen, 136; masses, 2_' ■
food, 27 ; substitutes for,
57 ; gatheriug, 68, 337,
362; whence derived, 147;
in conibs, what should be
done with, 150; chemical
properties of, 212 ; cells
clogged with, 231; and bee
bread, 288 ; proportion
of, carried, 280; the me-
dium of introduction of
bacillus alvei into the
hive, 461
Pollination of flowers, 50 ;,
564
Pollman, Dr., on the differ-
ent races of bees, 121
Porches, 2<>t
Porto Rico sugar, 184, US
Portraits of bee-keepers,
625
Postal arrangements, 49
Practical work in the api-
ary, 57, 60, 97, 111, 125,
137, 161, 185, 209, 245,
258, 269, 299, 319, 351,
375, 473
Practical hints from
Brother Jonathan, 149,
162
Preparations, 5, 97 ; for
summer, 212; tor winter,
391, 395, 509
Preventing sagging of
foundation, 209
Preventing swanniug, 77,
91, 195, 196, 283, 372
Prize-takers, 522 ; engage-
ments of, 492
Prizes, proposed subscrip-
tiou for, 11
Propolised frames, 147
Provincial Associations,
566
Psych idre, 595
Quarterly conversaziones,
260, 353, 513, 526
Queen, securing in aswarm,
28; getting rid of old, 0* ;
ascending to third storey,
80; preserving frozen, 95;
should she be retained
more than two years ?
127; finding, 146, 401;
clipping wings of, 218,
499; nursery, 219; drone
VI
INDEX TO VOLUME XVI.
rearing, 231 ; dead, 255,
289,337,318,400; thrown
out, 255,317, 383; giving
to parent colony imme-
diately ;ifter swarming',
275; keeping laying, 289;
half a, better than none,
306 ; presence of, 327,
3+9; laying powers o%
327, 359 ; rearing or pro-
viding, 349 j missing", 33?),
374, I01;snpereedrag,386,
401 ; failure in introduc-
ing, 409; will removing
increase the honey yield ?
4-13 ; how recognised, 419 •
doubtful, 458 ; age of,
482 ; barren, ib, ; ferti-
lised or not? 502; ferti-
lised, 536, 518; bailing,
562
Queens, sending by post,
30; virgin, GO, 61 ; super-
seding,^, 273, 346,393,
420; doubtful, 243; re-
cords of, 273 ; young, 337 ;
laying capacity of good,
358 ; rearing, 415 ; mat-
ing, 419 ; balled, 432 ;
missing, 458 ; do they lay '
eggs in royal cells ? 509 ;
she of, 521, 568; prob-
ability of pure fertilisa-
tion of, 543; introducing,
by scent, 557 ; late, 60j
Queen-ant, an old, 471
Queen-bleeding, 30, 48, 93
Queen-cage, 604
Queen-cells, old, 2-35; des-
troying1, 290 ; in hive,
307 ; preservation of, 432
Queen-excluder, 94, 122
Queen - excluding honey-
boards, 211
Queen - introduction, 113,
194, 260, 334, 384, 400,
120, 432, 138, 447, 456,
481, 523
Queen-nurseries, 219, 250
Queen-piping, 457
Queen-raisers, 496, 529
Q nee n- raising, 69, 93, 95,
104, 159, 163, 177, 218,
289, 317, 374, 3S0, 497,
518, 576
Queenless colonies, 113, 147,
223, 239, 250, 254, 294,
310, 374, 429, 457, 458,
475, 492, 568
Queen-wasps, 235, 295, 305
Queries, 336
Quilts, 40, 58, 494; felt, 547;
impervious, 617
Qniuby hives, 557
Races of bees, 476
Railway companies and
rates', 122, 133, 158, 191,
192
Rapid feeders, 488, 499,
508, 517
Rapid feeding, 445, 446, 617
Rattlesnakes and honey,
508
Ray nor, Rev. G., visit to
his apiary, 320
ltaynor feeder, 238, 446;
excluding honey boards,
271 ; pipe-cover queen-
cage, 457
Recognition by bees, 418
Red shaw, C . , his slotted
dividers, 302 ; his Royal
Nottingham hive, 356
Red-backed shrike, 353
Reminiscences, 281
Removing from makeshift.
hive, 148; fromboxhive,
ib.
Replacing old combs, 122
Report, my year's, 488 ;
No. 2, 533
Reproduction, control of,
484
Re-queening, 391 ; using
queen - cells for, 125S ;
after a swarm has issued,
422
Rescuing drowning bee?,
146
Rest-harrow, 429
Retrospect, a, 429
Reversing frames, 333
llcvista Apicnla, 336
Ribeauconrt, M. C. de,
houo urs eon f erred on , 310
Ripening honey, 326
Robertson, C, on the ex-
traction of pollen from
flowers, 23, 25
Robbers, 85, 472
Robbing 63, 211,290, 427,
460, 472, 475, 562, 626
Roofs of hives, 85, 611
Ross, J. C, his feeder, 264
Royal jelly, 582
Royal Nottingham hive,
356
Hunches, 302
Russia, hint from, 460;
bee-keeping in, 603
Rust from syrup can, 240
Sa idler, J., his cream
candy, 584, 586
Salicylic acid, 296, 444, 496 j
added to water, 159 ; in
i andy, 109
Sambels, J. P., his paper
on ' The Future of Asso-
ciations,' 261
Save the mark, 478
Saved ! 240
Sawdust, 502
Schedules, 556, 558 ; sug- j
gestion for, 481 ; our, 1
again, 581
Schleswig - Holstein, col-
onies of bees in, 575
Schonfeld, Pastor, on
Pollen food, 12, 27
Schulz, Otto, one - side
comb foundation, 139
Scotch bee-keepers and
the British Bee Journal,
568
Scraper, 215, 225
Scripture texts, 10
Seager, Rev. J. L., his
paper on ' Comity aud
District Associations,' '
526, 539
Season, the, 2, 346, 383,
427, 470 ; mildness of
the, 598
Seasonable hints, 477
Second-class examination, '
551
Sections, 50, 66, 121, 192. ,
252,344,490; groove all j
round inside of, 66 ;
without separators, 79;
large, for extracting, HI ;
filled with foundation,
119 ; packing for rail,
171 ; size and width for,
176, 193, 221, 249; on
swarms, 195; one size,
218; jottings on, 228;
glass, ib. ; grooved, ib. ;
working, 243 ; two and
four bee-way, 249; plac-
ing, 297 ; position of, in
hive, 312; when they
should be put on, ib. ;
removing, 322 ; packing
and sending, by rail, 3 >2 j
unfinished, completion
of, by feeding back ex-
tracted honey, 371 ; in
one rack, is it preferable,
or in three sets of sec-
tions, 434; glazing, 466 ;
storing, 472 ; storing
away drawn-out, 472 ;
partially finished, 491 ;
with artificial attach-
ment cells, 603
Section-cases, 301, 475
Section holders, 301
Section honey, 235
Section-racks, 31, 497
Selected queries, 106, 113,
150, 164, 223, 236, 249,
271, 284, 312, 323, 329,
366, 378, 391, 407, 421,
434 449
Separators, 271,300
Shade-boards for hives, 378
Shading hive, 119, 193, 305
Shale, heap of, utilising", 68
Shallow frames, 211, ^240,
259, 265, 273, 442, 470, 626
Shows and rules, 154
Shows to come, 317, et
passim
Silke-Corkhill hive, 147
Simmins, S., his Modern
tia--fanit, 2; his non-
swarming system, 81,
108 ; his large frames,
147; his method of
queeu-introd action, 181,
191
Simmins' Bee Company,
70, 549
Skep deserted, 13 ; man-
agement of, 41, 76 ; not
filled, 219; stock in, 374;
clearing, 472 ; excited
stocks iu, 207 ; and bar-
frames, 296 ; reversed,
::24, 317,360; feeding in,
538, 596
Skermev,
suctions
his glass
Mr.
355
Slacr-heap, utilising, 41
Slotted dividers, 55, 302
Smoke, 274, 283
Smokers, 274; fuel for, ib.
Snow, 85, 587
Snowdrops, 400
Solar wax extractors, 83
Solid wood feeder, 196
Solitary wasps and bees, 471
Somerset, experience in,
480
Somersham skep, 171 ; tin,
19,34
South African bees, 348;
queen, 595
Space below frames and
sections, 160, 312, 491
Spain, 531; bee-keeping in,
305
Sparrows, 85, 211, 414, 420,
442, 5i3
Specialisation, paper on,
by R. A. H. Grimshaw,
44
Spreading brood, 68, 150,
265, 491
Spring dwindling, 219, 289,
and prevention, 135 ;
management in, 137,227,
231, 236, 251
Square frame, advantages
of, 282
Stra'ght combs, to get, 135
Stands, 85 ; distance from
ground, 583
Standard frame, 4, 66, 136,
441 ; best number for
brood-nest, 421 ; a diffi-
culty, 3S3
Staples, 231
Starvation in the hive, 205
Starved brood, 390
Stimulating, 184. 374
Stimulative feeding, ear-
liest time to begin, 547
Stings, 205 ; remedy for,
302, 617 ; to prevent, 408
Stinging, a di'eam, 442
Stingless bee, 589
Stocks, equalising, 270 ;
strong, 362, 334; dwin-
dling, 570
Stomach mouth of the bee,
569
Stored combs, 60
Stores, amount of, 536
Storifying v. tiering up, 447
Storing comb honey, 160;
appliances away, 405, 535
Strain, improving, 362
Strange stock, will thev
fight ? 160
Strengthening stock, 218
Sugar, 417, -443, 447, 457,
458, 472, 492; for syrup-
niaking, 135; in honey,
400; cane aud beet, ib. ;
for feeding, 415; propor-
tion of, in syrup, 492 ;
if used, to be fed early,
501; burnt, 522; amount
of, required by different
bees, 601
Sugar-bags, 512
Sugai'-cuke, 511, 547, 571,
584; giving, 194
Sugar candy, 516
Sugar feeding in Canada,
449
Suggestion, a useful, 118;
for feeding starving
stocks, 398; only a, 479
Suggestions, 118, 193, 333 ;
for schedules, 510
Sulphuric acid a cure for
foul brood, 550
Sundries, 365
Sunshade, 333
Sunshine in 1838, 505
Super, 415 ; removing) 338
Super foundation, 315;
white, 68
Superiug, 338 ; skep, 254
Supers, 289 ; emptying,
334; removal of, 365;
and swarms, 219
Surface mixture, 85
Surplus cases, 283
Surplus honey, taking, 228
Suspected comb, disinfect-
ing, 159
Suspicious wax, 317
Sussex, jottings from, 479
Swallows, 426
Swan, John, on bees, 397
Swarm, first, 41 ; feeding,
27S; a fair, 297, 317;
adding, to weak stock,
307 ; placing racks on,
ib, ; returning, 348 ; po-
sition of, at time of
swarming, 366 ; dividing,
374j forming, with new
queen, 400 ; without
qneen, ib, ; stinging a
young man to death, 464
Swarm-catching, 269
Swarmed colonies, 391
Swarming, 28,259,266,278,
427; preventing, 219,311;
delaying, 254; excessive,
374; bees selecting a home
before, 500; out, cause
of, 550
Swarms, 326, 343,334; cap-
turing, 239 ; treatment
of, 283, 317; second, 302;
last, ib, ; setting up, 333;
number of, 319 ; the
wind's influence on the
direction of, 362 ; late,
467 ; preserving, 522
Syrians, ^54, 413
Syrup, for stimulating, cor-
rect quantity of, 135 ;
recipe. for, 163 ; in winter,
195; last year's, 219 ;
placing in combs, 311 ;
making, 444; boiling,
472; feeding, 497; kept
in bottles, 522; H. Alley's
mods of making, 601 ;
over-salted, 617
Temperature of hives, 367
Thick combs, reducing, 807
Things I have learnt, 220 ;
worth knowing, 489
Third -class examinations,
80, 119 ; certificates, 187,
374
Three sceptics, 335
Thymol, 496
Tieriug-up hives, 136, 284,
302
Time not wasted, 471
Time-test, the, 93, 118
Tin divider*, 300
Toad story, a, 321
Toads and bees, 361
Todd, A. G. N., memoir of,
142
Tomtits, 85
Top bar, should it be 15'. ?
66
Transferring, 63, 122, 147,
172, 183, 195, 243, 278,
289, 297, 307, 316, 337,
348, 415, 458
Travelling case, 301
Trumpeter among humble
beea, 229
Tuoper, Sirs., death of, 198
Twin-hive, a, 396
Two queens in a hive, 400
Unbleached calico as a
covering, 449
Uncapping combs, tool for,
229 ; machine, 3S9
Uncertificated bee-keeper,
reminiscences of, 133
Uncle, letter to an, 278
Unfinished sections, how to
utilise, 65
Uniting, 28, 103, 219, 266,
337, 493, 502, 522, 589
Unsealed food, 147
Useful hints, 4, et nosst'm,
Useful suggestion, a, 93
Van Deusen foundation,
209, 315
Varnishing hives, 495
Various matters, 346
Vegetable wax, 449
Ventilation, 14*. 205, 411,
587,612; upper aud lower,
494
Virgil, 534
Virgin queens, 33, 48, 60, 61 ,
129, 157, 538; intro-
duction, 219, 606
Vogel, M., one-side cell
comb foundation, 139
Vulcanite, 138
Wagnev, M. Peter, bis un-
capping machine, 38ft
Wasp, killed by a, 47S
Wasps, 136, 391, 4S1, 5S3
how to destroy, 64, 92,
324,333,348,464; lecture
on, 142 ; larva: of, te-
nacity of life in, 481;
absence of, 571 ; per-
forating flowers, 507
nest, 625
War, pestilence, famine, 2 '.
Water, its necessity in the
apiary, 85, 94, 183, 187, 290
Waterproofing hives, 538
Watkins, A., his lantern
slides, 2
Wax, 362; imports of, 1;
easy method of render-
ing, 67; cleausing, 298,
362 ; is the secretion vol-
untary? 370; extracting,
559 ; use of, iu France,
449; purity of, 596 ; re-
fining, 613 ; statistics of,
621
Wax-extractors, 495
Wax-guides, 185
Wax-moth, 14, 55, 150,255,
266, 289, 384; in Pales-
tine, 156
Wax-secretions, 277
Weak colonies, 255, 401
Weather, 4, c( pcissiai ; aud
swarming, 301 ; in Nor-
way, 377
Webster.W. B., his section-
block, 231 ; his founda-
tion-fastener, 264 ; his
Book oj Bee-kccpiwj, 297 ;
on tht red-backed shrike
or butcher bird, 353; his
swarm-catcher, 351
Welsh bees and foul brood,
179
West, a voice from the, 341
Wheat-flour, 57
White, C. N., his coiiilu-
natiou-foeder and floor-
board, 355; his cottager's
hive, 350, 381
White-headed bees, 491
White wax, 325, 358
Wighton, J., on inverted
hives, 116
Wiley lie, the, 98, 126, 439
Willesden card, 537, 595
Winter, packing for, 10,
20, 360, 395, 475, 494;
after the, 276,288; pas-
sages, 395, 429, 469, 17s,
431, 193; stores for, 401,
501, 502, 536; aspect of
hives, 475; management,
487 ; quarters, 502 ; pro-
tecting bees in, 537 ; sup-
plies, 608
Wintering, 227, 415, 491,
545,546,601,605; problem,
the, 15 ; in United States
32; successful, 33; out-
dour, 59 ; nuclei, 294 ; in
Russia, 512; preparing
hives for, 521
Wire for cage of extractor,
135 ; for foundation, I&.
Wired foundation, 179, 231
Wired frames, 159, 19J,
210, 311
Wirc-embedder, 193
Wiiiug frames, 159, 219 ;
devices for, 210
Woiblet spur-embedder,210
Woodbury, Mr., his frame-
hive, 211; his imported
queens, 538
Woodleigh, niems. by, 20,
466 ; jottings by, 15S, 272
Woodley, Mr., his apiary
511
Woodley and Flood, the-.r
Goldman's atomiser and
sprinkler, 317
Work for the month, 5, ft
passim
Worker-bees, 485
Writers, old, 612
Yellow races, 121
Yorkshire, large apiaries
in, 68; Association, 102,
556
Zinc over feed-hole, 160 ;
and syrup, 195
J"
11PT"
the:
~^&Ldtdt
rs.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoewayb' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, YV.C.
[No. 28!). Vol. XVT.]
JANUARY 5, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(fbrtoral, Sottas, #r.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The nest Quarterly Conversazione will be held at
105 Jermyn Street, on Wednesday, 18th inst.
Members wishing to introduce subjects for dis-
cussion should communicate with the Secretary
on an early date.
A RETROSPECT.
About to commence the labours and duties of
another year, it seems desirable to cast a glance at
the work performed during that through which we
have just passed, to note the experience that has
been gained, and to recognise the position bee-keep-
ing now occupies.
Although the past year can in no wise bo cum
pared with that which preceded it, when the
magnificent exhibition of honey and bee-appliances
was held in South Kensington, and when we had
the unique opportunity of practising international
courtesies to the delegates from the bee-keepers in
Canada, yet the year 1887 has been productive of
good and varied work, and considerable progress
has been made.
Several most important exhibitions of the pro-
ducts of, and aids to, bee-keeping have been held
during the yi'ar; the principal of which have been
held under the auspices of the Royal, and the various
Counties Agricultural Shows. The intimate con-
in .i hi between Agriculture, Horticulture, and Api-
Q' Cure, h;i.s herein been recognised ; and we have
e lu-L't1 ■ t farmers and bee-keepers are becoming
miolv h< d to each other, and that the production
of hone; in the future will not be merely a pleasant
pasttpe to the few, but a useful adjunct to the
other occupations and industries of the farmer.
A noticeable exhibition was held at Bury St. Ed-
munds in connexion with the Suffolk Agricultural
Society Show, which created much interest in that
district. The bee department of the Royal Agri-
cultural Show at Newcastle fully maintained the
prestige which bee-keeping had gained at previous
exhibitions of the Royal. The entries were more
numerous than on any previous occasion. A series
of lectures were also given in that district, which,
together with the exhibition, has given birth to an
Association in Northumberland. The example thus
shown by the Royal has been followed by the
Lincolnshire, Hampshire, Norfolk, Glamorganshire,
and others. Bee-keeping has also, by the action of the
Association, found a place amongst the Co-operative
body. The small exhibition of honey held in con-
nexion with the National Co-operative Show at
South Kensington has resulted in a comprehensive
prize-list for honey and appliances being prepared
for their next annual show, which it is proposed to
hold at the Crystal Palace in the month of August.
The increased interest taken by bee-keepers in
obtaining certificates fur ability in the manipulation
of bees is a hopeful sign, and has been a marked
feature during the past year. The number of
examinations throughout the country is steadily
increasing. Nearly fifty candidates have presented
themselves as anxious to obtain honours in the
profession. Nearly thirty third-class certificates
have been gained by successful competitors, — one
of these, we have much pleasure in mentioning,
being a lady. A number of first and second-class
certificates has also been awarded.
Considerable advance has been made in the per-
fection of bee-appliances ; and although many of the
improvements may be very minute the tendency of
them is to make bee-keeping a more pleasing
occupation, and, when connected with a knowledge
of the management of the honey-bee, to render it
more certain of success. We may also mention the
greater attention which has been bestowed on the
more gentle and humane mode of handling bees.
During the year there has been a considerable de-
mand for the Apifuge, a knowledge of the virtues of
which is due to Mr. R. A. H. Grimshaw. This has
been in a majority of instances a great success, and
has proved of service in giving confidence to young
beginners and to lady-bee-keepers. We have also
heard much of, and can testify to, the value of the
frames, sections, and crates invented by Mr. James
Lee ; but as these are scarcely yet launched on the
public market it would be premature at present to
do aught but mention them as inventions of the
year 1887.
During the past year we have arrived at a more
definite knowledge of the quantities and values of
the honey and wax imported into the United
Kingdom. This, when conjoined with the amounts
re-exported to other countries, gives as the result
that 1755 cwts. of foreign honey have been re-
quired to supplement the deficiency of production
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 5, 1888.
to satisfy the wants of the British population ;
while in wax 20,108 cwts. have been required for
the various industries in which it forms a part.
To what degree these importations of honey and
wax may be reduced depends on the energy and
enterprise of the British bee-keeper.
We regret in this retrospect to have to notice
that the year has not passed away without the
loss of some who have in their time done the
cause of bee-keeping good service. Amongst these
we may mention Mr. Duncan Stewart, one of the
most assiduous and energetic members of the
Directors of the B. B. K. A. ; and Mr. C. Fox
Kenworthy, once Secretary of the B.B.K.A., and
at the time of his death Secretary of the Middlesex
B. K. A., a young man of great ability, and of
singularly amiable and modest demeanour, who did
much during the short time he was in office to
revive the position of Middlesex amongst County
Associations.
Amongst the features of the past year it becomes
us to mention the visit of Mr. Cowan to the bee-
keepers of Canada and the United States. This
visit, we rejoice to say, has much gratified our Trans-
atlantic brethren, and has cemented bee-keepers
in both countries in a closer bond of interest.
The literature of the honey-bee has not been
neglected during the past year. Mr. Simmins's
Modern Bee Farm has been well received ; Mr.
Cheshire's work is now completed ; a new edition
of Mr. Cowan's Guide-hook has been called for ; and
Modern Bee-keeping still maintains the high position *
it has always held in the estimation of bee-keepers.
The position of the County Associations, being a
matter of the greatest moment to bee-keepers, has
been dealt with in a separate comment.
The season of the past year has been peculiar ;
for some time the honey-flow was most plentiful,
but it was brought to a stand-still by a long and
continuous drought. This had a serious effect on
the honey prospects of the southern portion of the
kingdom, while in the northern parts of England
and in Scotland the harvest was most propitious, and
in many instances wonderful results were obtained.
In drawing these remarks to a close, we again
desire to recognise the assistance we have derived
from our numerous friends, — assistance which we
trust may be continued towards us during the
year on which we are entering, and we hope that
the year 1888 may be one marked by prosperity and
blessing to all bee-keepers.
COUNTY BEE-KEEPING ASSOCIATIONS.
Now that the organization of the British Bee-
keepers' Association may be regarded as complete,
and the County Associations fulfilling in a more or
less active manner the functions assigned to them,
the internal ivorking of the latter and their indi-
vidual condition may be a useful and timely inquiry.
The thought is now and then expressed that ' the
work for which they were formed has in a great
degree been accomplished.' Meetings have been
held generally all over the county, the expert has
been hjs rounds year by year, shows have beer)
held annually, and knowledge on the science of
bee-keeping has been widely spread ; the straw
skep has been superseded, and the fact driven
home that the old-fashioned bee-keeper has been
left far behind. The question may now,. therefore,
not be out of season, and the consideration of it
may throw light upon the more particular aims
which the managers of County Associations should
set before them.
That the spirit in the management of County
Associations is on the decline there is evidence, and,
had we the facts on which to speak more fully, we
fear that the one instance on which we can speak
with knowledge would not be an isolated one.
In an important county, and with a list of sub-
scribers approximating to 300, we learn that, though
its committee contains fifteen members, the business
of the Association has been carried on by four only,
two of whom have attended all the meetings sum-
moned, and the other two have each attended once.
This, after duo allowance made for inability to
attend on the particular days fixed, and the diffi-
culty of getting to the places appointed, cannot
but be considered as unsatisfactory. In some other
counties the circumstances, although differing, are
not satisfactory. In one in the south of England
all movement appears to have died out, while in
another, more northward, the whole management
seems to have fallen into the hands of the honorary
secretary. That these are alarming symptoms of
decline only very sanguine people can doubt, and
to arouse attention to the malady and to seek to
remedy it should, we think, be the immediate work
of the Central Association. The present period of
the year is well suited for the purpose of instituting
a general inquiry into the working of the various
Associations, and for the consideration of sugges-
tions which might be applied during the ensuing
season.
LANTERN-SLIDES.
We are pleased to find that Mr. Watkins, the
Hon. Secretary of the Hereford Association, has
devoted so much time and trouble in preparing
such a selection of lantern -slides illustrating bee-
keeping. Mr. Watkins has not only illustrated the
natural history of the honey-bee, but has gone
thoroughly into the processes and manipulating |f
the science in general. We notice i.H'n wrv i,
teresting subjects, showing the varic - ^ag<
bee-keeping, describing the modes . ," nig,'
supering, extracting, &c, also a slide of a ^viss
apiary, giving us an idea of our Continental friesjlds'
bee-hives.
The preparation of the slides is not quite satis-
factory, some being rather out of focus, thus losing
the crisp sharpness which is very essential for
lantern work. The slides are generally too intense
from over-development, consequently will not show
a sufficiently bright transparent image on the screen.
Had Mr. Watkins taken more care on these points,
we could have pronounced them as a splendid col-
lection. We should certainly recommend him to
make another selection of transparencies to obtain
a more perfect result,
or
January 5, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
AMATEUR EXPERT 'AT HOME.'
Readers of the B. Bee Journal will quite understand
my feeling considerable curiosity about and a con-
sequent desire to unearth (or smoke out) our genial
correspondent, whom I had already met at our Con-
versazione. I therefore consulted ' the Sage,' whose kind
offices as cicerone I was desirous of obtaining, for I
hoped he would prove a ' jolly old buffer ' (if he will
pardon the expression) between 'A. E.' and myself,
softening the impact and reducing the results of a col-
lision to a minimum. My scheme, growing by contempla-
tion, was advanced by the despatch of a tentative P. C.
(post-card, not pouce-constable) on scout-work to
ascertain if our friend would be at home. The defen-
sive nature of the reply — just the monosyllabic 'Come'
times, when unusually facetious, taunts us Saxons with
being ' land robbers.' After serving a youthful appren-
ticeship in the cleanest and prettiest town of ' West
Barbary ' he has to choose his future path, and hesitates
between London and Canada, for several of his school-
mates had emigrated and were sending home good
reports from that colony. He, however, selects London,
and (having started bee-keeping when six years old) it
were perhaps as well he did so, or where might he not
have been by this in the ranks of Canadian bee-keepers P
Eight years' toiling hard at the bench, all his leisure
filled in with mission and Sunday-school work, are cut
short by an accident which necessitates two long spells
and an operation in hospital. These tell on a constitu-
— was characteristic, we 1 bought; it might mean any-
thing, ' Come and welcome,' or ' Have at you.'
Express train from a London terminus took us to
within four miles of where ' A. E.' had fixed his ' hive,'
and upon that gentleman meeting us we were welcomed
as bee-keepers know hoiv to welcome their brethren.
The quen , ' Is it to spy out the nakedness of the land
ye are comi . ' being met by a reply that X-Traction was
the mci ■' •; we were at home. Of course when we
enterei' e house we ' uncapped,' but there was no
' slingi done, and the Formic-Aphideau process com-
l. I question much if the umpire himself would
not decide that it was impossible to determine which was
Napoleon and which the Alps — which the ant and which
the aphis — at the conclusion of the extracting. I leave
you to judge, though, if I did not do well to glean what
follows.
' A. E.' not forty, fa v, and fairly fat, is — speaking as
a poultry fancier — a ' 1 lymouth rock ; '* a Cornish man,
with a Cornish name, and a tread-on-your-Cornish
nature if you attack him. I can assure you he is able to
' hold his end up ' in a dispute. Being a Celt he some-
* I don't infer he keeps this breed, but was born at
Plymouth, where they are said to be favoured with thirteen
months annually of rainy weather,
tion none too robust, and drive our friend into fresh
fields of enterprise — his present business, which he
boasts is three miles from ' Civilisation,' i.e., from
butcher, baker, chapel, and post. He has been a life
abstainer from alcohol, tobacco (Ah!), and the razor.
(Some may understand me when I say there has been
either a land-slip or a hard frost in the polar regions.)
The Band of Hope and the Mutual Improvement Society
in the neighbouring town give ' A. E.' scope for his
superabundant energy, and he affirms that his happiest
hours are spent amongst children. Children, alas! when
I looked round for the bairns he told me with a husky
voice, ' Our five are where pain and sorrow cannot come.'
'A. E.' lives by activity, and ' jots ' for pure pastime, as
a safety-valve for the escape of exuberant fun.
I spoke of poultry, and he informed me the secret of
poultry-keeping lies in a few words : Avoid fancy
breeds; never keep a cockerel two years in succession,
but introduce fresh blood annually in the form of a
stray young bird; do not keep laying hens more than two
seasons, nor allow pullets to sit; for this purpose he
reserves three-year-old hens. His hen-house is a pic-
turesque affair, having a straw thatch ; the warmth this
affords and his general treatment provides him with
large eggs and early spring chickens. "When I say I
extracted from him that he can forge iron, turn wood,
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 5, 1888.
iron and stone, carve and paint, gild and paperhang, do
moulding and bricklaying, and even work in wool —
specimens of all these I saw — you will admit that he is
not only a ' jack-of-all-trades,' but I can testify he
masters them too. His literary work gives you a fair
sample. Roses and fruit trees, hives and hennery, winter
packing (mattresses of bed-ticking, rammed, just too
hard I thought, with cork-dust, sewn and wadded down),
quilts edged with scarlet binding to prevent fraying,
hives painted different colours, roofs covered with
canvas and well painted — neatness, neatness everywhere.
A ' grand promenade ' for bees, under and in front of
hives, is made by battering down into a hard, flat surface
what are known as ' breezes,' i.e., the small cinders from
a forge. This forms a sacrarium and reservation,
absorbing and retaining solar heat, thus providing the
bees with a warm, dry alighting ground. The central
bee-house, containing six hives, is flanked by two straw-
hackled skeps, reminding us that a hackle, like charity,
covereth a multitude of sins. Outside these are two
18-frame Abbott's Combination hives, beyond which are
six 10-framed, double-walled, home-made hives. The
house is surrounded by a six-acre meadow in which hives
were formerly kept, but in summer time the cows
objected, and Our friend takes great interest
in his County Association, and has been county repre-
sentative and local adviser for some years, lecturing at
frequent intervals to both adults and children on our
hobby. He was made 'A. E.' by the late Rev. H. R.
Peel, who often met him on long trips with the bee-tent
when certified experts were unknown, yet expert work
In' never took unless as a stop-gap, when professionals
could not be obtained.
Fruit gardens on all sides, amidst clover and bean-
fields, give the bees ample pasturage for the early
harvest, and amongst the surrounding woodlands trees
— sycamores, limes, and oaks — -will yield their quota of
honey in their season. A stroll in the adjacent park
showed us wild thyme still in bloom on the bosses of
verdure provided by old tree-stumps. This adds its
strong pervading scent to the larger bulk of honey
gathered from other flowers, and often, as is the case
with labiates, presents us with a puzzle-blend which
defies us to brand the honey with its origin. The lanes
at every junction open out into large stretches of close
green turf, highly suggestive of village-greens, and the
hedges areso thickly covered with bramble-berries that
we recognise another feeding ground. The bees have
been here, and the blackberries show it; the oaks show
it, too, for they are laden with acorns, a proof of mature
age and insect (not wind) cross-fertilisation. At almost
every step immense bushes are literally covered with
crimson-scarlet fruit, and these, the seed-pods of the
single rose, surely indicate insect visitation. The
dazzling-shining hips vie with the autumn tints of the
bramble-leaves, which run in a perfect gradation of
colour, from bluish-purple through crimson, scarlet,
orange, primrose, ami lemon-green, into the pale-green
and deeper shades of the still growing foliage. Here,
too, are sloes and wild plums in fruit, whilst the masses
of haws on the thorns testify that some one has had a
good share of hawthorn honey, and that we must ejtpecl
a winter of snow-covered ground. Thus does Nature
anticipate the requirements of the fruit and seed-eating
birds, and prevent their extermination. So, reader, you
Irani the tone and subject of our talk as we stroll
about, regretful at. the close of another season, yet cheer-
fully hopeful in the future.
Witt something like a sigh we leave the park, the
tine ancestral elms and oaks, the bee-gardens amidst
rustic homes, decked with the graceful festoons of the
virginian creeper, whose leaves gleam with all the
intermediate tints, from deep bronze to a weird living
scarlet, as though 'the early frosts of winter' had
pierced Auctumnus to the heart, her life-blood dropping
from her breast upon the wreaths 'midst which she hid
herself.
Long may 'Amateur Expert' and his good lady be
spared to enjoy the grand gifts with which Dame
Nature has surrounded their home ! Long may his
' jottings ' enliven the pages of the B. B.J. ! — Ex-Tractor.
USEFUL HINTS.
New Year's Greeting. — With the advent of
another year we offer a New Year's greeting to all our
friends and readers. May it prove a happy and success-
ful year to the great fraternity of bee-keepers whereso-
ever scattered over the surface of this terrestrial globe.
In these days of steam and electricity the term ' isola-'
tion ' has become obsolete, and the interest in our anti-
podean brethren is as great almost as in our neighbours.
Would that, we could exchange a. portion of our fog and
cloud for a little of their superabundant sunshine !
Progress. — Great strides indeed is the art of bee-
keeping making in our day, and still must ' progress '
ever be our watchword in every department of the
science. Apiculturajtoreat amongst all ' nations, kindred,
peoples, and tongues,' is the one wish of all our hearts
whilst we earnestly strive to hold our own in the great
world of apiculture. Great as the advance has already
been, visions of future progress appear to us to loom in
the future distance, as we read of English bee-farms
with increased produce arising from the more perfect
fertilisation by our bees, of the fruit grain and fodder
crops of our at present sadly depressed agricultural
interest. We must sow and water in hope, never for-
getting that there is One, and One only, who can give
the increase.
Weather — that universal theme of the Englishman
— has, as we are told on all sides, become ' seasonable,'
which at this time, we believe, implies severe frost and
heavy snowstorms. The latter, we are truly thankful to
say, have not visited us, although we hear from neigh-
bouring localities reports of the action of steam-snow
ploughs, clearing of roads, &c. Fifteen degrees of frost,
kept up nightly for a few weeks, may be of great service
to the land and to farming operations, and may also
gratify the youthful yearning for skating pastime, and
so we who would fain be spared such an ordeal must
'grin and bear it' in the hope that it may result in good
to all, our bees not excepted.
The Standard Frame, established by the B.B.K.
Association in 1882, as was to be expected, has met witli
unfavourable criticism at various times, but is now very
generally adopted by all British bee-keepers. The point
to which most objections have been raised is the length
of the top bar, viz., 17 in. A short account of the
establishment of the 'Standard' may, perhaps, interest
our readers, reference being repeatedly made to it in the
columns of the Journal. At the Animal General
Meeting of the B.B.K. A., held at 10o .leni i treet on
February 15th, 1882, a resolution was prupos and car-
ried unanimously, 'That it is desirable that tii . '' \.
do set forth a Standard frame, stamped by its t. in
and authority, with the view of bringing such frauie into
general use ; its size and form to be determined by a Com-
mittee appointed for that purpose.' At the same meeting
we read that, 'The following gentlemen — Messrs. C. N.
Abbott, T. W. Cowan, F. Cheshire, J. G. Desborough,
J. M. Hooker, Rev. G. Ray nor, A. Neighbour, and Rev.
F. T. Scott, were appointed the Committee to carry out
the foregoing resolution.' On the 10th of March follow-
ing this Committee held its first meeting at the Langham
Hotel, when it was unanimously resolved: 'That tin-
outside dimensions of the Standard frame be 14 in. long
by 8i in. deep, the top bar g in. thick, the bottom bar
i in. thick, and the side bars 7} in. thick. These dimen-
sions not to refer to anything outside the rectangle.' At
a final meeting of the above Committee, held at South
January 5, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
Kensington on August 4th following, it was resolved,
' That the entire length of the top bar be 17 in., allowing
li in. projection beyond the rectangle at each end of the
frame.' This resolution was also carried unanimously.
Also, on the same day, and at the same place, a General
Meeting of the B.B.K.A. was held, at whicli it was
reported by the Standard Frame Committee, ' That two
meetings had been held, and it had been decided that the
dimensions of the Standard frame should be in accord-
ance with the resolutions,' as quoted above. This report.
with its decisions, was accepted unanimously by the
General Meeting, and a resolution was carried : ' That
the work of the special Committee on a Standard frame
be considered terminated.' Thus was completed, perhaps,
the most important step of any taken by the Association
for the advancement of bee-culture in this kingdom.
Pattern Standard frames, duly stamped and labelled with
dimensions, were issued by the Association at Is. each,
and were freely circulated through the country. It will
be noticed from the above account, that no width of the
four frame-bars was sanctioned, or even proposed, by the
Frame Committee. Upon what authority, therefore, is
the width stated to he J in. whenever the dimensions
of the Standard frame are given ? In Mr. Cowan's
Book, p. 30, we are told ' the width of all the bars is
g in.' And Mr. Cheshire in Bees and Bee-keeping (vol.
11., p. 53) says: ' The width on all sides being g in.' In
Modern Bee-keeping the widtli of the bars is omitted.
It is true that the ' pattern frames' were issued with
bars jy in. wide, but there was no authority for this width.
Would it not be well that this point, of width, and the
length of the top bar, should be reconsidered by the
general Committee ? Our own feeling is that the outer
dimensions of the rectangle, having been once established,
and most extensively used, should remain unchanged,
after ' the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth
not ;' but that the length of the top bars — or, rather, of
the lugs, or ears — and the width of the four bars, should
not be defined. As the matter at present stands, there
is an uncertainty, which, we think, might be removed
without reopening the question of the size of the
rectangle. As regards the question of standard one and
two-pound sections, we are strongly of opinion that the
imposition of such standards would be decidedly detri-
mental to the advance of apiculture.
Inserting Foundation in Sections. — There is a
complaint in the American Bee Journal of the 14th ult.,
by Mr. E. S. Eden — after reviewing the different
methods employed to fasten foundation into section-
boxes — ' that no one has invented a machine to do the
work satisfactorily.' He goes on to say ' that, of the
many machines invented, not one has given general satis-
faction— that if foundation is fastened by dipping it
into a melted mixture, or by pouring wax along each
side, to attach it to the section, it will be found that the
guide, or the wall to the top row of cells, will be de-
stroyed, iMd lie bees will refuse to draw them out un-
less thejy 'iv short of room, leaving a very imperfectly-
tilled & nil. But if the foundation is fastened neatly
they will draw the top row out equally with the rest,
leaving the section tilled in a superior manner. The
plan of. fixing foundation by pressure has also its draw-
backs, as it is almost impossible to make the foundation
adhere firmly, especially if the section is smooth and full
sheets are used. Some have adopted the plan of heating
the section and pressing the foundation upon the heated
surface, but this plan has generally failed from the non-
adherence of the wax. It is doubtful whether the plan
of fastening foundation by pressure will ever be de-
veloped sufficiently to give general satisfaction. There
are so many conditions that are absolutely necessary to
procure the best results, such as temperature of the room,
pliability of the foundation, warmth of the section, &c,
before the work can be performed successfully. It is to
be hoped that some one of the many thousand bee-
keepers will discover a plan that will give general satis-
faction. Such a person would receive the thanks of
every bee-keeper in the country.'
Let Mr. Eden rest assured that the plan has already
been discovered', and patented, in the old country. Mr.
James Lee's sections avoid every evil mentioned above ;
take full sheets of foundation, which are inserted while
putting the section together in less time than any other
section without heating, or smearing with melted wax
without any machine at all ; and from the foundation
being stretched and tightly held in position, and the use
of four-way section-boxes with slotted-dividers, the
sections are worked and finished in the most perfect
manner of any of which we have knowledge, after an
experience of all kinds of section-boxes from the time of
their introduction. We are informed that Mr. Lee has
taken, or is about to take, out a patent for his invention
in America as well as in England. Let our American
and Canadian brethren take a note of this. Mr. Lee has
also patented a brood-frame on the same principle as his
sections, which, we feel well assured, will be the frame
of the future, when it once becomes known. With one
season's experience of these frames and section-boxes, we
have not the slightest hesitation in pronouncing them
faciles principes of any which have yet appeared to our
knowledge.
Work for the Month. — Still we cry aloud, and
say, ' Leave the bees severely alone during the present
low temperature.' If necessity demands, supply candy,
or Good's food, under the quiit, in mild weather, and in
case of moisture flowing from the entrances a change of
quilts — from damp to dry — is admissible, and, perhaps,
a change of floor-boards, but all must be done as quietly
and quickly as possible without jarring or disturbance of
any kind. After this long confinement to their hives
the least excitement will cause untold injury to the bees.
If there be any suspicion of internal dampness it may be
advantageous to raise the hive and floor-hoard an inch
at the back and to wedge up the hive from the floor-
board in bant, sufficiently to allow the moisture to
escape. We are supposing the hives to be on the ' right-
angled system,' in giving these directions.
Breeding. — In strong colonies the queens will now
begin to breed, and tiie consumption of stores will
increase daily. We are well over the shortest day, and
in well-conducted aDiaries the busy hum of the work-
shop, as well as of the hive will soon be heard in pre-
paration for the impending campaign.
Preparations. — Hives, sections, crates, foundations,
frames, &c, should be procured, and prepared for use
whenever leisure affords an opportunity. As the spring
months advance, the hives, with their colonies, will
require all our attention in feeding, examining, uniting,
and in other ways ; hence, January and February afford
more leisure, perhaps, to most, than any period of the
year for preparing for the honey season. With milder
weather bees, after their long confinement, will be eager
for sanitary flights, which should be encouraged as much
as possible, and on such occasions, let all be on their
guard against the tits, ever anxious for an insect meal
after their long deprivation.
ASSOCIATIONS..
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
List of successful Candidates at the Second Class
Examination. 1887, in order of merit: — T. Badcock
and J. Palmer equal, W. Coxon, J. J. Shipman, T.
Austin, P. Woodward, J. White, F. Wilshaw. A. J.
Brown, Mary E. Eyton, and B. S. Rawson.
HUNTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual distribution of the prizes gained at the
recent show in connexion with the Hunts Bee-keepers
6
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 5, 1888.
Association took place at the Fountain Hotel, Huntingdon,
on Saturday, the 24th December. Col. A. W. Marshall,
treasurer of the Society, occupied the chair, and pre-
sented the successful exhibitors with their awards.
There were also present Mr. G. N. White (secretary),
the Kev. II. S. Budge, Messrs. J. Linton, J. Howard,
J. Howard, jun., Allen, Bull, Allpress, Hobbs, &c.
The Chairman said that on the notice paper convening
the meeting it was stated that Mr. White would find it
incumbent upon him to resign the secretaryship of the
Association at the end of the year. They would be all
very sorry to hear that. He believed, however, that it
would be informal to settle the matter at that meeting,
because resignations coidd only be accepted at the
annual meeting. The consideration of Mr. White's
resignation, and the appointment of a fresh secretary, if
they could not prevail upon him to alter his determina-
tion, would therefore be discussed then. Mr. White's
object in putting the matter on the paper was to give
due notice of his intention, so that his resignation should
not be suddenly sprung upon the Association at the
annual meeting. The resignation would cause a uni-
versal feeling of regret, and they could only hope that
Mr. White's decision was not irrevocable.
The distribution of prizes, a list of which we give
below, was then proceeded with.
At the conclusion of the distribution, Mr. White said
that perhaps it would be as well for him to state the
reasons which induced him to give notice of his resigna-
tion. He felt utterly unable to continue the secretary-
ship of the Association. He sincerely regretted this,
but he really could not continue to bear the expenditure
of time and money to which he had been subjected since
the formation of the Society some five years ago. If all
the members knew upon whose efforts the carrying on
of the Association's work had depended, they would
sympathise with him in his present action. It would
have been utterly impossible to have carried on the
Association so far had it not been for the assistance of
the chairman of their meeting that afternoon. lie
really could not continue to hold office under this state
of things any longer. Then there was another reason
which had induced him to resign his office. The
Association was originally intended for the benefit
/ind careful direction ? He lives in a
world of his Own. He needs no other intoxicant to
complete his happiness. Horticulture is one of the fine
arts ; it requires the skill of a master. It is just as im-
possible f^r the thoughtless, brainless clod-hopper to
reach the highest round in the ladder in propagating
fruit, as it is for him to appreciate it after it is grown.
But after all man's skill in planting, after ransacking the
earth for improved varieties, after propagating, grafting
and hybridizing, he must rely mainly upon Nature's
methods of fructification. The favouring winds and
industrious bees are needed to fertilise the bloom to
insure a harvest of fruit. As a means of accomplishing
this end, thei'e is no question but that the bee is of great
service to the grower of fruits ; no other insect is
multiplied in such vast numbers so early in the spring
when their agency is so much needed to fertilise the
orchards and smali fruits.
If the winds were the only means of carrying the
pollen from flower to flower, how often would perfect
fertilisation fail from too much or too little wind during
the brief opportunity when the bursting buds are sighing
for the life-giving dust from the neighbouring flowers.
Not only is honey provided in the delicate chalices to
entice them, but the pollen so essential to the plant (and
just as essential to the bee in furnishing the proper food
for its young), is placed in close proximity to the nectar,
so that in getting either, the bee is unwittingly carrying
the dust from flower to flower, or working out the wise
plans of Providence as relates to plants, and catering to
man's pleasurable tastes at the same time. The drop of
honey is placed then in the flower not because it is
needed to perfect the flower or fruit, but to tempt the
bee to brush its hairy legs against anthers, and distribute
the golden dust. So the bee introduces itself at once to
the horticulturist as his friend. The latter ought to
meet it half way and acknowledge its two-fold service.
It does him a service while on its daily rounds in search
of food for itself and young, and again by storing up for
his benefit the liquid sweets which it does not need
itself, and which ungathered vanish like the morning
dew, like the manna which the Israelites ate of — the
unfathered portions melted ' when the sun waxed hot.'
What, then, is there to hinder these two vocations
from going hand in hand, since each is helpful to the
other ? They ought at least to be on friendly terms.
Each furnishes inducements for the other to exist.
But, aside from these considerations of the healthful
diversions and pleasing variety of mind, and returning
again to the utilitarian side of the question, the horti-
culturist will find it profitable to pursue the study and
practice of this delightful branch of entomology. The
habits and instincts of this ' pattern of industry ' are ever
interesting, and the business quite as remunerative as
raising tender fruits in an 'iron-clad climate.' This
pursuit, once entered upon, possesses charms of its own.
No other stimulus is needed to follow it than the fascina-
tion of its own creations.
A great deal has been said about bees injuring fruit
— some fruit-growers having charged that they puncture
the ripe grapes, suck the juice, and destroy the crop.
But from the physical structure of the bee this is said
to be impossible by scientific entomologists. It has no
jaws like the hornet; it is made to suck, not to bite;
and on close observation, and after repeated experiments,
it has been found that where bees are discovered helping
themselves to ripe fruit, that the skins had been ruptured
by the weather or from over-ripeness, or that hornets
or wasps or birds had first been the depredators. After
the skin has been broken from any cause, if there is a
scarcity of honey, the bees, always anxious to be doing
something, will endeavour to get a share of the plunder.
Therefore, as to bees injuring fruit, I, as their attorney,
shall claim to the jury that the charge is not proven.
In dismissing this subject, which to the lover of fruits,
flowers, and bees is always a source of infinite delight, I
cannot refrain from quoting a few lines from ' The
Planting of the Apple Tree,' by that venerable sylvan
poet, our own Bryant, who saw so much of future hope
and promise as he sifted the soft mould about its tiny
rootlets : —
' What plant we in this apple tree ?
Sweets for a hundred flowery springs
To load the May-winds' restless wings ;
When from the orchard row he pours
Its fragrance at our open doors
A world of blossom for the bee. '
— Eugene Secor, Forest City, Iowa (extracted from
the Address of the President of Michigan Bee-heepers'
Convention). — American Bee Journrl.
PRIZES.
[1415.] I have been thinking that if some substantial
prizes were offered at our shows jt would give a fresh
12
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 5, 1888.
and increasing impulse to bee-keeping. For instance,
think of the thousands of people who keep dogs, fowls,
pigeons, canaries, &c, mainly for competition and to win
prizes at shows in different parts of England. Men com-
pete for prizes at athletic sports who would not take any
interest in them if it were not for the competition they
caused. I believe we as bee-keepers would all be benefited
if something were done in this direction. In this town
(Ipswich) we are going to have next year the Agricultural
Show, when thousands of people will visit it from all
parts of the country, and if a good number of bee-keepers
exhibited their honey they would have an excellent
opportunity of selling a large quantity, increasing the
demand for English honey, improving bee-keeping in our
rural districts, and taking prizes worth having which
would well repay their trouble. We are living in an age
of keen competition, and if we wish to succeed we must
keep up with the times, and not leave a stone unturned
to make bee-keeping a paying industrial enterprise.
In conclusion, I propose that a subscription be started
for obtaining money for the prizes, and I am willing to
give a donation and join the subscription list if started.
Hoping this may meet with my fellow-bee-keepers'
approval. — J. Chtjbchyabd, 33 Chevalier Street, Ipswich,
WHAT DO BEES USE IN WINTER WHEN
THE POLLEN COLLECTED BY THEM HAS
BECOME EXHAUSTED ?
By Pastoh. Schonfeld op Tentsphel.
Any apiarist, with however slight a knowledge of bees,
is aware that they require a certain quantity of nitro-
genous food, not only for the purpose of supporting life,
but also for the maintenance of the brood. The natural
food of bees, of course, is honey and pollen. If, there-
fore, for some reason or other, there is an absence of
pollen in the hive in winter, which unfortunately is tut
too often the case in districts without bee-pasture late' in
the summer, when there has been a continuance of breed-
ing till late in the autumn which has exhausted all the
pollen collected by the bees, or when unfavourable
weather during the last few weeks in autumn rendered
the storage of it impossible, the bees have entirely to
content themselves with honey as food for themselves
and their brood during the succeeding winter. But
according to the valuable investigations of Erlenmeyer
and Dr. von Planta (Nordlhujer Bieixmzeituny , 1879
p. !>), the average total quantity of nitrogen in ten
different samples of honey was only 0T702 parts in 100
parts of dried honey. It is quite clear that so exceed-
ingly small a percentage of nitrogen is altogether in-
sufficient to maintain a colony in a normally healthy
state during the winter, and still more so to enable
healthy brood to be reared from the middle of January
till the month of April, during which time breeding no't
infrequently takes place. As although, old bees during
the first three months of the winter when their vital
energy is considerably reduced, are able to dispense with
pollen, and from instinct, perhaps intentionally, discon-
tinue its use even if present in large quantity, in order to
make it possible to lower the vital process, so absolutely
necessary in our climate, yet as soon as the impulse for
breeding is aroused and the preparation of chyle demands
the full use of their vital power, pollen becomes indis-
pensable to them and the brood. This is proved by the
eagerness and hurry of bees in search of pollen, as soon
as their first excursions to cleanse themselves have taken
place in spring, by the enormous consumption of pollen
while breeding is on the increase, by the diminution or
complete cessation of breeding if pollen-gathering is im-
peded by continuously unfavourable weather, by the
remarkably favourable results obtained by Heath bee-
keepers, who feed their colonies stimulatively on honey
preserved in casks into which it is pressed, together with
the combs, which honey, on account of its high percentage
of pollen and nitrogen, ought not, as is usual, to be classed
as a stimulant, but as nourishing food ; and lastly, it is
proved by the bees becoming- ill and dying, if compelled
for any length of time to rear brood or to construct
combs in the absence of pollen. (Von Berlepsch,
Nui-dtinyer Bienenzeituny, 1854, p. 241.)
But how can these notorious facts be made to agree
with the equally well-known fact that very many colonies
without possessing a single cell of pollen are able to live
through the whole winter, and to rear perfectly healthy
brood for a period of from eight to ten weeks? Does not
this forcibly suggest to us that inside the hive there must
be another source from which bees are able to procure
the indispensable nitrogen, though the quantity obtain-
able may be but small? For no physiologist who is
acquainted with the nature and life of the bee will for a
moment admit the common assertion which is repeated
over and over again, that when bees are compelled to
live upon honey exclusively the nitrogen stored up in
their body is used as a substitute for weeks or even
months in the absence of pollen, just as the bear is said
to feed upon its own fat during its long sleep in winter.
Chemical change takes place in the. body of the bee so
very rapidly and energetically, that without food in the
shape of honey starvation would result within thirty-six
hours ; on the other hand, the consumption of the raw
material — honey and pollen — in the preparation of chyle
for the brood is so large, that, when pollen is wanting, a
supply of the requisite albuminous constituents of
food from the body of the bee for weeks or months is a
matter of impossibility. The quick and shortlived bee
can only for a short time draw upon its own body for
the failing nitrogen, inasmuch as chyle is not an extract
from its blood but a product of its stomach.
Starting with the fact of bee-keepers frequently
making the experience, that second swarms of young and
strong bees with a young and vigorous queen and
splendid new combs often survive the winter in a worse
condition, and with greater loss in population, than
colonies with old comb, even if possessing sufficient
honey, stored in the proper place in the hive — a fact
which is generally explained by saying that old combs
are better for keeping bees warm : and having had my
attention directed to the very large quantity of whole
and undamaged pollen-grains, which during my experi-
ments concerning the question of brood-cell cappings I
discovered in the cell-walls and the membranes left
behind by the nymphs, but principally in the margins of
cells of old comb, and in equally large numbers in the
excreta of the larvfe at the bottom of the cells, I arrived
at the conclusion that in these pollen-grains, as in other
nitrogenous matter mixed up with them, the bees have a
sufficiently abundant source of this (to them) indis-
pensable substance; and as in making brood-cell cappings
they are obliged to gnaw down the cell-walls and to
masticate the wax and work it up, and likewise, in
cleansing the cells have to remove from the bottom of
the cells the excreta of the hatched larvi, they become
aware of the presence of the pollen, which is thus
rendered accessible to them.
And the percentage of nitrogenous matter which these
excreta contain is very high, seeing that they are largely
mixed with unbroken pollen-grains, as mentioned above.
The exterior membrane of pollen, called the exine, is
known to possess a great resisting force. Besides, the
stomach of the bee, much less the stomach of the larvae,
is unable to make all pollen-grains discharge their contents
of protoplasm. For the discharge of the protoplasm in
the natural way takes place, in most cases, not by the
exine simply bursting, but through special valves in the
exine, which remain closed as long as the pollen is kept
dry. In my last article I gave a sketch of an unbroken
pollen-grain from a pumpkin blossom to which I have to
direct attention once more. It shows the lids of the
valves. When the pollen-grain is moistened, the proto-
January 5, 1888.]
plasm swells and raises the valves, as shown in the figure
at a until at last the lids fly back, and the protoplasm
discharges itself as seen at b. But this mechanism often
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
13
fails to act in the stomach of the bee, and the pollen then
remains closed and is of no use to the bee. This is
proved by the large number of whole polleu-grains
frequently found in the rectum of bees.
After these observations there appeared to me some
justification for my conjecture that bees, incase of need,
seek to obtain the nitrogen they are in want of from old
comb and the excreta of larvce, the more so as it is well
known that when pollen is wanting during the time
bees are in full flight, they have recourse to various sub-
stitutes,such as dust from blightedjbarley, from clover seed
at thrashing time, and charcoal, and rust from willow-
leaves, &c. &c. (Von Berlepsch, Die Biene, I860, p. 136.)
Tt therefore became necessary for me to ascertain by
experiment, whether my conjecture was correct or un-
tenable.
For this purpose I made two small trial colonies which
I kept without food for two days, in order that any
pollen the honey stomach and the chyle stomach might
contain should become digested, and the husks be carried
into the rectum. Thirty hours later trial colony A
received a small comb quite recently constructed, with
brood, from one to three days old, and two empty combs
also recently made, with a supply of solution of sugar,
all the three combs being without a trace of pollen.
Colony B received two old black combs with solution of
sugar, and in addition one new comb with brood, one
to three days old, likewise without pollen. The colonies
were then placed in a dark, dry cellar. If, at the end of
four days no pollen was found in the rectum of the brood
from colony A, while that of the brood from colony B con-
tained pollen, this would prove conclusively that the bees
in hive B had obtained nitrogenous food from the black
combs. The experiment unfortunately gave no result,
as at the end of four days it was found that both
colonies had torn out and sucked all the brood. Never-
theless, this experiment strengthened my supposition that
I was on the right track to discover the unknown source
from which bees obtain nitrogen, having found out that
the chyle stomach of the bees from colony A contained only
perfectly pure and clear chyle, while among the contents of
thechyle stomach of bees from hive B there were numerous
pollen-grains, pollen-husks, and a great many small black
bodies, which could only have been derived from the
black combs. I therefore made preparations at once for
a second experiment, determining to place the trial bees
in the middle of the brood-nest of a colony that was at
perfect liberty to fly out. I took a newly-made comb,
p^ifectly free from pollen, and containing some brood
one to three days old, adding the necessary food, con-
sisting of a solution of sugar, and surrounded it on all
sides with wirework, between which and the upper
edges of the cells a space was left of half centimetre,
so as to allow the bees to move freely on the comb, but
in order to prevent their being fed through the wire-
work by the other bees in the hive I fixed a second
cage of wirework over the first, leaving a space of one
centimetre between them. A black comb, in the middle
of which a piece of brood one to three days old had
been inserted, was protected in the same way, and then
the two combs were placed in the brood-nest of a strong
colony after a sufficient number of workers from the
first trial colony A, which had already been seven days
without any supply of pollen, had been driven into the
cages through an opening arranged for that purpose, so
as to have the combs well covered with bees. In this
way the brood was attended to, and the examination
four days later showed the stomach and rectum of the
brood iii the black comb to be full of pollen-grains, pollen-
husks, and those small black bodies mentioned above,
while the same organs of the brood in the other comb
contained only pure chyle.
This seems to prove that in the absence of collected
pollen bees are able to find a substitute in the nitro-
genous matter contained in old combs and the excreta of
larva;. I make use of the word ' seems,' because the
trial bees in their prison, although in the middle of a
brood-nest, were, nevertheless, somewhat in a state of
distress. llut needs must when the devil drives, and I,
therefore, do not judge with certainty of the behaviour
of colonies which enjoy perfect freedom by the conduct
of bees in confinement. It is consequently necessary
that a final experiment should be made. Which of my
colleagues will assist me? Who will take the trouble,
about the end of October, when all gathering has ceased,
to establish a trial colony with combs as new and white
as possible, but without pollen, and who will put up a
similar colony with vary old combs, likewise without
pollen ?
The honey for these colonies had best be given in
drone-combs, which never contain any pollen, and the
most suitable place in the hive for these small colonies
would be the division for the storage of honey, provided
with special entrances in order that the bees may enjoy
the necessary warmth and commence breeding next
spring before the opening of the honey season. The
greater the number of trial colonics established the more
reliable will be the result obtained.
Whoever is kind enough to set up trial colonies as
described will oblige by sending me about the end of
February or beginning of March a small piece of brood-
comb ready to be sealed, without, in the first instance,
mentioning whether it has been taken from a colony
with new or old combs, in order that I may commence
my examination unprejudiced by any preconceived
opinion.
Should any Bee-keepers' Association be willing to take
this matter in hand I should be pleased if they would
communicate with me. — Translated from Grarenhorsf's
Deutuchf illustrierte Bienemeituny, Septembir, 1887.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking /or addresses of manufacturers or correspon.
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for aduertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issa
immediately /ollotcing the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of persona
interest will be answered in this column.
Rev. J. Davees. — Deserted Skeps. — In all likelihood both
colonies became queenless, more especially the one in
which you found two clusters of dead drones. On the
last occasion, when you noticed these skepswith apparently
strong colonies, judging by the number of bees round the
entrances, did you observe any chips of wax on the
alighting-board ? From j*our description of the condition
of the skeps, it seems improbable that they have been
tenanted by the rightful owners for some time. If the
capped brood found in one was alive, the desertion must
have been recent. Bees finding themselves queenless in
u
THE BRITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
[January 5, 1888.
the late autumn, will desert to another hive. Would it
be inconvenient for you to transfer all you may have in
skeps to bar-frame hives in the spring ? The actual
condition of a colony can be ascertained with so much
greater ease.
W. A. T.— Moving Bees to Heath Two Miles Distant.— It
there are no extensive woods between you and the heath
your bees would most likely find their way to it. The
heath is not so good a honey-plant as the heather so
frequently mentioned in our pages. Unless your bees
have really no forage within a mile or two of home at
the time the heath is in bloom it would not be worth
while to move them, considering the risks. If you would
like to see a piece of real heather, send your name and
address to the Editor.
C. A. J. — Murmuring Noise in Hives. — Apis mellifica, like
the genus Homo, is at times compelled to indulge in
exercise to keep warm. This explains the noise you
refer to, which is by no means unknown.
Malta. — 1, Wax-moth in Frame-hive. — From your de-
scription there is no doubt you have wax-moth. Keeping
all frames well covered with bees is the best preventative
and cure. Any combs not in use should be well fumi-
gated with burning sulphur, and either kept in paper or
hung in a cupboard where there are plenty of spiders,
who will catch any moth that attempts to alight on the
combs. A slight brush will remove th> spiders' webs
before returning the frames to the hives. Put new quilts
on ; burn the old ones. Carefully clean out the hives at
the same time. 2. Crooked Combs
in. is the
extreme distance that should intervene between the
centre frame and that next to it. If you cannot put a
starter of either foundation or comb, melt some wax, and
run a streak of it along the centre of each top-bar and
side bars. Take care your hives stand level. 3. Hornets, to
Destroy. — You will find (p.9) an interesting communication
from Palestine, in which reference is made to the native
method of dealing with these pests. 4. Bee-keeping in
Malta. — Can you favour us with any particulars con-
cerning the present state of bee-keeping in Malta ? if so,
it may afford pleasure to many of our readers.
J. Fitzgibbons. — Moving Bees. — You will doubtless find
sufficient information on pages 39, 149, 210, 409, and
478 of the volume for 1887.
Doubtful. — Combs from foul-broody Hives mixed with
otiiers. — Spray all your combs with a solution composed
of salicylic acid one ounce, borax one ounce, water four
pints. As an extra precaution, repeat the operation
three or four times between now and the time you will
be returning them to the hives in spring. If you can
identify those from the diseased hive, give them extra
sprayings.
C. D. — Unsealed Brood.— It is to be hoped that no serious
mischief will be the result of the presence of the un-
sealed brood. The bees cannot be disturbed at present.
As a counter-attraction candy can be given to them below
the quilt.
E. W. Shotter.— Bibliography of Bee-Keeping. — The
enumeration of the books on bee-keeping that would be
' worth securing ' would fill a large portion of our space ;
the catalogue of the library of the B.B.K.A. (a copy of
which we have forwarded to you) would render you
great assistance in this, and would furnish you with
the titles of the best and most precious works that have
been written in the English language on bees and bee-
keeping. Thomas Wildman's Treatise on the Manage-
ment of Bees (1778) would be worth about 8s. Gd. This is
the third edition of Wildman's Treatise : the two former
were published in 1768 and 1770. The book is not often
met with.
business ^Directory.
1-» i
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol,
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T, B., Welwyn, Herts,
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Wokingham.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St. , Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Bottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merohants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Boad, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howabd, J. H, Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing AgentB : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin,
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER. W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J. , Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY. W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLT, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 14Q Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. Jj Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London ; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHDJSHAW, A.. Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLET, A, D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading-,
WREN, h„m lf'Kh Street, Lowestoft,
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoewats' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 290. Vol. XVI.]
JANUARY 12, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Election of the Committee for 1888.
The following members have been nominated in
accordance with the amended form of rules as passed at
the last Annual General Meeting, each member being
nominated by two members of the Association : —
Rev. E. Bartrum, D.D., Wakes Colne Rectory,
Ilalstead, Esses.
E. 11. Bellairs, Esq., Christchurch, Hants, Hon.
Secretary of the Hants Association.
Hon. and Rev. II. Bligh, Hampton Hill, Middlesex.
Captain W. Bush, R.N., Southleigh, Stevenage.
Captain C. I). Campbell, Box Grove, Guildford.
Rev. E. Clay, Great Kimble, Tring.
Thos. W. Cowan, Esq., Comptons Lea, Horsham.
J. Eastty, Esq., M(3 Grange Road, Bermondsey.
Rev. R. Errington, Clewer Rectory, Windsor, Hon.
Secretary of the Berkshire Association.
J. M. Hooker, Esq., 76 Tyrwhitt Road, St. John's.
H. Jonas, Esq., 64 Redcliffe Gardens, S.W.
Rev. F. G. Jenyns, Knebworth, Stevenage.
W. Lees McClure, Esq., The Lathoms, Frescot,
Lancashire, Hon. Secretary of the Lancashire
and Cheshire Association.
Rev. G. V. Oddie, Aston, Stevenage.
Rev. Geo. Raynor, Hazeleigh Rectory, Maldon.
Rev.F. S. Sclater, Dropraore Vicarage, Maidenhead.
Rev. F. T. Scott, Ilartlipp^AiiSarage, Sittingbourne.
Rev. J. L. Seager, Stevenage.
Dr. G. Walker, Lingfield Road, Wimbledon.
Four of the above named are unable to serve on the
Committee, the remaining fifteen therefore stand elected
for the ensuing year.
Stjbscbiptions, Szc.
Subscriptions for the current year become due on
January 1st. It is hoped that members will forward
the same at the earliest possible date, and, further, use
their best endeavours to induce their friends to become
Members of the Association. Post Office Orders to be
made payable at the Kings Langley Tost Office. Cheques
to be crossed ' Bucks and Oxon Bank.'
Quarterly Meeting and Conversazione.
The next Quarterly Conversazione will be held at
105 Jermyn Street, on Wednesday, January 18th, at six
o'clock. Members wishing to introduce subjects for dis-
cussion, or to submit new, improved, or interesting appli-
ances, are requested to communicate with the Secretary
not later than Saturday, the 14th inst. Mr. R, A. H.
Grimshaw will read a paper on 'Specialization.' County
Representatives will meet at 149 Regent Street, at four
o'clock. The Quarterly Conference of the County Repre-
sentatives with the Committee of the B. B. K. A., will
take place at 105 Jermyn Street, at five o'clock.
General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting of the Members will be
held at 105 Jermyn Street, at 3..'i0 p.m., on Wednesday,
February 8th, the Baroness Burdett-Coutts, President of
the Association, in the chair. Notices of motions for
this Meeting must reach the Secretary not later than
Saturday, January 28th. — John Huckle, Secretary,
Kings Langley, Jan. 7th, 1888.
THE WINTERING PROBLEM.
In the December number of our contemporary,
the Record, we notice the details of an interesting
experiment in wintering, viz., burying a frame-hive,
containing a colony of bees with a proper supply of
food, in a shepherd's hut, which is dug out of a hill-
side, the door of the hut being blocked up with sods of
turf to a considerable thickness. Prior to depositing
the stock, it was weighed, and the condition of the
bees as to strength and stores carefully noted. It is
intended to unearth them at the expiration of five
months from the date of their being placed in the
hut, when the hive will again be weighed, and full
notes taken of the state in which it may be found.
We trust success may attend the experiment.
The theory that if bees can be maintained at an
equable but low temperature of about 40° to 45°,
it will tend to conserve the life of the workers
during the winter months, and so enable the stock
to commence spring strong in numbers, is, no
doubt, worth consideration, i.e., that an excitement
during the winter, even although it be a cleansing
flight, is the occasion of a depletion in numbers.
To decide whether it would be a commercial
success to incur the outlay necessary to provide a
suitable cellar, and also the annual expense of
moving the stocks into and from the same, is
a question that nothing short of a experiment on a
large scale, extending over several years, can solve.
Our Canadian friends are, by force of circum-
stances, obliged to carry out elaborate arrange-
ments in order to prevent their bees being frozen
to death. But they certainly seem to have the
advantage of us in the numerical strength of their
16
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 12, 1888.
colonies in the early spring. The questions that
arise in our mind at this point is, Can this greater
numerical strength be the result of the bees being
so long confined to their hives, and general inaction
consequent on the temperature being low and
varying so little 1 Also, is such a colony (numeri-
cally strong through the prolonged survival of the
old bees) not more liable to a sharp attack of
' spring dwindling,' through these old bees all
dying off about the same time?
In such a variable climate as ours, and one
alternating with such rapidity, it is impossible,
while bees continue to be left on their summer
stands, to avoid a considerable loss of the old bees
during the sudden changes of our English winter,
which not infrequently in the neighbourhood of
London has a temperature varying from 20° to 50°
Fahr. within sixty or seventy hours. Such varia-
tions effectually prevent our bees, as at present
wintered, remaining dormant. Raising the body-
box containing the brood-nest some distance up
from the floor-board by means of an eke is practised
by some eminent apiarists, and considerable success
is claimed for this system. In some cases a
doubling-box, of the usual depth of a standard
frame, is recommended. Such an arrangement
will, of course, effectually prevent the dead bees
blocking up the passage-way under the combs. In
the autumn of 1886 we inspected a stock that had
been sadly neglected. As a swarm of that year
they had been placed in the box super without
foundation, but with empty frames in the hive
proper. The bees (nearly pure Italians) built their
combs in tkc super, and continued them about five
inches down into the hive, as no frames had been
placed under the super except at the ends. The
colony never became strong, and had not more
than six pounds of stores at the date of our
examination. The owner gave no additional
supply of food, although strongly advised so to do.
No extra packing was given, yet in the spring
there certainly was not a wineglassful of dead bees
on the floor-board. The colony prospered in the
early spring, and would, doubtless, have given a
good account of themselves if the season had been
a normal one. At the end of March, 1887, they
still had quite two pounds of stores, a fair patch of
brood, and a general healthy appearance.
Would this neglected colony have wintered as well
if they had been in the hive body, instead of the
super, which, by the way, had no upward ventila-
tion, as it had a wooden top tightly screwed down 1
We are inclined to think not, because this hive
was the only one in the district referred to that did
not lose a large number of bees during the time
the snow lay on the ground. They took no flights
during that period. Is this to be accounted for by
the fact that the very free circulation of air through
the body-box and around the outside of the super
really induced an almost complete hibernation,
with a consequent saving of bee life ?
Mr. Simmins, in his Modern Bee Farm, expresses
his preference for all floor-boards to have a two-
inch auger hole through the centre, as providing
free ventilation and a ready means for the removal
of dead bees, and that hives of twelve -frame
capacity have an empty hive-box under the one
containing the bees and their stores. In long hives,
he further recommends making the swarm comfort-
able, with quilts and cork cushion, on a few frames
at the back of the hive, having no division-board in
front, but merely empty frames, covered by a thin,
porous quilt. He states that a colony so wintered
will be much stronger in spring than one in a
single-storey hive, and confined to a few frames by
division-boards, especially by the front one. Is
this departure to revolutionise our system of win-
tering 1 We shall be glad to receive reports from
any of our readers who may give it a trial either in
part or in its entirety.
The question is not, With how little care can our
bees survive the winter'! but, Would a system
which provides for a free circulation of air within
the bod}' of the hive conduce to the greater
strength of our colonies in spring, and a consequent
anticipation of the date when such colonies would
be in readiness for the honoy-flow 1
JmxtQit.
UNITED STATES.
The Annual Convention of the North American Bee-
keepers' Society took place at Chicago on the 16th, 17th,
and 18th Novemher. P/r. C. C. Miller, the President,
took the chair, and there were present a great number
of the leading bee-keepers. The American Bee Journal
gives a very full account of the papers read and the
discussions, and from it we are ahle to give our readers
a summary of those parts which we consider would prove
interesting to them.
Mr. J. A. Green read a paper on 'The Production of
Comb and Extracted Honey in the same Apiary.' He said
that 'in bee-keeping, as in other occupations, the
greatest average success will be gained by making a
specialty of it, even though an occasional season, such
as that just past, may hear hard on some. Yet this
principle may be carried too far. AVe have already bee-
keeping as a specialty, divided into the sub-specialties
of honey-production and the rearing of queens and bees
for sale, while some insisf that honey production should
be divided, and a specialty made of either comb or
extracted honey.' He thinks, although in some places
comb-honey cannot be profitably produced, and in others
it will not pay to work for extracted, in most cases a
judicious combination of the two will give the best
results.
In working if you have some colonies that do not
produce nice-looking comb-honey, pinch off the heads
of the queens as soon as convenient, but in the mean-
time take their honey with the extractor. Poor ex-
tracted honey can be sold for manufacturing purposes,
but poor comb-honey is hard to sell anywhere. If
honey comes in faster than bees can build comb for it, a
few empty combs distributed among the best colonies will
pay an enormous profit.
In working for extracted honey a large number of
extracted combs are wanted, at least one set for each
colony. When the honey-flow begins give each colony
a set of combs. Bees will begin to work sooner in empty
combs than in empty sections. After the bees are weil
at work above, remove the extracting combs from as
many colonies as you want to work for comb-honey, and
give them sections. Pile up the supers of partly filled
combs over other colonies, and this will ripen the honey
which will be much finer than that usually produced,
January 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL,
17
Whether for economy or excellence of quality there ia
no way of producing extracted honey equal to that of
giving the bees plenty of room in which to store it, and
then plenty of time to ripen it.
Towards the close of the honey-flow, instead of putting
on more sections, which are not likely to be finished,
take the sections from a part of the colonies and put
them on the others to complete, and give those from
which they were taken empty combs instead. The
advantages of this system are: First, getting the bees
started without delay ; second, your comb-honey is nearly
all No. 1, and the extracted honey is the finest that can
be produced ; last, and not least, you are rid of nearly
all the trouble and expense of unfinished sections in the
fall, and having few now you have few in the spring,
and this is the reason why the comb-honey is finer.
Honey stored in combs built the year before is never
equal in quality or appearance to honey in newly-built
combs.
On being asked by F. Wilcox how much more ex-
tracted than comb-honey was produced, Mr. Green said
if first-class honey about twice as much, but if such
as is usually produced three times as much. In answer
to Dr. Miller, he said that he secured a poorer class of
honey by using drawn combs in the sections. Honey
is more inclined to leak when stored in old combs.
Mr. Betsinger said that it was more inclined to
granulate, because any comb or vessel that has once con-
tained granulated honey will cause the granulation of any
honey placed therein.
President Miller introduced the subject of ' Legislation
for Bee-keepers.' He said as a man could not farm
without land he could not keep bees without pasture,
and believed that legislation securing to each bee-keeper
a certain amount of territory was desirable, although it
might not be feasible.
Dr. Mason concurred, and F. Wilcox suggested that
bees should be exempt from taxation, and that licenses
should be granted giving the right to a certain territory.
Mr. II. R. Boardman considered small bee-keepers
needed protection more than large ones.
Professor Cook thought if there were a large number
of specialists all over the country such legislation might
be advisable; but these were few and scattered, and he
thought that reasoning woidd be the better plan with
any one coming to set up bee-keeping close to him,
and pointing out that coming so near meant disaster to
both.
It was voted that in the present stage of bee-culture
legislation was neither desirable nor feasible.
Mr. Thomas G. Newman read the next paper on
'Objects and Methods of a thorough Organization of
the Bee-keepers of North America.' He said he desired
to inspire them to undertake a ' progressive step' in the
direction of organization. The pursuit of modern bee-
keeping is in its infancy, yet at the present day its
devotees in North America number ^00,000 persons, and
its annual product of honey amounted to 100,000,000 of
pounds, and its value about fifteen million dollars.
Some of the principal wants were : A systematic en-
couragement of bee and honey shows at fairs, providing
bee-tents at bee exhibitions, inaugurating a system of
education of bee-keepers, and by certificate or otherwise
guaranteeing to those who wish to hire assistants that
they possess a practical knowledge of the business for
which they are wanted.
The constitution of the Society should be amended to
make it a representative Society ; this would not be
difficult to carry into effect, and he proposed a number
of rules and bye-laws, thirteen in number. These are
in the main taken from the Rules and Regulations of
our British Bee-keepers' Association, the working of
which we explained to Mr. Newman when at Chicago,
and full details of which we wrote out at his request.
The proposed constitution would alter the name of the
Society to ' The Inter-National American B;e-keepers'
Association,' and is to include all of the United States
and Canada. Any state, district, territory, or province,
can become affiliated on payment of five dollars a-year ;
the presidents of these to be ex-officio vice-presidents of
the Inter-National. Experts are to be examined by an
expert committee and certificates awarded. Two medals
are to be given to each affiliated Society as prizes for
honey shown by its members, and they shall be entitled
to the privileges of the Honey Company, which it is
proposed to form in connexion with the Society.
Delegates are to be appointed to attend the annual
meeting of the Society.
The proposed organization differs from ours in having
a Honey Company in connexion with it, otherwise it is
very similar ; and we are glad to find that our Society
has been taken as a model, and hope that the Inter-
National may be as successful and as useful as ours has
been. A change is not made in a day, and it will, of
course, take some time before it can equal ours in
efficiency, but we welcome the step as a progressive
movement.
On the motion of Dr. Mason the consideration of the
subject was put into the hands of a committee consisting
of Professor A. J. Cook, YV. Z. Hutchinson, and A. 1.
Root.
Before the close of the Convention the Committee
reported that they had given the scheme all the thought
and consideration it was possible in so short a time, and
while thanking Mr. Newman for the great labour and
thought bestowed on the subject, in view of the some-
what intricate and involved plan proposed, they recom-
mended that the consideration of the matter be post-
poned for one year, at the end of which they would
be better able to present a report commensurate with
so important a subject.
The next subject was introduced by Mr. A. 1. Root,
on ' Foul Brood, how shall we treat it!'' He said as
soon as foul brood appeared in his apiary he began
burning all the colonies affected. After burning fi rty
colonies he found that in nearly every case tin' col inies
adjoining the stand of the destroyed colony b"came
affected, so he began to look out for another cure —
spraying with phenol after tearing off the capping- with
a wire-hair brush in such a manner as not to injure the
healthy brood. This treatment does not always cure
the disease, but it prevents its spreading to other
colonies. With a small apiary he would burn up the
• whole business' if he found it infested with foul brood.
N. N. Betsinger said there are certain conditions that
will bring about fold brood. He can produce it in tin
days and can cure it in the same length of time with
salt. Mix it with sawdust, put it into a keg. add water
and keep it in the apiary where the bees have access
to it.
Dr. Mason said he had known many who had tried
salt and failed.
Professor Cook said odour was not a sure test, hut
the elasticity or ropy mass was.
B. T. Davenport had had trouble from 'dry' foul
brood. The larva will break in two when attempt is
made to remove it, but there is no ropiness or
elasticity. The trouble is greater with dark than
with Italian bees. He has cured it by change of
queens.
The next paper was by Mr. C. P. Dadant, on : Comb
Foundation, ite Manufacture and Use.' To make good
foundation pure wax must be produced. Compounds
of wax and paraffine or ceresine have been tried and
will not do. They melt at a lower temperature than
wax and endanger the safety of the colony. Paraffine
and ceresine are detected by their lighter specific gravity,
and tallow, which is a frequent adulterant, is noticed
bv the greasy and dull appearance of the cakes. Such
wax should be rejected. After selecting the wax it is
18
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 12, 1888.
melted and kept hot for twenty-four hours or more to
allow impurities to settle. The sheets are made by
dipping damp boards, and are thick enough to stretch
in the rolls when moulded. In this wax all the in-
equalities on the surface are eliminated out, and from
the pressure all moisture is driven off. In this branch
of industry, as in all others, practice is required to
acquire skill and speed in manipulation.
J. A. Green used 1500 sections one year, rilled some
with old and others with new foundation. Those with
the new foundation were finished first, and those with
old foundation completed last.
In reply to a question by Mr. Root, R. R. Murphy
stated he had tried starters only, and found sections
furnished with them were last finished.
F. Wilcox could not understand how Mr. Doolittle
can secure and use natural comb, as he advocates.
R. R. Murphy puts on an upper storey in the fall and
allows the bees to build combs in the frames, then
extracts the honey and uses the comb next year.
J. Heddon prefers foundation to drawn combs, as it is
quicker finished and looks better.
A. I. Root said that in using combs the cells are
deep, and the honey does not ripen so quickly as when
the cells are filled as they are drawn.
W. Z. Hutchinson preferred combs as it induced the
bees to store the honey above instead of in the brood-
nests. With him they commence to work in the supers
when combs are used, and finish the honey sooner.
An essay on ' Production of Extracted Honey for
Table Use' was read by T. F. Bingham, in which he
stated that honey, like other non-crystallised saccharine
substances, had a tendency to absorb water and undergo
fermentation^ If the honey was thick its changes are
slower, but if thin they are more rapid. The honey
should be left a long time in the hive of a populous
colony before extracting, and then put up in neat two-
pound bottles. If extracted late in the season it should
be kept in a clean pine-barrel, bunged tightly if stored
in a cool place. When taking out the honey he removes
one or two inches of the surface honey, so as to avoid
mixing that which has been in contact with the air witli
that which has not. The surface may be soft and
foamy ; this could be used for making into vinegar, the
remainder melted in a water-bath and put into glass
jars in a cool place. It will remain clear a long time,
and will be as fine as if just taken from the combs. If
only such honey were offered to the public, the market
would not be overstocked and the prices would be satis-
factory.
In the discussion most of the speakers advocated tin
for storing instead of wood.
' At this time Professor A. J. Cook, of Agricultural
College, Michigan, took occasion to speak of the recent
enjoyable visit to America of Mr. Thomas W. Cowan,
the distinguished editor of the British Bee Journal, who
had called on so many prominent apiarists of the New
World. The Professor said that it had never been his
pleasure to meet with one so familiar with everything
connected with bee-keeping, and with every person of
any reputation as a bee-keeper. That, in the future,
this visit of Mr. Cowan's would often be referred to, by
those who were so fortunate as to meet him, as being
one of the brightest events occurring in the history of
progressive American apiculture. In view of the many
resulting benefits, and the pleasant and profitable recol-
lections following such a visit, the Professor moved that
the thanks of the Society be tendered to Mr. Cowan for
his visit, and that he be elected an honorary member
of the "North American Bee-keepers' Society." The
motion was seconded and carried unanimously.'
Immediately after this Professor Cook spoke about the
Rev. L. L. Langstroth, and said that the Society could not
do itself more honour, and express its appreciation of
his efforts, than to forward a goodly purse to Mr.
Langstroth, who, in his long-continued sickness, would
receive it with much grateful appreciation. It was re-
solved to make a collection and add it to the amount
remaining in the treasury, and after paying all the
legitimate expenses of the Convention, to send the whole
of the balance to Mr. Langstroth.
(To be continued.)
CANADA.
I have just returned from the North American
Bee-keepers' Association which met at Chicago, Novem-
ber 16, 17, and 18. Canada had but one representative.
The season has been a severe one for bee-keepers
throughout America, reports from about forty bee-
keepers show the following results : — Number of colonies
in spring (1887), 3761 ; number of colonies in fall (1887),
4342 ; number of lbs. comb honey secured, 33,290 ;
number of lbs. extracted secured, 28,100 ; number of
lbs. beeswax secured, 1136 ; number of lbs. fed
back, 10,260. This shows an average yield of about
6 lbs. of comb honey and 6 lbs. of extracted honey per
colony after deducting the number of pounds fed back.
Amongst the reports there is only one from Canada,
my own, which is : — Spring count, 39 ; fall, 48 ; lbs.
of extracted honey secured, 3100; lbs. fed back, 200;
lb9. of wax secured, none given, as it has not yet been
rendered.
From all reports it is however safe to say we have
been more fortunate than the bee-keepers of the United
States, and throughout the entire American continent
the markets will be entirely free of honey long before
next year's honey crop will be harvested in even the
more southern parts. The prices secured at present are
very much above what they have been for some years,
especially so in the United States, and for comb honey
we are looking hopefully forward to keeping the prices
up for the future.
Mr. Cowan's visit to us has been during an excep-
tionally poor honey season, and we have regretted our
inability to show him what honey flows we have, and
what honey exhibits we can make. His visit to Canada
has been, to those with whom he has come in contact,
one of the bright spots of a season which to so many,
especially those who depend upon the profits of their
apiary, has been a rather depressing one. We all feel
that we owe Mr. Cowan a debt of gratitude for his visit.
His unselfishness in caring for and carrying about a
heavy microscope, and labouring for hours to show to
us new wonders in regard to the structure of the honey
bee, and creating in us a higher interest in apiculture,
cannot soon be forgotten. The information which he
possesses as to bee-keeping in all parts of the world and
past ages has also been of interest to us; and, as will be
seen by past numbers of the British Bee Journal, we
have attempted in some small measure to show Mr.
Cowan our hearty appreciation of his kindly visit
amongst us. The North American Bee-keepers' Associ-
ation, by a unanimous vote, passed a resolution thanking
Mr. Cowan for bis visit, and the great trouble and expense
he had gone to in visiting us, regretting his inability to
remain and be with them at their meeting.
One point which must have struck Mr. Cowan very
forcibly, and does us in a measure, is the fact that we
keep our bees, first and foremost, for the profits which we
may derive from them financially ; all else is secondary.
We, in a measure, appreciate the study of the bee, but
not as leading British bee-keepers do. From what I can
learn their motives are different to ours, and few of us
can devote our labours to apiculture, its spread and
study, aside from financial return. This must be the
case in every new country, and our struggle for money,
or, in other words, the means of subsistence, debars us
often from other pleasures and studies which would be
quite as much in accordance with our inclinations. The
structure of the bee as revealei by the microscope ia
January 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
ID
therefore something new to most of us, and this more
intimate study of the bee, for which such are indebted
to Mr. Cowan, will awaken interest in a new direction,
and give us ever after keener enjoyment from the source
from which we must derive our means of subsistence.
FRANCE.
The annual Bee and Honey Fair, which is held at
Chartres on St. Andrew's day, has, this year, been a
complete success, and several transactions of considerable
importance are known to have taken place. Bee-keepers
came in from the surrounding districts in large numbers,
and, after having attended the annual general meeting
of the Bee Association, repaired to the ' < 'afci Bordier,'
Place des Halles, where, for the convenience of intending
buyers, the names of those who had either honey, bees,
or implements to sell, were exhibited in a large frame ;
and it was noticed that many were those who made notes
of what there was to be sold and of seller's name and
address.
Bee-keepers are again reminded that applications for
exhibiting in the great forthcoming exhibition of 1880,
must be sent in before the 1st of February next, ad-
dressed to the ' Miuistere du Commerce,' or ' Avenue de
La Bourdonnais, au Champ de Mars, Paris.' In again
repeating this information, the Apiculteur of that city
suggests that, as far as possible, Bee Associations should
not exhibit individually, but rather collectively.
ASSOCIATIONS.
GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.
We would desire to direct the attention of bee-
keepers in England and Ireland to a letter from Mr.
E. M'Nally, who, with his brother, John, has taken
measures for the proper representation of the honey
industry at the Glasgow International Exhibition, which
will be held during the present year. He is anxious to
get the names of manufacturers who use honey in their
goods, and any information which will assist him in
making the special classes interesting and instructive.
Mr. E. M'Nally 's address is ' Main Street, Rutherglen.'
Corasponftewt.
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Committee met on 3rd inst. Present — Mr. Gillies
in the chair, Rev. P. Kavanagh, Messrs. Sproule and
Stanford, and the Hon. Secretary. The drawing up of
the annual report for 1887 was referred to a sub-com-
mittee, and arrangements were made for having it
printed. Additional steps were taken with respect to
the Association's standard hive, in order to ensure its
being sent out perfectly complete.
Lf.ctuke on Bee-keeping. — Mr. R. A. H. Grim-
shaw, of Horsforth, near Leeds, gave a very interesting
lecture on ' The Wonders of Bee Life,' in the schools of
St. John the Evangelist, Walton-on-the-Hill, near Liver-
pool, to a large and appreciative audience on Tuesday
gvening 3rd inst. The chair was taken by Mr. E. Bird,
Esq., J. P. The lecturer traced, in a most amusing and
instructive manner, the various stages of growth, with
the anatomy, habits, and customs, and use of these won-
derful creatures and held his audience from first to last
thoroughly interested. It was particularly noticed that
the younger members of the audience were kept amused
and instructed from first to last, the lecture lasting one
hour and twenty minutes. After several interesting
questions were answered by the lecturer, which were
put by two bee-keepers, Mr. E. Fowler and Mr. J. A.
Bally, and some clever diagrams explained, a hearty vote
of thanks to the lecturer was proposed by Mr. J. A.
Bally and seconded by Rev. F. B. Plummer, B.A., and
suitably responded to by the lecturer.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
ic, must be addressed only to *The Editor of the " British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. Strangeivays and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to .tiluertisemcnts,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page o/.4duertisemeuts).
*m* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query preuionsly inserted, icill obliye by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
OUR HONES IMPORTS.
The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom
during the month of December, 1887, amounted to 481/.
[From a Return furnished by the Statistical Department
Her Majesty's Customs to E. H. Bellairs, Wingfield
House, Christchurch.]
HIVES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT FOR
COTTAGERS.
[1416.] The first question a cottager must solve is,
'What hive shall I line?' and we who endeavour to
carry out the primary object of the existence of the
British and County Associations, viz., the bettering of
the condition of the cottager by urging him to adopt a
more humane and more profitable system of bee-keeping,
should, if we intend to assist him. have put to ourselves
and solved this question,' What hive shall I recommend/'
It has frequently been stated that almost anything
will do to put bees into. That is quite true ; bees may
be kept in almost anything in which combs may be built
— straw-skep, box or bar-frame hive. I have even seen
stocks in old casks, wooden and zinc pails, and have
taken from them for the owners a nice lot of honey.
But although almost anything ma)- be used and a nice
surplus obtained, both the pleasure and the profit are
much increased if the bees are kept in suitable hives,
well and accurately made, and whether straw skep, box
or bar-frame hive, well painted. The best and most
economical materials for hive construction are certainly-
straw and wood. It would, I think, be a pity to banish
the straw skep from modern apiaries, for it has a rustic
appearance which is greatly valued by many old and some
advanced bee-keepers. Personally, I should not like to
see my apiary without a few stocks in straw skeps,
because I like to see that most pleasant (sometimes most
annoying) of all sights to a bee-keeper — bees swarming.
Hence nothing would induce me to entirely prevent
natural swarming from skeps.
The object of this article being to assist the cottager
I shall be glad, with the Editor's permission, to more
fully explain at a future time any part I may not make
sufficiently clear.
In the first place, I must recommend the beginner straw
skeps worked on the system explained below, or if it is
his intention to become possessed of bar-frame hives I
should say commence with the 'Champion Cottager.'
This is a hive which I have designed with a view to its
being used on the fixed-comb principle, as when skeps
are used, and for the production of sections or run honey.
When the fixed-comb system has been given up this
hive will not have to be discarded as useless, but may
then be used permanently as a section-crate.
Somersham Skep System.
The. Hives. — Two kinds of hives are used, and these I
term stock hive, and super. Both should be closely and
neatly made so as to fit accurately either above or below
20
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 12, 1888.
each other ; and they are exactly alike in every respect
except depth, the stock hive being ten inches and the
super .six inches without the crown-boards. The outside
measurement is exactly fifteen inches across, while the
crown-board is sixteen inches across, half an inch thus
projecting all round. The crown-board is made of two
pieces of light wood about half an inch thick, securely
fastened across the grain to prevent warping, the upper
half being bevelled half an inch, so that the rain running
down the side of a super will fall on the bevel of the
lower hive and drop from the projecting half inch of the
lower half of the crown-board. The floor-board is
similar to the crown-board, except that a piece about
six inches wide and three inches deep is cut out of the
lower half to give the bees access to the hive through a
hole H inches wide by six inches long, cut in the upper
half about three inches from the edge. A piece of wood
projecting about four inches is then nailed under to act
as an alighting-board, and form the floor of the passage
into the hive. The object of this arrangement is to
allow the bottom edge of the skep to remain perfectly
level all round. This is not the case when the entrance
is cut out of the floor-board, as that part of the skep im-
mediately over the entrance is sure to fall by pressure
above and will then fit no other part of the floor-board.
The hole in the crown-boards of this kind of hive now in
use in this district is two inches wide and eight inches
long. This hole is apt to give a little trouble, though
the immense advantage it gives over a small circular
hole should be more than compensation for it. I now,
therefore, recommend what I have found to give little
or no trouble, viz., six holes eight inches long, | inch
wide, | inch apart and running parallel in the centre of
the crown-board.
Management. — For each swarm there should be pro-
/' vided one stock hive and at least two supers, a floor-
board and cover — an earthen pan if not too heavy.
First give the outside of the hives at least two coats of
light-coloured paint ; if white is used the combs will be
less likely to give way when the hive is exposed to the
full rays of the sun. In very hot weather it is advisable
to shade the hives a little. The bottom edge of the
skeps and inside for about an inch from the bottom
should be painted. The edges and about two inches of
the floor and crown-boards should also be paiuted, so
that the rain may not draw under. This would happen,
and the edge of the skeps would soon rot if it and that
part of the crown-board and floor-board where it rests
were not painted. Having got the hives well painted
and thoroughly dry, a swarm headed with a young
queen should be obtained. It should weigh about four
pounds.
Although the hive is ready we have not considered
the site. An open space facing the south should be
chosen when practicable, and with the path running
behind the hives. Now clear away (and keep away) all
•weeds and make the ground firm. Four or eight bricks
will make a sufficiently good stand, but the one I should
prefer, where sleepers can be got, would be two laid side
by side with the soil made slanting up to the top edge of
the front sleeper, so that heavily-laden bees falling in
front of the hive would easily get into it. The stand
should be set as level as possible and then the floor-
hoard should be placed on the spot the stock will occupy.
This must be made perfectly level both ways by means
of a spirit-level, which may be obtained for a few pence,
and should always find a place in every apiary. This
done, raise the back of the floor-board half an inch,
because the combs should be built across the long holes
in the crown-hoard, thus allowing the bees access to the
supers from between all but the outer combs.
Having stopped the holes in the crown-board with a
piece of cloth the swarm may be put in (hived in if got
from a neighbour) and the hive then placed mouth
downwards in front of the stand, not on it. Put a stone
under the edge of the skep, and so let it remain until the
bees have clustered in it. Then lift the hive carefully so
as not to disturb the cluster and place it with the holes
in the crown-board pointing east and west. As the
entrance which points to the south is half an inch lower
than the back the combs will be built from front to back
across the holes. The swarm need not now be touched
again for a week or ten days, unless the weather should
be unfavourable for honey-gathering, in which case it
should be fed with dry sugar.
If the weather be fine for a week or ten days a good
swarm will have built combs nearly half way down to
the floor-board, and unless super room is given every
comb will be clogged with honey almost as fast as the
comb is built, with the result that the hive, if left alone
till the end of the season, would contain a lot of honey
and a small quantity of bees. To super, place on the
stock-hive, after carefully removing the cloth in the
holes, so that the tender combs are not broken, a six-inch
super with the holes in the crown-board pointing east
and west. The super must be made secure so that there
is no escape of heat. These operations are best done in
the evening, the bees being kept down by a puff of smoke,
or by smearing the edges of the holes with a feather
which has been dipped in carbolic acid. If the swarm
be a good one, the season early, and the district a good
one for bee-pasturage, the bees will quickly take to the
super, and when it is about three-parts rilled it should be
raised and another placed between it and the stock-hive.
Both these supers will most probably be filled with
delicious honey, while the combs below will be one mass
of brood. If the bee-keeper prefer to have no bother
with feeding he might be content with one super, when
the stock-hive would as regards bees and honey by the
end of the season be in a condition to winter successfully.
When, however, it is found that after taking off the
supers there is not sufficient food in the stock-hive to last
the winter, syrup should bo given as described in this
Journal and the various bee-books.
The swarm will be termed a stock the following
spring, and the treatment it will require will be similar
to that recommended for the swarm. But as our object
in the spring will be to prevent swarming, the super
should be placed on the stock-hivo early, that is, when
the hive is well filled with bees and when honey-
gathering in quantity has commenced. But it must be
borne in mind that the super must not be allowed to get
more than three-parts full before it is raised and another
is placed between it and the stock-hive. The upper
super will be first completed and may then be removed,
and the remaining one treated as was the super, first
placed on the stock-hive. Thus treated the stock will
most probably give a large surplus in the supers, and
swarming will be prevented. If there should be a fear
when the supers are on that a swarm will issue raise the
stock-hive and supers bodily and place under all on the
floor-board an empty super. This will be used as a
brood-chamber, ami at the end of the season the combs
should be cut out and melted in order that the super may
be ready for use the following season. — C. N. White.
(To be continued.)
GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,
1888.
[141 7.] As the season of 1886 proved to be a most inter-
esting one in connexion with the honey exhibition in Eng-
land, so the present 3'ear(1888)promises to be an eventful
one in the history of Scotch bee-keeping. A year ago
when the proposal to hold a Grand International Ex-
hibition in Glasgow was introduced, I put myself in com-
munication with the executive, and urged the importance
of having our national industry duly represented. This
suggestion was generously agreed to, and the name of
January 12, 188&]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
21
Mr. K. J. Bennett, the energetic secretary of our Cale-
donian Apiarian Society, was added to the list of
directors.
At the annual meeting- of this Association the whole
subject was fully considered, but it was felt that the
great expense necessary, and at the same time the fact,
that no awards were to be offered, would debar many
from coming forward during the full period of six
months which the exhibition is expected to be open.
Mr. Bennett had, however, arranged to get up a two-
weeks exhibition during the month of July, to be held
about the time when the annual show of the Caledonian
is held which happens this year to be also in Glasgow.
This, however, still left the three sections granted us,
viz., honey, honey goods, and apiarian appliances,
unrepresented during the remainder of the exhibition.
At this stage I consulted with my brother, Mr. John D.
McNally, Springburn, who, like myself, lives convenient
to Glasgow, and we finally agreed to apply for fifty
square feet of space for two sectious, viz., honey and
honey goods, with the intention of getting up one or
two cases, which we estimate will cost over .'10/. each,
exclusive of exhibits.
We have now secured the necessary space for one
case, and the other is under consideration. It is ex-
pected that the Exhibition will be opened in May by
JI.R.H. the Prince of Wales, and already we have se-
cured samples of honey from England, Ireland, Scotland,
&c, and are still open to purchase special samples so as
to fully illustrate the varieties and high qualities of
British honey. In taking this matter in hand, it is only
right to mention that neither my brother nor myself
make bee-keeping part of our profession, others in our
family do, but are too far resident from Glasgow. It
is only an earnest desire on our part to see our 'hobby'
getting more popular, of seeing new outlets opened for
the sale and use of honey, and, at this particular stage,
to show that honey is, and can still be classified, as one
of our important food productions, which has encouraged
us to make this venture, which we are hopeful will
eventually meet the object we have in view. We are
anxious to get the names of those manufacturers who
use honey in their goods, and any information as to
articles which will assist us in those special classes, in
making them as interesting as possible.
At a later stage we hope to submit the extent of our
exhibits more fully, meanwhile will be glad to get all
the information possible. — E. McNally, Main Street,
Rutherglen.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1418.] Your article on page - should make every
office-bearer of any such association hasten to set his
house in order, for there is no disguising the fact that
some of our County Associations are far from being so
prosperous as they might and should be. I have just
been looking through the Keports of the Affiliated
Associations for 1886, and I have found one that ought
to prosper amazingly, viz., Leicestershire, for they offer
' a sure market fur honey ' as one of the advantages of
membership. I must join that, I think. Why, Mr.
Editor, the bee-keepers' millennium must be at hand.
The objects of the Hertfordshire B.K.A. deserve re-
capitulation: — 'To teach the residents of the county
a more humane and profitable system of bee-culture,
and the increase of the home supply of pure, whole-
some food among the labouring classes.'
Is it not possible that, if our different B.K.A.s had
been satisfied with this pithy extract from our Hert-
fordshire friends' report as their text, and then worked
up to it, that you would never have felt the necessity of
laying on the rod of correction. Have we not one and
all promised too much and done too little ? I am much
afraid the profits of bee-keeping have been made too
prominent a feature when recommending the modern
system, forgetting that many of our hearers would,
through their own inattention, fail to get any profit,
Would it not be well to at once adopt the lines laid
down by the Hertfordshire B.K.A. , and do our best to
show all how they may, at a comparatively small cost,
become possessed of a good, wholesome table delicacy,
leaving the few, who eventually prove successful, to be
helped according to their various necessities, and en-
couraged to make a business of it ? Even of the few
who succeed, there will be many who cannot manage
more than perhaps six colonies. Such should have no
difficulty in disposing of their surplus locally, either by
their own efforts entirely or with a little assistance from
the local secretary of their association. I have great
faith in the idea propounded in the last paragraph but
one of your remarks on ' Keep your colonies strong '
which appear on page 509 of the 1887 volume, and I
propose inviting all members in my province to com-
municate to me particulars of their wants, and idso any
of surplus they may have for disposal, with a view to
making our M.B.K.A. more useful. Will any <>no
kindly discuss the present status of our Associations,
and suggest useful remedies? — W. M. Graham, 1'ro-
oincial Secretary of the Middlesex B.K.A., Latymer
Lodije, Lower Edmonton.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[141!).] The county association of which I am
honorary secretary, has not begun to fill the place it
was intended to take amongst the bee-keepers in its
radius, therefore it is, to say the least, discouraging to
read the remarks under the heading ' County Bee-keep-
ing Associations' on page 2 of your issue of the -~>t li
January, 1888.
If the committee of the B. B. K. A. consider their
organization perfect, by all means let them come and
a-sist their country cousins, but do not let then:
organ write or call stinking fish when it is nut in a
position to know what, many of the county Associations
are doing. Instead of the old-fashioned bee-keeper
bring left far behind, we have those amongst us,
lately unearthed, bee-keepers who have been bee-keepers
long before the Journal existed, and who are (as
far as is generally known) a long way ahead of the
recognised savants in the successful management of
apiaries.
Out of the list, ' approximating to 300 subscribers,'
how many were bee-keepers? I am quite ready to
acknowledge that the subscriptions of non-bee-keepera
are valuable to treasurers of county associations, but
their interest will not continue : and my aim is and will
be to get bee-keepers throughout the county at as short
distances apart as possible to work their districts' lip :
by this means I believe county bee-keepers' associations
will prosper. These district workers will be a great
assistance to county secretaries, but at the same time
they will give him more work, as there will he more
shows to organize and more honey to negotiate the sale
of.
What will all this lead to ? I would venture to assert
an honorary treasurer in every county, with a paid secre-
tary ; is not this the experience of floral, horticultural,
and agricultural shows ?
My committee consists of eleven members, they have
been called together twelve times, and have put in
eighty-two appearances. I have no record of their
attendances at shows, but this would add materially to
the time the committee have given to the cause. Please
do not make our work harder by writing about alarm-
ing symptoms of decline, but rather, I would suggest,
in every issue impress on your readers how intelligent
bee-keepers could assist the cause by joining their county
association, and bringing before its working head the
22
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 12, 1888.
•way in which he could best benefit their particular
neighbourhoods.
As an association we are ready to send out lecturers
in the winter, experts or advisers in the spring and
summer, and to arrange for the sale of surplus honey ;
in return we ask that bee-keepers in each district will
get so many subscribers that the association is not put
to a large money cest. — W. Lees McClube.
MEMS. BY ' WOODLEIGH.'
[1420.] As regards the statement of the 'Iowa Home-
stead ' about bees selecting a home before swarming, I
can endorse it somewhat. There is a village called
Peasemore about two miles from where I live in a ' bee
line.' Now, nearly all the stray swarms from our part
go straight off in a direct ' bee Hue ' for Peasemore.
The only conspicuous object in the village is the church
spire. Now, bees have tenanted the said church roof,
also the tower, many times, but rarely live through the
winter. One would suppose that scouts or spies had
investigated the district for a suitable spot in which to
start a new colony, or why should bees start off in a
particular direction as soon as out of the hive if there
was no preconcerted plan decided on before the swarm-
ing took place. Nine miles seems a long distance for
bees to travel, and a longer distance for scouts to go in
search of a dulee domum, but I can vouch for a swarm
of bees flying six miles in a bee line. It happened some
years ago, and the man who rode horseback after them
told me himnelf. His master, a farmer, kept a large
apiary in those days of 100 stocks, and a man used to
have to attend to them, and a very busy time he had in
May and June, during swarming time, as they were all
in straw skeps. The swarm in question, a very large
one, came off just as the farmer returned from the fields
on his horse. The beeman says, ' Maister, they means
off.' ' Here, George,' says the farmer to his factotum,
' take a hive, jump on my horse and follow them.'
George followed over hedges and ditches, through fields
of waving corn, across commons of gorse, still keeping
them well in view, till weary of wing they settled in a
piece of wheat. Here George hived them, gave his
horse a rest, borrowed an old woman's apron, tied them
in, and trotted back home with them. Evidently, if
this particular swarm had selected a cavity in some wall
they never reached their intended destination.
I notice ' Mr. T. H.' considers his winter packing more
simple than friend ' A. E.'s,' and as I consider my system
more simple, more economical, and more utilitarian than
' T. H.'s,' I give it for what it is worth. I buy some cheap
unbleached calico at lfrf. or 2d. per yard, and form it
into bags 20 or 21 inches wide. The sewing-machine
comes in handy here, as a dozen or two bags or cases
can soon be run up together, leaving one end partly
open. Now take your clean wheat-chaff with dust
sifted out, and about half fill your bags, or, as my little
girl calls them, the pillow-cases, then finish the sewing
up. Hero you have a wrap that you can mould to your
frames, and long enough to lap or hang down to the
bottom of the hive behind the frames or dummy. I
always use two or three quilts of hemp carpet, then the
chaff pillow or cushions over them. Then if a lump of
candy is required by the bees, what is more easy than to roll
back the cushion, place your candy over feed-hole, and
replace your cushion, retaining the heat of the hive, and
causing no disturbance to the bees. Then in spring,
during feeding time the cushion will cover the feeding
bottle by lapping over it and reaching the outsides or
ends of frames, thus retaining the heat when most
needed for the well-being of the colony. Then later on,
when the crates of sections are on, their winter cushion
still holds its own and mounts the upper deck, keeping
the super warm and comfortable, and preventing the
chill night air and lower temperature driving the bees
out of the sections down to the brood nest below for
warmth.
Auent the mention of honey in the Old Testament,
Genesis, chap, xliii. ver. 11, one would think the Patriarch
must have been a bee-keeper on a large scale, as we find
him possessed of honey a long time after the corn was
all consumed, and we should expect the famine was
caused by drought, consequently herbage and flowers
suffered equally with cereals. — Woodleigh.
KOERBS' NEW ARTIFICIAL COMB AND
CELLS.
[1421.] I have read about Koerbs' new artificial
comb with great interest in yesterday's Journal. I yuess
he does away with the mid-rib as then the queen would
not have a place to deposit her eggs ; and if he makes
the cells right through the combs the whole of the honey
could be extracted at one operation without having to
take them out and reverse. — J. Hall, Station Hill,
TViyton, Cumberland, January 6, 1888.
A NEW ARTIFICIAL COMB.
[1422.] Is it possible that the comb invented by Mr.
Koerbs, an announcement of which appeared in your
valuable Journal of the 5th inst. (No. 1407), may simply
turn out to be combs with cells of a yet larger size than
such as are built by the bees for the purpose of raising
drones? We do not find pollen deposited in drone-
comb, therefore, is it not probable that foundation with
cells somewhat larger still would readily be drawn out
by the bees which, from their size, would be avoided by
the queen when depositing eggs, but which would be
utilised by the workers when storing honey ? Such is,
perhaps, not improbable. May I suggest the use of
foundation with cells measuring H of an inch in cross
section. Should the queen deposit eggs in these the
size might be somewhat increased.
The matter could be easily tested, but the cost of
machines for impressing foundation for experimental
purposes would be greater than most bee-keepers could
afford. I should, however, be glad to contribute my
share towards the cost if a few bee-keepers could be
found to unite for this purpose. — T. M.
NEW ARTIFICIAL COMB, &c.
[1423.] After reading article on (1407) p. 7 of last
week's Journal on ' A New Artificial Comb, I said to
myself, What a simpleton I have been ! Why, for the
last two years I have had combs, and newly drawn out
at that ; that the bees would not breed in or store pollen ;
they would use them for nothing but houey, even when
placed in the centre of brood-nest, and for that very
reason I threw them all into the melting-pot. I thought
to myself now, If I had but got them by me now how
useful they would be. The thought then struck me, Had I
cooked them all ? I went straight away to the honey
room and pulled down (empty) comb after comb in hopes
that one had escaped the melting-pot. I had almost given
it up as a bad job, when well nigh the last comb had been
removed I came across one, but much damaged. How-
ever, I have cut out a sample large enough to show what
it is like. Now, the thought never struck me of making
comb-foundation after the same pattern until I read the
above article. I set to work straight away and made a
sample foundation,5which I think will fill the bill to a T.
Now I don't say that the bees would not breed in them if
all the combs in the hive were of the same pattern (for
they will do some very curious things sometimes), but I
am certain that if they had a fair amount of ordinary
worker and drone comb in the hive to breed in they
would not use these said combs for anything but honey,
January 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
23
I write this simply to show that the discovery is not new
(that is, if Mr. Koerbs' discovery is the same as mine ; I
don't know whether it is or not), although I had not
taken advantage of this discovery until reading the
article ahove referred to. I have sent samples of both
comb and foundation, with explanation, to Mr. A. Neigh-
bour by the same post as this. I have no doubt Mr. N.
will show you the same upon application ; he also will
inform you whether he is disposed to patent it or not, or
whether he intends making it for sale ; if he does we can
soon get a mill cut for making it. I have also sent him
a sample of new comb-foundation, which perhaps he will
show you, invented by me, which I think will do away
with wired frames and wired foundation. It has other
advantages which, if it turns out as I anticipate, will
make a revolution in bee-keeping. I am getting up a
new section case, which I think will be welcomed by
many. Mr. N., no doubt, will send a description (when
ready) to the Journal ; if he does not I will. Yesterday
(Sunday) was a splendid day for the bees. I walked
through the apiary and put them through the roll-call,
and they all (60) answered to it. Of course I never
opened them, but if we get such a nice day sometime
this week I shall remove all the covers and chaff-cushions
to give them a good airing in the sun. — Wai.tkh
Marshall, Messrs. Neighbour's Bee Farm, Bvmcefield,
Hemel Hempstead.
[We received the above communication too late to
allow an opportunity of seeing the samples referred to ;
but if there be any merit in the discovery we are pleased
to give our correspondent the credit of priority. — -Ed.]
HONEY SCRIPTURE TEXTS.
[1424.] 1403, and 1411, on 'Scripture texts,' still
need a little clearing and addition. ' Honey ' is named
fifty-two times in the Old Testament and four times in
the New. 'Honeycomb' is named eight times in Old
Testament and once in New Testament, making sixty-
five times in all. 'Sweeter also than honey and the
honeycomb' should surely be reckoned once for each
word, &c.
I add the whole of the passages naming 'honeycomb'
for clearness.
1 Sam. xiv. 27. l'sa. xix. 10. Pro v. v. 3, and xvi. 24,
and xxiv. 13, and xxvii. 7 (not xxvi. 7). Cant. iv. 11,
and v. 1 .
Add for 'Bees' J udg. xiv. 8, and Psa. cxviii. 12, making
four occurrences.
Add for 'wax' Psa. xxii. 14, and Micah, i. 4, making
four occurrences.
Add for 'hornet' Exod. xxiii. 2S, and Josh. xxiv. 12,
making three occurrences.
' Stingeth ' (but, like an adder) Prov. xxiii. 32, and
'Sting1 ICor. xv. 55,56.
'Swarm' is mentioned only in Judg. xiv. 8, in con-
nexion with bees.
It is worth noting that no queen-bee is mentioned ;
while their undesirable tenacity of pursuit is the point
of Dent. i. 44. Their older and industry are not referred
to, but the ant instead is the entomological pattern for
us in these respects.
Qy. 1. Is it because bees sting so readily ?
Qy. 2. Do all bee-keepers, if so, learn the implied
warning ? — E. C. P.
HOW BEES EXTRACT POLhEN FROM
FLOWERS.
[1425.] In regard to the visitors of Asclepias cornuti
(common milkweed) Dr. Hermann Muller observes that
they ' slip upon the smooth parts of the flower until the
foot enters the wide inferior part of the slit, in which it at
last gets a firm hold,' Mr. T. H. Corry describes the insect
as grasping the back of a nectary, and plunging its proboscis
into its cavity, ' endeavouring at the same time to get
a firm and sure foothold on the unstable flowers,' until
the insect at length places one of its feet into the wider
part of an alar fissure.
Having collected insects on the flowers of six species
of Asclepias, I regard the normal action of the most
common and most efficient to be that they hold on to a
flower, or several flowers, in such a way that their feet
go down below the angles of the alae, and when the
legs are drawn upwards they are caught between
the strongly projecting hoods and guided by them over
the entrance of the stigmatic chamber, which occupies
the narrow interval between their bases. Of native in-
sects, the most common visitors I have observed on A.
Sullivantii, are humble bees (Bombus separatus, B. Penn-
sylvanicuf, and B. scuteUans) and Danais Archippus.
The feet of humble bees reach down as far as the basis
of the petals, and I have often found the polliuia fastened
upon their tibial spurs as well as on their claws. I have
also found polliuia of this species on the spurs and claws
of Danais Archippus, and high up on tarsal hairs of
Priononyx Thoma;.
In a similar way a specimen of Scolia bicincta shows
pollinia of A. cornuti on the tarsal hairs. However,
the gynostegia of these species are so large that the feet
of many visitors will not reach far below the angles of
the wings, and when this occurs the claws are the only
parts which are readily caught. The importance of the
hoods in guiding the legs of insects over the angles of
the wings is more apparent in the smaller flowered
species, since the more delicate wings catch hairs which
are not only very fine and short, but which are also sit-
uated much higher up on the legs. Thus hive bees
caught on A. Sullivantii and A. cornuti show pollinia
only on their claws and pulvilli, but they have the pollinia
of A. tuberosa, A. incarnata, and A. verticillata scat-
tered upon the hairs of the tarsi. A specimen of
Argvnnis Cybele, which I caught on A. cornuti has
pollinia of this plant on its claws, and pollinia of A. tube-
rosa on the tarsal hairs
II. Muller, who supposes that the whole foot enters
the stigmatic chamber, says : ' When the insect tries to
draw its foot out in order to proceed further, the diverg-
ing claws are caught by the apposed edges of the anther-
wings, and guided upwards in the slit so that one or
other of the two claws is brought without fail into the
notch in the lower border of the corpusculum and there
held fast.'
On the same subject Mr. Corry says : ' When the foot
reaches the superior end of the alar chamber in which
it has been guided, one at least of the two hooked claws
upon it, or some part of the foot in the case of Diptera,
must easily enter the hollow cavity of the corpusculum,
which lies in such a position that this result is inevitable.'
The importance which these authors attach to the
view that the whole foot enters the chamber, in my
opinion, rests on a misunderstanding of the mode of in-
sertion of the pollinia, and has led them to overlook the
precision with which a corpusculum comes to be fastened
to a hair or claw. The corpusculum is placed so nicely
at the top of the wings that its cleft is fairly continuous
with the slit between them, and I cannot conceive that
the contrivance works normally unless the particular
part, i.e., a single claw, hair, or pulvillus, to which the
corpusculum becomes attached, is caught between the
wings and guided by them into the cleft.
Believing that all processes are caught as the leg of
the insect passes over the angle of the wing, I suppose
that only a single process is caught, and that a claw is
caught in exactly the same manner as a hair or spur.
In a careful examination of the feet of 116 hive-bees
which were killed by being caught on the flowers of A.
Sullivantii, I have found that, with but two exceptions,
when a foot was held by the wings, only one claw was
f>4
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January ii, 188&
between them, the other being free, or less often the
pulvillus was held between the wings and both claws
were outside.
When first withdrawn the pollinia lie in the same
plane. In a few minutes the twisting of the retinacula
brings the pollinia into nearly parallel planes, but the
upper ends are still separated by quite an interval. Ac-
cording to the authors to whom reference has been made
the pollinia are inserted by the corpusculum. From the
analogy of observations made on the movements of the pol-
linia of some OrchidaceK some advantage might be looked
for in the slow movement of the pollinia of Asclepias.
Indeed, Mr. Corry, who has observed this phenomenon
in A. cornuti, states that it is of advantage, although he
fails to show it; and I think it impossible so to do on
the supposition that the pollinia are introduced by the
corpuscula. He says : —
' Some considerable time, moreover, must elapse after
the pollinia are extracted before the corpuscular append-
ages are so far dried that both pollinia of the same cor-
pusculum can be introduced through the fissure into the
alar chamber, and in the meantime the insect has had
time to reach another flower or plant.'
On another page he observes : • If the movement did
not occur on the part of the pollinia, their broad surfaces
would lie at right angles to the alar fissure, and their
insertion into it in this position through the notch would
in consequence be rendered a much more difficult, if not
an altogether impossible operation, or else the pollinia in
being slipped in would become folded in the opposite
direction, and the less curved border which emits no
pollen tubes would be first inserted into the fissure.'
lint what is to prevent this consequence before the move-
ment takes place ? Whatever might happen there is
obviously nothing to render the introduction of the cor-
pusculum itself more difficult before the movement oc-
curs than afterwards, so that the slowness of the move-
ment is hardly an average under this view. If the
corpusculuni were very slender or flattened so that a
thin edge could be presented to the slits, there would be
no difficulty in understanding how it could readily slip
into the stigmatic chamber ; but it is a rounded body,
and is relatively large in comparison with the entrance
to the cavity.
Of comae, if the whole foot of an insect commonly
enters the stigmatic chamber, it is not hard to under-
stand how the corpusculum should go in with it. But
when the corpusculum is fastened to a hair which is
directed outward and downward from the leg of the in-
sect, and which is often so short that the corpusculum is
fairly in contact with the leg, the difficulty increases.
In the examination of the feet of hive-bees killed on
the flowers, I have failed to find a single case in which a
corpusculum was attached to that part of the foot which
was held between the anther wings. In my opinion,
therefore, the structure of the corpusculum is so far
from facilitating the introduction of the pollinia that it
prevents the part to which it is attached from being
again caught in the slits, and until the movement occurs
the corpusculuni with its two pollinia will pass over the
entrance to the stigmatic chamber without being injured.
After the movement occurs, if the corpusculum be ex-
amined from one side, it will be observed that the retin-
acula project outward and downward. Since the parts
to which the corpuscula are attached themselves project
outward and downward, the retinacula finally stand
nearly at right angles to the leg of the insect. The re-
tinaculum near the point where it joins the pollinium,
is bent rather suddenly, so that the pollinium appears to
be flexed upon it. This flexure, which Mr. W. II.
Leggett has called the knee, is very prominent.
There is quite an interval between the knees, and the
membrane of the retinaculum of the knee is expanded
transversely to the plane of the pollinium. .Robert
Brown has observed in A. purpurascens, that the part of
the retinaculum extended between the knee, and lli'ij
polliuiuni remains attached to the latter when it is found
in the stigmatic chamber. This expansion of the
membrane serves to prevent the withdrawal of the pol-
linium after it has been inserted into the cavity, and
when drawn against the closely opposed edges of the alae
in the upper part of the stigmatic chamber, facilitates
the rupture of the retinaculum.
Judging from the structure of parts which are readily
caught between the anther wings nothing could be more
natural than for one of the knees to slip into the entrance
to the stigmatic chamber, and the movement is intended
to turn them into such a position that this will occur.
When, therefore, the movement has taken place, and the
insect draws its ieg over the angle of the wings, the cor-
pusculum with the claw or hair to which it is attached,
passes on without being caught, while one of the knees
of the pollinia readily enters the stigmatic chamber, and
the polliniurn enters with it. "When the knee has reached
the upper part of the cavity, and will go no further, the
retinaculum is torn across and escapes, leaving the pol-
linium in position to effect fertilisation.
In repeated trials at artificial pollination of the flowers
of A. cornuti, A. Sullivantii, and A. incarnata, I suc-
ceeded three times in thecase of A. Sullivantii in separating
the pollinium from the retinaculum without withdrawing
the latter from the slit, and thus was enabled to insert a
pollinium, and to draw out a corpusculum at the top of
the alas with its two pollinia by the same movement.
But in all other cases a pull that seemed sufficient to
break the retinaculum, freed it from the slit so that the
corpusculum at the top remained intact. Accordingly
I have seen no difficulty on the supposition that the pol-
linia are introduced by the knees, in the observation of
II. Miiller, who says :
' In several flowers which I dissected, the corpuscula
and pollen-masses were still in their places, though pol-
linia, which must have come from other flowers, had
been inserted into the stigmatic chamber.'
In a number of cases observed by me on A. Sullivantii
the movement which turns the knees toward tlio
flower is completed in about seven minutes, though
it has proceeded sufficiently in five minutes to turn the
flexure far enough to render insertion quite likely. "With
the view of pollination stated in this paper, the slow
movement is plainly of advantage, because a knee can
hardly be caught by the wings until it has occurred.
Now, since only one pollinium is inserted into the stig-
matic chamber, there is an economic disposal of the pol-
linia. The interval between the flexures is so great that
only one of them can be caught, while the other passes
by the slit uninjured. There are, therefore, two chances
of a pollinium being transferred to another plant. If
both pollinia were left at each act of pollination, there
would be but one chance of cross fertilisation. More-
over the chances of cross-fertilisation would be reduced
from the fact that the stigmatic chambers would be
more nearly filled by pollinia from the same source,
while if they are introduced singly, there are more
chances of a chamber receiving a pollinium from a dis-
tinct plant.
As two pollinia are fastened together, there would be
but one chance of pollination occurring if the pollinia
were inserted by the corpuscula, while there are two
chances of a knee being caught. When a pollinium has
been removed the broken retinaculum may be caught in
a slit, and remove a second corpusculum with its two
pollinia. When this combination of two corpuscula and
three pollinia is drawn over the angle of the wings, there
are three chances of a pollinium being caught. Whenever
a pollinium is removed two new pollinia may be substi-
tuted for it, and a large combination of pollinia may
result arranged either in a unilateral series or dichoto-
mously. In either case the chances of the insertion of
pollinium equals the number of pollinia in the combination.
January 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
25
If the foot to which the first corpusculum of the com-
bination is attached must enter the stigmatic chamber, of
course there would be but one chance of pollination
taking place without regard to the number of pollinia.
Such an accident would be likely to destroy the whole
combination. As already observed, on the large flowers of
A. Sullivantii and A. cornuti,the shorter hairs on the legs
of insects are not readily caught, so that the number of
parts to which the corpuscula may be attached are re-
duced to the minimum.
For instance, the only parts of the leg of a hive-bee
which can remove the corpuscula of theso species, are
the two claws and the pul villus. The leg will thus remove
three corpuscula, and since these bodies render useless
the parts to which they are attached, the broken retin-
acula not only take the place of the parts disqualified,
but increase the number of parts to which the corpus-
cula can be attached. By means of thse combinations,
therefore, the leg of an insect has its capacity for carry-
ing pollinia greatly increased. . . .
Finally, I have seen the pollinia of A. Sullivantii in-
troduced into the stigmatic chambers in the manner de-
scribed. The pollinia and the entrance to the chamber in
this species are very large and are easily seen, and
hive-bees move so slowly in effecting pollination that,
after a knee is caught, one can see the pollinium slowly
disappear between the wings, so that there can be no
doubt as to the manner of insertion. Commonly, h iw-
ever, the insertion of pollinia occurs so rapidly that it is
impossible to see how it really happens. After a pol-
linium has been introduced into the chamber, hive-bees
always have difficulty in breaking the retinaculum, and
they lose their lives on account of this as well as on
account of the difficulty in drawing their claws through
the slit. Winn a fool is held by a retinaculum the pol-
linium is found in the chamber, with every indication
that it was introduced by the knee. — Professor
Charles Robertson, Blackburn University, Chicago,
HI. (Botanical Gazette.)
THE BLUNDERS, ACCIDENTS, &c, OF A
NOVICE.
[1426.] Twelve months ago last Michaelmas we
decided to 'go in' for bees in a small way. A hale,
drooping old man, who had drawn the sickle and swung
the scythe for fifty harvests, and flung the flail for fifty
winters, now in his eighty-fourth year, offered us four
straw hives for 24s. Bargain was struck, and night
fixed for removal; and, forsooth, this first step was a
step in the dark, for we knew absolutely nothing about
bees — had never heard of bar-frame hives.
In our ignorance we made what we considered a good
bee-house, capable of accommodating eight colonies in
straw hives. This was firmly fixed in the ground, facing
uitli, aud fully exposed to the strong winds that swept
with such great force athwart this flat part of the
country.
The night for removal was very dark. We joined the
old man, son, grandson, donkey and cart, and soon
arrived at the old stand. With the lantern the old man
led the way, and cautioned us not to talk, or nothing
could be done. Superstitious old man, as we shall see.
About the hive entrances there was quite a hubbub,
as if the bees had been disturbed. The clothes were
spread, donkey and cart at the garden gate, ' we four '
ready for action, but after looking under one of the
hives it was decided to leave them till another night, for
the bees covered the board. Just at this moment the
old man exclaimed that they were about his noddle, and
fumbled about, expecting every moment to feel the
dreaded stings.
' We four ' went the following evening. The donkey
stayed at home. The bees were quiet. The father and
son carried two, and the grandson and I two ; their two
on the old stand, our two slung on a pole.
We had a mile to carry them. Half way we halted ;
my pole end rested upon railings, my companion's peril-
ously upon the end of a stick. The pole slipped, and
the heavy skeps went suddenly to the ground. No
damage was suspected, so you may imagine our feelings
when it was found that the comb in the hive which
struck the ground first was all broken from its holding.
The hive was lifted in the cloth and put upon its new
stand, and left till the morrow. But before leaving the
bees the hale old man of eighty-three said, ' Now yow
must talk tu 'em, tell 'em tha'r yars, an' that yow'll be a
good master tu 'em.' We did as he bade, of course,
there and then, and they have stayed with us, although,
like us, they have had new experiences. As we were
walking home, the old man had other and stranger
things to tell us about these mysterious little ' critters.'
' It's many years sin we bought our fust skip. We got
'em fro Mrs. K , an' forgot to talk tu 'em, an' tell V:n
tha wus ours. We had bad luck wi' them lot. N< it
long arter Mrs. K died, an' wen har funeral wus
passen our gate, we wus reminded of the bees, an' went
down an' hiked at 'em. Bleeve me bor, wen we got
there them bees wus awready awasten, and wen we
tand up the skip nearly all the bees wus dead.'
We suggested that the bees might have died from
want of food.
'Oh, no, tha din't ! no, no ; tha had plenty t' ate, but
we din't talk tu 'em bor, that wus the reason. The
next skip 1 got fro .Mrs. 1! , an' wen I got em' hum 1
laned over 'em an' napped on the skin wi' my finger, an'
told 'em tha blongM tu me, an' bor, them bees done well,
an' I never bought no more. An yow mussen't ha no
weirds about 'em, du tha VOtl't Stop wi' ye.'
We were anxious next morning to get to the ill-fated
hive. It was a complete wreck — honey running, dead
and dying lees, and what to do? We scarcely know
what we did. Knew, however, that all the bees were
lost, a few pounds of honey only saved.
Not many weeks had passed when, during a cold and
windy night, our new bee-house was blown over on its
back, where it lay till the morning, and each of the
three hives upset. All were made more secure than
before, and no further inconvenience or loss resulted.
A farmer friend, who was the only one in the village
at the time who had modern hives, when passing one
day, intimated that our hives were disgraceful old
things, and that we must not expect much from them.
He advised Cowan's Guide, which we immediately pro-
cured, and went through and through with the greatest
avidity. We became fascinated, ordered one of Walton's
10*. hives, had it fitted ready for a reception.
In driving for the first time we were very successful,
cut the old skep in twain, and gave the best comb to the
bees in the new hive. But whether from want of a
more prolific queen, or experience on our part, we know
not, at the end of the summer they had not stored
enough for winter, which necessitated feeding, and to
strengthen them driven bees were united.
Late in May both the remaining skeps showed signs
of swarming, and clustered about for many days — one of
them for weeks. We watched them constantly, and
with absorbing interest. The first swarm issued and
clustered very awkwardly round the lower part of the
trunk of a pyramid pear-tree, just near the bee-house.
With much difficulty we succeeded in getting them into
a straw hive, and in the evening placed them upon the
stand near their old home. Being our first swarm we
were delighted at having secured them.
Next morning, when amongst the fruit trees, we heard
such commotion in the air, and sure enough there was
another (?) swarm out. We hastened to the spot, re-
garding nothing but the bees. It was soon evident they
meant flight, and forthwith, in a direct line, made for
26
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 12, 1888.
an old willow-tree in the next meadow. We followed,
determined not to lose them. They must have selected
this place before swarming, as will appear more evident
presently.
A. ladder was procured and a skep, and we tried all
ways to get them out of the tree, but to no purpose ;
we had to leave them in the end, though most reluctantly.
We returned, therefore, disappointed, to find — what ?
Why, that the very bees which had given us so much
trouble and delight the day previous were the same bees
which had reissued without provocation and gone to the
tree. We have reason to think with ' Iowa Homestead '
(1413) in this week's Journal that bees do select a place
before swarming.
At the back of our bee-house is a hedge and not long
before our second swarm issued a score or so of bees
were observed hovering about one place. We guessed
then that the bees were selecting a place to cluster,
which proved true, for soon after a swarm came out
with a rush and went direct to the spot over which the
few had hovered, and in a few minutes they were all
clustered upon a slender thorn twig. As if to recom-
pense us for the loss of our first swarm, the same day
our attention was hurriedly directed to some bees which
were clustering near the ground not far from the bee-
house. With a straw hive we hastened to the spot, and
quite a curious phenomenon presented itself, — a cast,
undoubtedly, and all clustering upon a common nettle.
The skep was placed over them, and in five minutes most
of them were safely hived.
We knocked together a hive to take standard frames
and drove the bees from the hive whence the lost swarrn
had issued and stood thorn where the old hive had been ;
but they resented, though dry-sugar feeder and full
sheets of foundation seemed all that were required for
their comfort. They left ; how and whither we never
knew, but think they went to the other hives.
We did not move the hive, however, and about this
time we left and were away about a month. It was
August, a month when most of us would rather be at
home, the time of harvest and of fruit. It was especially
hard to leave the bees, for some might get lost — a flight
or two perhaps. But we had no thought of gaining
a swarm, which, to our amazement, was only too true,
for we found on returning that the frame-hive which
we had left empty of bees, but with sugar and founda-
tion still in, was full of wasps. Here was a job. The
store they had stolen who could tell? For hours we
waged war with those yellow thieves, and, as we
thought, killed nearly all of them. They were trouble-
some, however, till late autumn. Faint heart never won
fair anything. We began to take the B. Bee Journal,
which has been a pleasure and profit to us to this day.
Driving bees is a novelty here, but having been
begun we hope the days of the sulphur-pit are numbered ;
of the old straw hive we cannot hope so much. The
apathy of the cottager, speaking generally, is extra-
ordinary; they are for the some part thriftless, sensual,
poor. After work the pipe and the pint seem the only
attractions.
We had little difficulty in obtaining the consent of
cottagers to allow us to drive their bees. Altogether
during the autumn we drove eighteen lots and intro-
duced them after uniting into modern hives.
Wishing to get rid of our new bee-house we changed
it for a skep of bees, which is the only stock now that is
not in a bar-frame hive. Through autumn we had five
feeders going (syrup), and had united in the five hives
eighteen lots of driven bees. The most united in one
hive were five lots, which is our best, and are wintered
on eight frames.
We had great difficulty in driving in every instance
where cross sticks had been used. Late in the autumn
we drove to a neighbouring village with the intention of
driving ten out of fifteen colonies. The comb was so
firm with the sticks that at the end of half an hour many
bees were left in the first hive, and at the end of the third
we were almost fagged out and disgusted. No. 2, which
was placed on its old stand after being driven, was a dis-
appointment, for just afterwards when we turned up the
hive not a bee was left. They had forced their way
into the adjacent hives only to meet their death. We
could not wonder, for the hives stood all in a row not an
inch apart.
The other hives were brought home here and driven
with perfect ease. Let us caution any readers who
from inexperience may be tempted to draw the cross-
sticks out of the straw hives before driving. They are
generally so firm that in pulling them there is great
danger of breaking the comb from its holding and
thereby crushing and impeding the exit of the bees.
Now perhaps some one will be good enough to assist
us over a difficulty. It was our fault that father made
an observatory hive in the autumn, which does not take
a standard frame. The top bar is just fifteen inches, and
as we found it necessary to transfer the bees to another
hive prepared for winter we found the frames only just
long enough to lie upon the inner walls.
After transferring we united three lots more of driven
bees to them, making five lots in all in the one hive. It
was necessary to take two unfinished frames out now
and give them finished ones, which we did. So now
they have six top bars fifteen inches and two seventeen
inches long. As this is our strongest stock we wish to
transfer them in spring into a storifying hive.
We have made a capital hive four-storey, and we
want to know how to proceed so that the short top
bars may be replaced by standard frames. If a change
can be made we have enough of the latter unfinished.
Supposing frames can be changed will it be wise to
stirify when we have no finished frames of comb for use
in the second, third and fourth storeys ? To-day (Satur-
day) the bees have been out in large numbers ; their
first duty was to brins? out all the dead, which they
carried quite away. We allowed the sun to shine upon
the quilts awhile and ventured to peep at the stores, as
there was some doubt.
In conclusion, we are sure that our worthy Editor
will agree with us in thinking that, whilst Guide-books
are good and indispensable, there is no school like
experience. Our blunders, accidents, and disappoint-
ments, have not in the least diminished our interest.
We have a larger hope than at the first. We are
satisfied that the step from the straw skep to the modern
bar-frame villa was progress, and having started, our
watchword ought, can, and must be still, Progress. —
F. Goodrich, Methwold, Norfolk, January 7.
THE PPJCE OF HONEY.
[1427.] Mr. C. Howes [1406] pays me, I think, a
very poor compliment in thinking that I do not take the
trouble to read carefully what has appeared in the
Journal from the pens of several writers to whom lie
refers, ' Mr. Useful Hints,' Messrs. Godfrey, Siminins,
&c. Evidently Mr. Howes still labours under the same
delusion that in this district we possess the same advan-
tage as he enjoys. Let me undeceive him again, once
for all, by telling him that we have no market or other
place within twenty miles at least, nor do I know of
any such a place anywhere where ' honey vendors ' have
a chance of standing side by side with their several
' gets-up,' as he calls them, therefore we have no chance
of showing any superior ' get-up ' in our goods for sale,
neither do I rush into the market to sell at a low
figure just because others do. I have sold none for less
than Sd., more for Wd. and Is. per section ; but it has
been a very difficult matter to do. I, however, cleared
out my last about a month since at 8^., not a great price
after waiting three months, and then had to go to
January 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
27
London to do it. I have found two or three markets for
another year by doing so, which is some small consolation.
I am very pleased to receive any hints on any subject,
but I flatter myself that I have a little common sense
not to put the ' sulpher pit ' honey on the same level
as extracted. It is not I, but the uneducated public
who do it. There is no chance of comparison. Honey is
honey, that is all they know, and if you try to explain
and endeavour to show how and why the difference,
they only look at you in blank amazement, as much as
to say, Do you think me a fool not to know honey ?
No doubt, if the B. B. K. A. were to publish some
leaflets on the different qualities of honey, it would have
a most salutary effect.
Mr. Howes next refers to 'our great masters,' trying
to increase the number of bee-keepers in this country,
yet advocating the 'down-grade' in the price of honey.
I do not see this; I do not think they .trouble much about
the price of honey, they are generally great producers or
manufacturers of bee-furniture and appliances generally ;
if they seek to push and extend their business it is no
more than they have a perfect right to do. If bee-
keeping is to be a paying industry, it must be conducted
on ordinary business principles of profit and loss, and
consider time as money spent in its cultivation. This, I
think, is where the mischief arises to a great extent,
men with their regular salary, and clergymen to a large
extent, as if they had just begun to realise the ad-
vantage or wisdom of acting on a celebrated bishop's
advice to his clergy, ' Keep bees, Keep bees,' have
gone in for many things latterly, fruit, vegetables, bees,
and photography. Another reason is the middle man,
who advertises for honey at G%(1. per lb., this also tends
to make a false impression and lower the price, while
the middleman makes his thirty and over forty per cent
profit, so that the consumer is not in any way benefited
by the low price the producer gets. What then are bee-
keepers to do ? In the first place (if it is not practical
for the B. B. K. A. through county associations to assist
bee-keepers to sell their honey, which I submit they
could without much difficulty), let all bee-keepers refuse
to sell their honey to those middlemen and look out for
the retail seller who supplies the consumer direct, thus
dividing the profit between two instead of three parties.
Considering the uncertainty of the weather season, honey
cannot in many districts be produced at Qd, per lb. if
time has to be paid for in producing it, as it clearly
should be, or else those who have to give all their time
to it had better look out for even a chimney-sweep's
business, where he can"get his time paid for. There are
but very few businesses one can combine with it, to
■work either successfully ; even at this season, I find
every day brings something to do, or to bo locked into.—
Sherborne, Dorset, January 4, 1888.
POLLEN FOOD.
By Pastor Schonfeld of Tentschel.
In my last article I endeavoured to prove that bees
are unable to prepare for any length of timo the chyle
required for the nourishment of the brood, unless they
have a supply of nitrogenous food, and that, in the
absence of collected poDen, from some reason or other
at the commencement of breeding they extract it from
old combs which contain an abundance of it. All prac-
tical apiarists will have concluded from this that it is
well to insert one or two old combs in the neighbour-
hood of the winter quarter of the bees when a colony is
■without pollen at the end of the season, and when there
are only new combs in the hive. By this simple and
easy expedient such a colony is very materially assisted
in the preparation of the necessary chyle : without it,
indeed, the bees would be unable to subsist, for as the
brood require albuminous food to build up their body,
so the bees require it for their maintenance. It is quite
incorrect to suppose that a colony without pollen is able
to survive the winter in a perfectly healthy condition
as long as it has a plentiful supply of honey. During
the whole winter it is impossible to find a single bee the
intestinal canal of which is not full of particles of pollen,
being an undeniable proof that pollen is an indispensable
food of bees. Bees found without particles of pollen
always, and without exception, belong to a colony
which had no pollen, and only newly made combs at the
beginning of winter, but such colony would hardly sur-
vive the winter. How indispensable albuminous food
is to drones I learnt last summer. It is a well-known
fact that queens and drones do not consume pollen, but
only honey which they take from the cells, the neces-
sary albuminous food being supplied to them in the
chyle with which they are fed by the workers. In
order to find out how long drones are able to live, if
merely fed on honey, I made the following experiment :
I took two combs, containing about 2—300 grains
each of freshly gathered honey and surrounded each
comb with wlrework, a space of i centimetre being
left between it and the upper ends of the cells, so as
to enable any drones on the combs to move comfort-
ably in every direction. One of the two combs was
protected by a second screen of wirework, a space of
1 centimetre being left between the two, so that any
drones on this honeycomb would be compelled to exist
upon honey alone, as they could not possibly receivo
food from the worker bees on the outside, while the drones
on the first honeycomb were not prevented from re-
ceiving chyle through the grating.
During a week of cold and rainy weather in June,
when the drones showed no particular inclination to
leave the hive, I took 200 drones from one large colony,
dividing this number equally between the two honey-
combs, described as above, 'and then placed the two
combs in the middle of the brood-nest, where I watched
them carefully. In the .veiling of the fourth day the
in the" double cage which could nut be fed by
worker bees from without, were in such a feeble condi-
tion that they seemed to be unable to live much longer.
In fact, on the fifth day all were found dead, except
four, which were just able to move. The drones on the
comb which the workers were able to supply with
chyle, remained in perfect health, and flew off briskly
wlien I liberated them a few dajs afterwards.
What had caused the death of those unfortunate 100
drones which in all respects, save one, were in exactly
the same position as the surviving drones on the first
comb? Surely it was the want of nitrogenous food
alone. Worker bees, subjected to a similar test, remain
alive much longer than drones— for though the latter
appear most phlegmatic, they are in reality very sensi-
tive creatures — if it were possible to keep worker bees
in confinement as long as they are able to exist with-
out nitrogen. In any case, my experiment on drones
should be an inducement to bee-keepers to satisfy them-
selves, more than has hitherto been done, that their
colonies are not in want of pollen at the commence-
ment of winter.— Translated from Gravenhorst's Illus-
trierte Bienenzeitung, December, 1887.
(grfrots from % Situs,
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington, January 9f/i, 1838.— On
the 13th and Uth of December a few stocks were having
what I might term a partial flight, but the majority were
quiet, with, perhaps, just a single bee or two going in and
out ; after this all were quiet till about the 29th and 30th,
when the sun was shining quite warm during the middle
of the day, and fetched out the bees from stocks that are
in half-inch makeshift hives, but it has been reserved for
the four last days of the week just passed for the bees to
have grand flights every day, so much, that any one might
almost say they were swarming. They look remarkably
28
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 12, 1888.
clean and healthy. I have scattered some nice clean straw
among the hives, which I believe has saved the lives of
many bees, as it saved them from the damp ground. — John
Walton.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for lis to go to press in advance
of the date of issite, qiteries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of persona
interest will be answered in this column.
C. Whiting. — Uniting. — .March will be soon enough to
unite. Move the colonies near to each other, and feed
both if necessary. When uniting remove the queen from
one hive and place its combs alternately with those of
the other, at the same time throwing in a little smoke.
The evening is the best time for uniting.
H. Schwakz. — Nuclei, Swarming, d-c. — Your proposed plan
would not work well, since each hive would suffer from
a cessation of breeding for at least fourteen days in the
midst of the honey season. The usual plan of rearing
queens in nuclei is far better ; but if you object to the
trouble, when the honey season is over — say about the
end of July — remove the old queen from each hive, and
allow the bees to raise another. The smallest nucleus
we advise you to use is one containing three standard
frames. To secure the queen in a swarm shake the
swarm on to a sheet, and with a carbolised feather direct
the bees to the entrance of an empty hive, raised slightly
in front, preventing them from crowding in too hastily,
when you will easily discover the queen as she leisurely
marches in. This should be done in the evening.
W. H. Jenkins. — Honey Leaflet.— The B. B. E. A. have
issued a leaflet entitled, ' Honey as Food,' which may be
procured from the Secretary, Mr. J. Huckle, Kings
Langley, Herts.
Sherborne. — Holy Writ. — The questions raised by you in
your letter respecting the authenticity and inspiration of
the Scriptures are beyond the limits of discussion allow-
able in the Bee Journal. If your letter appeared in our
columns it would most probably give rise to a very wide,
perhaps angry, and altogether useless controversy, which
is much to be deprecated, Our views are dissimilar to
yours, but to rebut your opinions would be going beyond
our crepida.
R. Chapman, — The Best Frames. — We should advise you to
give frames of botli the makers mentioned a fair trial,
and report to us the result at the end of the season.
Both the kinds of frames have special merits.
Charles Wade. — Crooked Combs. — When the weather will
admit lift the frames, on to which the combs have been
irregularly built, bodily out of the hive by means of two
pieces of lath placed beneath the ends of the top-bars.
Lay two pieces of tape on the transferring board, and lay
the comb upon it. Straighten the combs by cutting down
to the mid-rib and press it flat, the convex side will
compress sufficiently ; lay a frame round the comb, and
tie it on tightly ; keep the mid-rib in the centre of the
top-bar, and be sure to keep the comb close up against
the top-bar. Preserve all the brood, and keep it out of
the hive but a short time. The drone-comb can be dis-
carded. As each frame is finished return it to the bees
in the hive. After two days examine the hive, and if
the combs are firmly fixed, remove the tapes. If any
have slipped tie them on again more firmly. The bees
will repair all damages.
business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Wokingham.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard.Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDliEU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
MeNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RTJDKLN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rat .
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Heading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranqewayb' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 291. Vol. XVI.]
JANUARY 19, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(fitoitaxfal, Ifaitas, #r.
'THE PITTS' APIARY, SOUTHALL.
We could scarcely have selected a more un-
propitious time for visiting a Lee-garden than a
recent Saturday afternoon, and when we saw the
locale of ' The Pitts ' it was a double source of
regret that a season of ' ethereal mildness, gentle
spring,' was not chosen. Messrs. Abbott Brothers
have hit it to a T (or, rather, two T's) in fixing
upon the Old Gravel Pits as the groundwork of
what they consider a beau ideal apiary should be.
In a snug excavation, many years old, now
covered with rich vegetation growing rankly on its
gravelly sides, and sheltered from strong winds, are
seen bifurcating canals filled to their margins
with fresh, green watercress (what magnificent
drinking fountains for the bees !),[whilst ' the pitts '
are belted along the eastern side with willows
what early pollen !), recalling visions of spring.
'Behold, yon bordering fence of sallow trees
Is fraught with flowers, the flowers are fraught with
bees.'
Tangled brambles, too, are there in plenty, so that
there is food and drink, at least, at hand, eked out
by whatsoever the bees can forage out in the
adjoining meadows, for in the magnificent country
between Hanwell and Southall, some ten miles
from London, lies this bee-garden ; indeed, there
should surely be considerable surplus honey
gathered in this locality.
We do not exaggerate when we say that there is
no sight in these islands to equal, from a bee-
keeper's point of view, the one before us this
dismal, dark December day. Here are seventy new
hives filled with new frames ; the frames are filled
with new comb, the combs 'all fraught with bees ;'
hives of white and hives of red alternate with
others of blue, green, orange, and slate colour,
these colours being so arranged with regard to each
other that each one is in juxtaposition with others
bearing the greatest contrast to it. The hives are
arranged in what gardeners call ' quincunx ' form,
i.e., straight lines are seen from whatever point one
stands at, instead of a confused, disorderly medley.
Messrs. Abbott Brothers' idea in establishing this
bee-garden is that they may be able to supply at a
moment's notice any reasonable number of perfect
hives in thorough working order, their intention
being to use wired foundation throughout, so that
there may be no risk of breakdowns in transit ; all
that remains, therefore, for the purchaser to do on
receipt of his hives, supposing the season be suit-
able, is to uncork the bees and put on sections.
The hives at present in use are of the Gayton type,
and very pretty they look. We shall be glad to
revisit ' the pitts ' on an insect hunt in due season,
for by repute, and to all appearance, the place is a
true home of rarities amongst the Lepidoptera.
USEFUL HINTS.
Wkatiikr. — A variation of 45° — from 15° to <~>0"
Fahr. — in the course of a few clays, maintains the
character of our climate fur fickleness. And now we
have day after day of densest fog in most parts of the
country. Saturday, the 7th inst.. and the three fol-
lowing days, were days of brilliant sunshine, while the
thermometer at mid-day in the open air stood at 60°.
Cleansing, Flights. — The bees were only too willing
to take advantage of weather so unusual, and the
apiary resounded with the pleasant hum of a bright day
in June. After many weeks' confinement a thorough
cleansing flight was obtained, and the health of the
colonies thereby has been improved and assured for the
future.
Manipulation. — So great was the inducement to
examine several colonies, of whose condition we felt
rather uncertain, that we took up our carbolised cloth,
stripped off the qudts, and inspected the combs one by
one, only to find that the bees were flourishing, and the
hives dry, snug, and cosy, beneath enamelled cloth and
ether quilts. All were breeding, and the queens with
distended abdomens, as in the summer months. Notably
one colony, formed in the autumn from condemned bees,
to which an imported Italian queen had been given,
possessed four frames of sealed brood, together with e^°:^
and larvaj. Such a proceeding, on the ~th of January,
is without a parallel in our records of nearly half a
century. The murmur of the bees, their flitting around
in the sunshine, the feeble crawling over the brood
combs of the newly hatched, and the short flights of
others, for the first time trying their tiny wings, are
things to be noted and remembered.
As quickly as possible the hives were closed, the quilts
returned, and the hive-covers turned up towards the sun
for an airing, and we trust that these colonies will be
found none the worse for so untimely a disturbance
when the honey season comes. But it behoves us all to
remember that there is time enough yet for winter storms
to reassert their rule. On January 18th, 1881, we
experienced in this country a snowstorm of such violence
that it might well be termed a hurricane, and to which
our meteorological records contain no equal. So that it is
30
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 19, 1888.
well to bear in mind the uncertainty of our climate, and
not to ' cry before we are out of the wood.'
Queen-breeding. — It either is, or ought to be, the
object of every bee-keeper to obtain the most hardy and
prolific queens ; indeed, there is no truer motto than that
adopted by one of our principal firms of caterers in
bee-appliances, viz., Nihil sine Regina. How many tons
of honey have been lost by allowing effete and worn-out
queens to remain over colonies until the honey season
has passed away, and the bees have dwindled and died !
There can be little doubt, too, that hives in such con-
dition are meet receptacles for the germs of foul brood.
That what is termed in-and-in breeding has a tendency
towards depreciating the good qualities of queens — such
as fecundity, longevity, energy, and so forth, — is generally
admitted. But are we making any effort to procure the
fecundation of our queens by drones of fresh blood ?
Certainly we are not if we allow fecundation in the
same apiary in which the queens are bred, since in that
case a young queen may, and probably will, mate with
her own brother. It is true that our best strains of
cattle, sheep, and pigs, have been raised by a constant
succession of in-and-in breeding, but mating brother and
sister, or parent and child, has always been avoided ; and
although the highest perfection as regards shape and
development of .particular point, has been reached in
this way, yet it cannot be denied that fecundity has
been impaired. Ask any farmer who has tried breeding
pigs, for instance, from the higher class of pure bred
prize- winning varieties, and he will tell you that their
produce is very small in number. In our own experience
the farrows have consisted of from three to five in the
best and purest breeds, whilst these same breeds when
crossed with entirely new blood have produced farrows
of from ten to fifteen. And our belief is that the same
rule applies equally in the case of bees. Hence the
amount of benefit derived by English bee-keepers from
the introduction of the Italian and other foreign races of
bees into this country, can scarcely be estimated. The
hybrids are acknowledged on all sides, both at home and
abroad, to be the best bees, which at once proves our
point ; and our object in introducing the subject is to
suggest a remedy for this in-and-in breeding, by which
we mean the mating of queens in the same apiary in
which they are bred.
There are various ways by which fresh blood can be
introduced into our apiaries. Imported queens of the
various races may be used, but the expense is consider-
able. English-bred queens of these races may be
obtained from trustworthy breeders at home, but here
there is some doubt as to the possibility of obtaining the
pure race ; in all cases, nevertheless, fresh blood will
have been obtained. But there is another, and a very
simple method, which we do not remember to have seen
recommended in this country, viz., exchange of virgin
queens between apiarists living at a distance of not less
than eight miles from each other, or of sending such
queens to a greater distance, solely for the purpose of
fecundation. If it be an object to keep pure races only,
we find greater difficulty, but even thus, by giving a
little more time to the work, and by practising the
Kbhler plan, we can obtain our object under the
exchange system. We will suppose, for illustration, two
apiaries situated at a distance of ten or more miles from
each other, one consisting entirely of black bees, and the
other of Italians, in both a fair quantity of drones being
tolerated. If the virgin queens are sent from each
of these apiaries to the other, and introduced to nuclei,
or >.o colonies which have just swarmed, in a few days
they will have mated and can bo returned to their owners.
The worker progeny of such queens will be hybrid, but
their drone offspring will be pure, and consequently there
will be no danger of contamination to either race if the
hybridised queens are not used for queen -breeding
— always supposing that both apiaries are sufficiently
isolated from other races. If only we could obtain the
privilege of sending queens by post, a virgin queen, with
a dozen attendant workers, could be forwarded, in a
Peet or Benton cage, to a distant friend for fecundation,
as easily as a letter is now transmitted, and returned in
the course of a few days. That such a system would be
largely and beneficially carried out, simply with the
object of infusing fresh blood, independently of breeding
the pure races, we have no manner of doubt. Or, again,
supposing a breeder of queens for sale, who would, for
a small consideration, receive virgin queens for fecuuda-
tion by drones of any specified race, how great would be
the convenience and advantage to most bee-keepers, and
how great the saving of time and trouble ! Without
interfering with honey production — comb or extracted,
with or without increase of colonies — by the above
means we might annually introduce fresh blood into our
apiaries, to any extent desired, and at little expense.
The manner of proceeding we recommend is that stated
in 'Useful Hints' (vol. xiv., p. 162, B.B.J.) under
' Preventing After-Swarms,' in which, when a natural
swarm issues from a honey-storing colony, the swarm
takes the position, and continues the surplus storage of
the parent hive, the latter being placed beside the former
for use as a nucleus (or otherwise) and for raising
a queen. In this parent colony the queen may be
allowed to hatch, in accordance with nature's law, and
forthwith be transmitted for fecundation to some distant
apiary, and afterwards returned to her hive. Or if the
ordinary plan of natural swarming be allowed, the
supernumerary queens — of which there are often from
two to six with each swarm — may be secured from the
after-swarms, and treated in a similar manner, for super-
seding old queens, or for any other purpose. A change
of blood may be obtained also by purchasing virgin
queens from the breeders, and introducing them into our
own apiaries. For such lower prices should be charged
than for fecundated ones. In artificial swarming, the
plan may be carried out by giving a frame of brood to
the colony during the absence of its queen. Under
present postal regulations we have successfully carried
out this plan, by sending by rail the virgin queens in the
boxes from which we had taken imported Italian queens,
but time occupied in transmission is more than it would
be in remitting by post. May the Post-office authorities
soon be induced, by our incessant importunities, if by no
other means, to grant us the boon of sending our queens
through the post. Young queens, weather permitting,
will generally mate about the fifth day of their age ; it
it evident, therefore, that they should be despatched on
these excursious as soon as possible after emerging from
the cell.
Hot on Cold ? — We are indebted to Messrs. Can- and
ltaitt for complying with our request that they would
give their views on the subject of ' Parallel v. Right-
angled Frames.' Their pertinent remarks, given in the
last issue of the Record, should be read by all who are
interested (and who are not?) in this controversy. Their
views, after a fair amount of experience, we can fully en-
dorse, especially in regard to the advantages of tiering
up over lateral extension, for either extracted or comb-
honey, and free passage for the bees.
We still hope to have the experience of other practical
apiarists on this subject, which appears, in our little
world, to be assuming the position of the old controversy
of ' Broad v. Narrow gauge,' in the railway world.
The truth of the old proverb, that ' habit becomes
second nature,' will account for the variety of opinions as
regards the use or difficulty of manipulation under either
system. To ourselves manipulation is far easier and
more pleasant with frames ranging from back to front
than when placed transversely. Our rule is never to
stand before the entrance to a hive when manipulating;
but how to avoid doing so, in comfort, witli transverse
frames, we know not, since reaching over the whole
January 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
31
length of a, fifteen or twenty-frame hive, well tenanted
with angry bees, or even crossing the arms from side to
side, is certainly not a pleasant operation.
With frames at right angles we always work from side
to centre of hive, changing position from one side to the
Other, which causes the minimum of disturbance to the
bees and facility in handling the frames. Mr. Godfrey's
experience — that in roofs of houses, or other buildings,
bees build their combs from rafter to rafter, or joist to
joist —is exactly what we should have expected, even
when such combs cross the entrance ; but we do not think
they do so in order to avoid draft — since in such situa-
tions this would simply be an impossibility — but to
obtain a solid foundation for their combs.
But we are strongly of opinion that, given a hive, with
perfectly horizontal base and roof, tenanted by a swarm
large pin ugh to fill, or nearly to fill it, with an entrance
on tin' Bcuth side, we shall find that the bees will range
their combs from back to front.
Sko. .ion-backs. — We are often asked which is the
best way to range the section-boxes on the hive — whether
parallel, or transversely with the combs beneath. Our
own plan is to place them transversely, but we do not
think that it makes the slightest difference if placed the
other way, if a full bee-space is left between brood-combs
and sections. From a trial last season of Ileddon's honey-
board we are inclined to think favourably of it, and hope
to give it a more extensive trial in the coming season.
Manipulation, Feeding, and other work. — Man-
ipulation must only be tolerated in cases of dire nesessity,
such as dysentery, starvation, &c, when a change from
wet to dry hive, in a warm room, or out-of-doors in a
temperature of 60°, will prove of advantage. In such
case moderate feeding with warm syrup will also do good,
but otherwise candy should still be given. Keep all hives
well and warmly covered, with dry quilts, winter packing,
and sound roofs, and let there be no disturbance of any
kind. Continue to preparo hives and sections in anticipa-
tion of the good time coming.
UNITED STATES.
The Annual Convention op North American
Bee-keepers at Chicago.
(Continued from p. 18.)
Professor Cook gave a lecture on 'The Legs of the
Bee,' which we hope to reproduce in full, together
with illustrations, which the Professor has kindly offered
to forward to us.
Mr. T. G. Newman introduced the question of ' The
Best name for Extracted Honey.' Efai'ty-three names
had been suggrsted, some of them very peculiar ones,
such as ' Divorced Honey,' ' Cycloned Honey,' ' Loose
Honey,' ' Honeyseim.' None of them appeared as
good as ' Extracted,' and the meeting voted unani-
mously that no more appropriate name for ' Extracted
Honey ' can be. selected than its present one.
Mr. J. H. Martin's essay on ' Cost of Production of
Honey' was next read. He said, in computing the cost
of production, the figures should show the cost for
several years. He found the cost in his bee-yards has
varied from 2 cents to CO cents per pound. He values
his bees at 5 dollars per colony. In 188G he had 200
colonies, valued at 1000 dollars; empty combs, hives,
fixtures, &c, .'300 dollars ; hired help, rent of apiary,
&c, 72 dollars ; his own labour, five months at 30 dollars
a month, ISO dollars; total expenses, .'100 dollars. He
secured 10,000 pounds of honey at a cost of 3 cents per
pound. In 1883 the cost was 2 cents per pound. In
1882 it was 50 cents per pound. This year the yield is
6000 pounds at 4 cents per pound. If comb honey is
produced tho bee-keeper prepares his own crates, sec-
tions, &c, three months more time should be added
and 50 per cent should be added to the cost, making the
cost of comb honey at least 10 cents per pound. lie
thinks an expert ought to manage 300 colonies in one
yard, with little or no help.
The next was an essay by Mr. G. M. Doolittle on
' Honey Production — Its first cost, and how much
the Bee-keeper should obtain for his Labour.' He
considers a bee-keeper's time is worth more than that
of the man who cuts wood, carries the hod, or breaks
stones upon the highways, men whose working value
is lj dollars a-day. Bee-keeping requires study and
brain-work which should be paid for. After carefully
considering the position, he believes that 45 pounds of
comb honey per colony is as a rule an average crop.
Allowing that a man can manage 100 colonies of bees
he will get 4500 pounds of comb honey as the result of
a year's labour. This is not clear gain, there is interest
on his 36 dollars, taxes, 4 dollars ; sections, 25 dollars ;
foundation, 30 dollars ; shipping, 40 dollars ; double
interest on 200 dollars invested in hives, which would be
needed to keep them in repair ; rent of shop and land,
30 dollars; carting honey to railroad, 11 dollars; making
a cash outlay of 200 dollars a-year. Taking a hod-
carrier's wages at \\ dollars a-day, or 391^ dollars for
313 working days, and this added to the 200 dollars
gives the actual cost at 5'Jlj dollars, or a trifle over
13 cents per pound. If one half more of extracted
honey is obtained the cost is 8f cents as the cost of a
pound of extracted honey. He says whoever sells for
less than these figures works for less than lj dollars a-day.
A paper on ' Price of Honey — how to control it '
was read by M. M. Baldridge, in which he advocated
the bee-keeper to fix the price and sell only to consumers.
Honey in small sections should sell at 15 to 25 cents
per pound. He proposes to sell to consumers through
retail agents, supplying the growers with a can of
honey and giving them a commission of 10 to 20 per
cent, as they would have no cash invested in it. It
should be constantly kept on sale and in sight every
month of the year. The money may be collected every
month, so that there would be little risk of bad
debts. The distant markets should be supplied through
agents, who would also receive a commission. In this
way it would do away with the necessity of more than
one wholesale supply house in each state.
On the question of statistics it was resolved that a
committee of three be appointed by the President
to use their influence in securing the placing of bees
and honey upon the statistical list issued by the Govern-
ment. Professor A. J. Cook and Dr. Mason were ap-
pointed.
Reports were then read from the Vice-Presidents from
Ontario, Florida, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana,
Vermont, and Quebec.
Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson then gave a short address on
' The Production of Comb Honey.' He said : To produce
comb honey we must have populous colonies at the
beginning of the honey harvest, and to secure these
breeding must go on rapidly and uninterruptedly for
two months previous to the honey harvest. Aside from
food in abundance, warmth is one great requisite for
breeding. The heat from a colony of bees is sufficient ;
the difficulty is that it is lost by radiation. To prevent
this loss pack the colonies when taken from the cellars,
and allow the packing to remain until time for putting
on the supers. He packs by putting on an outer case
and filling between with sawdust. Uses supers one tier
high, the sections being filled with foundation. Although
straight er combs are obtained by using separators, he
can secure combs that are straight enough without them.
Mr. Ileddon then took up the subject of ' Hives and
Fixtures,' and at the request of several members gave
a description of the construction and working of his
hive, in which he said by reversing it the bees would
S2
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 19, 1888.
completely fill the frames with comb, while the screws
holding' the frames tight enabled the bee-keeper to shake
out the bees. The break-joint principle of his honey-
board prevented the building of brace combs.
Mr. Betsiuger said he could shake bees from a Lani*-
stroth hive quite as quickly as they can be shaken from
a Heddou hive.
Mr. Eugene Secor, in his essay on 'Bee-keeping alone,
or w jth other pursuits,' advocated the combining some-
thing else with bee-keeping. He did not believe in
specialists in bee-keeping anv more than in hog-rearing.
He believed that bees ought to form part of the sur-
roundings of every ideal rural home ; not only because
it adds to the beauty of the landscape picture, but
because, in the economy of nature, bees are necessary to
the perfect fertilisation and fructification of the vegetable
kingdom, and that object can be best attained by the
proper distribution of the means to accomplish the end
sought. If bee-keeping were in the hands only of
specialists, some localities would be overstocked. The
man who knows only one thing is a one-idea man. His
capacity for enjoyments in this world is also limited.
His horizon is narrow, bound by a single thought. It
produces and developes a man to know more than one
thing. All who have given the subject a thought know
that the massing together of large numbers of either
animals or men, soon developes disease and death —
Nature's remedy for restoring the proper equilibrium of
life. Who shall say that foul brood is not Nature's
punishment for overstocking, and a gentle hint to more
widely distribute the bees which she intended to act as
marriage priest to all the plants in her flowery kingdom ?
In his judgment 100 colonies in one yard come very
near the limit of profitable increase. Dairying or stock-
raising could be combined with bee-keeping. In this
case the increase of bee-pasturage will also increase his
available food for stock and vice versa. Raising fruits,
such as strawberries, raspberries, and gooseberries, apples,
and plums, are also recommended, as well as the keeping
of poultry, either of which, combined with bee-keeping,
could be managed successfully by an energetic and suit-
able person.
Mr. Ileddon stood up for the specialist, and said that
taking one year with another the advantages were all
with specialty.
Mr. Boot thought it better that the eggs should not
all be in one basket, especially in a bad season.
Of the bee-keepers present, on the call of the President,
twenty-five stood up as specialists.
Mr. B. L. Taylor next read a paper on ' Wintering
Bees in the Northern States.' He attributed the heavy
losses in wintering to allowing the bees to retain their
honey, which was frequently unfit for them. When he
winters out-of-doors he gives full hive-entrance and
ventilating without draught. He gave several instances
of bad wintering of bees traced to bad food, and recom-
mends that all honey should be removed, and the bees
fed up on syrup. In 1870 he had fifteen colonies, and
fed each with sugar syrup. Wintered out-of-doors, and
in the spring, one pint cup would have contained all the
dead bees from all the colonies. He began the disastrous
winter of 1880-81 with sixty colonies, thirty were fed
with a limited amount of sugar, and of these sixteen
survived ; of the thirty not fed only three survived.
In 1884 he gave all his 500 colonies empty combs and
fed them on sugar. The result was that although all
other bees in that part of Michigan, with but few excep-
tions, perished, there was not one of his in a normal
condition ; but, so far as he could judge, wintered per-
fectly. Next year his loss was 12 per cent, on stores
partly honey and partly syrup. In 1886-87 he had 400
colonies, two-thirds had honey stores, the remainder
were supplied with sugar syrup. There was a marked
difference between the two, those on sugar stores were
the picture of comfort and contentment, quiet, closely
clustered, not easily disturbed, not a diarrhetic sign,
and only now and then a dead bee dropping out of the
cluster. Those on honey stores were uneasy, not closely
clustered, easily disturbed, dying by the thousand, and
many of the hives bearing unmistakable signs of disease.
Colonies with plenty of good stores always winter well,
while those with stores of a doubtful character winter
more or less disastrously.
Mr. McLain then gave an interesting account of his
practical accomplishments and experiments in scientific
bee-keeping during the past year, referring to the in-
terest displayed by the United States' Department of
Agriculture in the valuable and rapidly increasing in-
dustry of bee-keeping and the honey product.
The last essay was by Mr. D. A. Jones on ' Establish-
ing out apiaries.' He said there were some localities
where 500 colonies might be kept, and others where 100
to 200 colonies would overstock them. He considered
100 to 200 as many as could be profitably kept in
one apiary. Instead of increasing at home he would
establish out apiaries, commencing with fifty colonies.
One man is required at each place during the season of
five months. He has himself located one from his home
apiary one and a half miles north-west, the next four
miles north-west, then one seven miles to the north-east ;
next one five miles north, one six miles north-west, and
one ten miles north-west, with sometimes smaller ones
between. From personal experience he considers that in
good localities, from two to three miles is far enough
apart. If the locality were suitable he would prefer to
have them so that he could visit them all by driving
the shortest possible distance. With a good practical
foreman to visit the yards and see after them, as much
can be realised from the out apiaries as from the home
ones. Often they bring in a better return, because they
are selected on account of their fitness, while the home
apiary may only be tolerated because of its being your
' home ' rather than the most favourable place for an
apiary. Almost any number of apiaries may be managed
in this way, if the owner is thoroughly practical, and
will devote his entire attention to the business. He
believes that all such apiaries should be managed both
for honey and increase, unless the sale of bees is impos-
sible.
It was decided to hold the next Convention at Toledo,
with Dr. A. B. Mason as President.
KENT BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of this Association was held, by
the kind permission of the Royal Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals at 105 Jermyn Street,
London, on Thursday, the 12th January, at 5 o'clock
in the afternoon.
The attendance of members was meagre in the extreme.
Mr. J. M. Hooker, by unanimous consent, occupied the
chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read
and confirmed. The Report of the Council for the past
year touched upon the chief events occurring within that
period, and adverted to the improved financial position
as compared with previous years, the accounts showing
the balance on the right side. The addition of forty-live
new members had been made ; on the other hand, sixty-
five had withdrawn, removed, or allowed their connexion
to lapse. The remarks upon the condition of the honey
market were decidedly hopeful, and calculated to allay
the anxiety whicli we have sometimes expressed. The
season of 1887, like that of 1886, was not regarded as a
favourable one for the county of Kent, the spring having
been marked by too long-continued easterly winds. The
Association held its annual exhibition at Ashford, and
although its extent showed some decline, the classes
appropriated to cottagers showed a marked advance in
every way. Attention was drawn to the sparse attend-
ance at the Council meetings which had been held, and
January 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
33
the hope expressed that by a careful selection of the
localities in which the meeting's might be held, an im-
provement would possibly result. A feature in the
work of the Association during the year was the insti-
tuting of a competition for the best-managed cottage
apiary, the result of which was so completely satisfactory
that it will probably be adopted as a regular practice.
The usual recognition of the services of the officers
and Council was observed, votes of thanks being accorded
to them, as was also done to the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the privilege of
holding the meeting in their Board-room. The election
of the Council, into which six new names were intro-
duced, and the re-election of the Hon. Treasurer and
Secretary, was performed. The choice of President for
the ensuing year fell upon the Right Hon. Earl Stanhope,
and the representatives to attend the Quarterly Confer-
ences of the British Bee-keepers' Association were Mr.
F. II. Cudd and Mr. Garratt, the Hon. Secretary of the
Association.
The proceedings were brought to a conclusion by the
drawing for three prize hives for cottagers, of whom
there are ninety, resulting in the favour of Richard
Wilmshurst of Kilndown, Goudhurst; Frederick Dean
of Lamberhurst ; and George Bowers of Betteshanger.
Cruel Punishment for Destroying or Inter-
fering with Bees. — In the territory of Lauenburg and
Biitow, which was ceded by Poland to the Elector of
Brandenburg in the year 1667, and incorporated by him
with Pomerania, bee-keeping at that time was carried on
very extensively under the protection of an edict which
dated from pre-Brandenburg times. This edict contained
some very severe and even cruel punishments. Para-
graph l(i states that ' any one who wilfully takes bees
belonging to others, or unlawfully deprives them of
their honey, shall be condemned to death on the gallows.'
Bees at that time were kept in decayed trees in the
forests. A still more severe punishment was exacted in
the following paragraph, viz.: 'Whosoever destroys an
entire colony of bees, no matter whether they belong to
himself or to anybody else, shall be handed oyer to the
public executioner, who shall take out his entrails and
wind them round the tree in which the bees were wil-
fully destroyed, and shall afterwards hang him on the
same tree.' Thus protection was afforded to bees by this
paragraph even against their own masters. There are
other offences mentioued in this edict that were also
punishable by death, minor offences by lines or other-
wise.— Translated from the ' Qartenlawe' \i. ls^r.
Bees Stealing Honey. — A gentleman of this city
who keeps bees, and has always been touched with their
simple, hard-working, honest ways, has recently had that
sentiment very severely tried. He had taken a large
amount of honey from his hives, and put it into a small
hi lose in his yard that he provides for such storage. There
were thirty-two pounds of it. He neglected to close the
door, however, and the honey was left in the open boxes
just as it came from the hives. Business called the amateur
away for a couple of hours, and when he returned he
went with pleasing- anticipation for his honey. He
found, however, that somebody had been there before
him. Through the open door was to be seen a black
mass, which seemed like all the bees in the Satte of
Rhode Island, if not in the country. They were gathered
about the honey, and were making the most of their
time in carrying- it off to spots more convenient for their
own use. After entrance was gained, it was found that
more than twenty-live pounds of honey had been ab-
stracted within the two hours that he had been gone.
The worst of it was that the honey had been diffused
so generally by his bee neighbours. It would be interesting
to know how the intelligence was spread so quickly for
so great a distance. — Detroit Free Press, January 14, 1888.
(fcrespottflma.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested tn write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed only to *The Editor of the " British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C.' All business communications relatingto ^Iduertzsements,
Xc, must be addressed to Mr. J. Hdckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*«* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
VIRGIN QUEENS— COXSAXt iUIXITY.
[14i'S.] Many have been the disappointments ex-
perienced by, I may say, all bee-keepers in the British
Isles at the almost insurmountable difficulties presented
to them on their endeavouring to keep a certain variety
or varieties of bees distinct. It is, without doubt, next
to an impossibility to breed a certain race or perpetuate
a certain strain of bees in these islands with a certainty
of true mating. In what county of England can we go
at the present time where it can be guaranteed that
there are not colonies of bees within two or three miles
of any position we like to take in that county 'i I
venture to say there is not one. True, there may be a
few isolated places where apiaries are few and sufficiently
distant from each other that a desired cross may now
and then be made between drones and queens of one's
own apiary ; but even in these isolated places, if strict
search were made, stray colonies could be found, perhaps
high up in the church sieeple, or under the eaves of the
roof of some house, or maybe in the hollow trunk of
some patriarch of a neighbouring copse or hedgerow,
where, owing to the vigilance and jealousy — they are
very jealous of an outsider even looking in— of the game-
keeper, an entree is exceedingly difficult to satisfy oneself
that such a colony is existent or non-existent.
These views will be supported b}r many a disappointed
apiarist who has given a long price for a queen of a
certain variety only to find in the end that her progeny
have become mongrel breeders —albeit mostly the best
honey-gatherers — and in two seasons a pure bee of the
variety introduced is not to be found in any of the hives,
but nearly all the other colonies in the apiary have
received a taint of the fresh blood introduced, the bee-
keeper in the meantime can console himself with the
reflection that he has provided all his neighbours for
miles around with a, perhaps, advantageous cross to
their stocks, or trice versa according to the qualities of th
bee introduced.
Where the Italian race has been introduced into a
district — and where has it not, more or less':' — the original
black race has been improved- -I hope in this matter I
shall not bring down any very rabid controversialist upon
me very strong — and, I may add, superlatively improved.
I will not include districts above latitude 54 ', as there I
do not find so great an improvement in the bees by such
an introduction; perhaps in course of time climatic
influences will not have so marked an effect on them.
This no doubt will account for so varied an opinion ex-
pressed by many as to the policy of introducing Italians
to their apiaries.
I have been turning over a file of the British Bee
Journal for 1886, and comparing the tabulated state-
ments made by many bee-keepers who have introduced
Italians into their apiaries. In by far the majority of
cases the advantage gained is very marked ; not that the
superiority shows itself in so decided a manner with the
pure Itahans, but when the stocks have become hybri-
dized the amount of honey gathered shows a moat
34
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 19, 1888.
important gain, especially in the first cross : my own
experience of the superiority of such a cross I have
frequently expressed before. The large returns per hive
now obtained in comparison to those of a few years ago
are in a great measure owing to the knowledge now in the
possession of many apiarists as to the method of manipu-
jating their stocks, and in taking advantage of every
advantageous trait in the bee's character, and utilising
it for their own profit. But we must not flatter our-
selves that this is entirely the result of our own or
others' practical knowledge ; a great deal of this is the
result of the introduction, not entirely of a fresh race,
but the intermingling of fresh blood — a judicious
crossing. In animals the advantage of so doing is very
marked, and I think, although our little dependants are
only insects, the same rule applies to them. Would a
dairy farmer, in order to obtain a larger return of milk,
keep a race of pure bred cows ? He would, without
doubt, choose cross-breds ; in like manner no poultry
keeper would expect a larger return of eggs from
pedigree fowls, but would mate these with another
variety — that is, introduce fresh blood to his yard. Such
are the lines upon which all stock-keepers work who
depend upon the produce from their stocks only.
We here see the advantage of having those among us
who, through the peculiar situations occupied by their
apiaries, are enabled to keep the different varieties
distinct, breeding a true race, that they may in the
course of trade spread abroad the advantages gained by
the introduction of fresh blood to their customers'
stocks. But in introducing this blood to our stocks
the variety introduced must be taken cognizance of. It
would not do for a dairyman to introduce, we will say
for example, a wild Chillingham bull into his farmyard ;
if he did, deterioration instead of improvement would
ensue. He must choose a variety which will correct,
the failings exhibited in his particular stock, that is, if
a richer milk is required, his cows being deficient in that
quality, although perhaps large producers, he must
introduce a variety that are pre-eminently renowned for
that richness, and perhaps a subsequent cross to correct
any reverting to a loss of quantity that may take place
in such cross that he may obtain both quantity and
quality. We bee-keepers will be bound to work upon
these same lines, gradually working out the short-
comings of our colonies by the introduction of correc-
tives in the form of other varieties or strains.
It is becoming absolutely imperative that we obtain
a maximum return from our colonies with a minimum of
expense. Every advantage that can be gained by a low
rate of expenditure is a point gained towards success ;
but such an expenditure must not be made simply be-
cause it is very small, as often the dearest turns out the
cheapest in the end ; the price must be governed by tho
results and the profits deduced from this.
In the above particular I note that the Americans
have got just a little ahead of us by the trade that is
springing up in virgin queens, and also the despatching
virgin queens, in nuclei, for fertilisation to some distant
apiary, which afterwards arc returned to their owners
mated.
We will first take the case of the trade in virgin
queens. These, as all queen-breeders are aware, can be
produced at a very low cost, as all the time, trouble, and
anxiety of pure fertilisation is avoided ; fresh blood can
be introduced by these means at a minimum of cost. —
W. B. Webster.
( To be continued.)
successes. But upon carefully considering M. Koerbs'
letter (1-407) and the subsequent article upon the subject,
f have a curious conviction that I have stumbled upon
precisely the same principle in the construction of new
combs. And though I do not for one moment desire to
attract any reflected honour, and am not, just now,
guessing Koerbs' principle and applying it to myself, still
it is strange that the description of the advantages
claimed (in 1407) are precisely similar and equally
applicable to that of tho combs I have been experi-
menting with lately. Unfortunately the honey - flow
ceased rather too early last season for me to have arrived
definitely at the fact that the queen would not breed in
these combs and other perfectly reliable results, but the
publication of M. Koerbs' perfected invention has
hastened my action in a rather premature manner, for
1 had not intended applying for letters patent until I
had proved without doubt the actual fact of the non-
breeding of the queen in the new combs. Still, now
that the subject is mooted there may be a possibility of
some one ' stepping in ' before me without having arrived
at any proof at all ; hence my present action.
It is certainly rather unfortunate for me that I did not
put my scheme into action earlier in the season, but the
honey harvest came so abundantly upon us, all at once,
that every moment was occupied in immediate require-
ment and work in the apiary, leaving no time for experi-
menting with queens. Still, I feel very confident from
the vague descriptions we have to hand that M. Koerbs'
invention must be very similar to my own, which is
simplicity itself, and I wonder why and if it has never
previously been thought of. The principles may, how-
ever, be entirely different.
I may say I should not have written this explanation
at all, but I see in your last issue several correspondents
are taking up the matter; and, in common with your
correspondent Mr. W. Marshall (1423), I write in self-
justification, and without in any degree laying claim to
an invention which will revolutionise bee-keeping, but a
simple matter which will, I confidently hope, be of
practical utility, and also to show that others are keeping
an open eye and to save some of the credit for all new
ideas from going abroad, for it will be very useless to say
after we all know M. Koerbs' process, ' Why! I thought
of that long ago.1
I may say, in conclusion, my principle is entirely con-
fined to the production of honey and is not intended for
use in the brood-nest. — W. G. Preece, Jun., Local Hon.
Secretary, Salop, U.S.
KOERBS' NEW ARTIFICIAL COMBS.
[1429.] It is with very considerable diffidence that,
for the first time, I send you a communication, though I
have long been a practical bee-keeper, and (I hope I may
say without conceit) have experienced some gratifying
THE NEW ARTIFICIAL COMB.
[1430.] Re Artificial Comb, as mentioned in last
week's B.B.J., 1 think, if it is tried, you will find if a
comb foundation is made of cell bases a size larger than
drone comb it will be similar to what our German
friend wants Is. (id. from each bee-keeper for. I intend
trying such a base this season. — W. Rouinson.
HIVES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT FOR
COTTAGERS.
(Continued from page 20.)
'Cottager Champion.'
[1431.] This hive is designed for the use of the
cottager who intends adopting bar-frame hives when
he shall have had sufficient knowledge of the manage-
ment of his bees to warrant him in turning to that more
modern, more interesting, and more profitable method of
bee-keeping. It is also recommended to those bee-
keepers who may not feel inclined to adopt the bar-
frame hive, but who prefer something more modern
than a skep in which to keep bees on the fixed-comb
principle.
January 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
35
Description. — The hive, in reality a section crate,
consists simply of four walls with a reversible lid. The
wood, after planing, should be f in. thick. The inside
dimensions are 14i x 14A in., and the outside 16 in.
The sides are 4J in. deep. The lid is 10 in. square, and
clamped to prevent warping. Upon this lid, on one side
only, a rim 2 in. wide and J in. thick, is nailed round,
leaving a recess in the centre 12 in. square. Two pieces
in. thick and | in., full, wide (latter face
of wood, j '"
downwards), are nailed along the grain of the wood 3f in.
from the opposite inner sides of the rim. These afford
rests for the centre row of sections and the bottom
corners of the outer rows, and they make three spaces
or recesses 3| in. wide and 12 in. long. In these recesses
running parallel with the section rests are holes through
the lid § in. wide and 12 in. long. There are two of
these holes in each recess \ in. from each side, so that
when a piece of excluder zinc 12 x 3| in. be dropped in,
it just fits, and the bees have access from below through
two rows of holes in each recess to the super above
whether for sections or fixed combs. (Only one hole in
each recess is shown in the illustration.) The lid is
secured to the body of the hive by four screws, one in
the centre of each side. As I set my hives perfectly
level both ways, and always recommend that plan, pro-
vision in this hive is made for guides. (Skeps are an
exception to this rule on account of the difficulty of
fixing guides.) The under side of the lid is marked with
ten saw-cuts across the grain of the wood, which will be
across the holes as guides for the fixing of narrow or
deep pieces of foundation. The bottom two in the illus-
tration are fixed as described above, while the top one is
shown with the lid reversed, and in use as a; section-
crate. When used as a section-crate it will be noted,
from the dimensions given, that there is a space between
the ends of the outer rows of sections and the inner side
walls. This is filled with blocks, which slide in. On
one side, as shown in the illustration, there is a \ in.
recess, permitting bees to pass round the ends of the
sections. If this facility be not preferred, by reversing
the block a plain side is turned to the ends of the
sections. The roof recommended is a plain ' Simmins.'
Floor-board. — The floor-board is 1(5 in. square, nailed
on side pieces projecting 4 in., and that much rounded.
A piece \\ in. deep and 12 in. long is cut out of the
front of the tloor-board. Under this, and between the
projecting parts of the side pieces, is nailed a piece of
thick wood which has also been rounded to correspond
with the ends of the side pieces, and to throw off the rain.
A rim \ in. thick and 2 in. wide is nailed on the sides
and back of the floor-board (not shown in illustration),
this allowing of inverting if the bee-keeper wishes to
practise it.
Management. — Having chosen the site and provided
a stand as already recommended, preparations should be
made for a swarm. Three bodies, floor- board, and roof
should be provided, and they should be well painted,
not only the sides but the edges. The swarm should be
allowed to cluster in a skep, and it may be then, or in
the evening, brought near to the stand prepared for it.
Now place the floor-board on the ground in front of the
stand and upon it a body prepared with starters of
foundation, and with sheets of excluder zinc in the
recesses on the lid. Upon this place a super, which may
be prepared with sections, or with guides of foundation
exactly like the first. The upper body — super — should
now be covered carefully with cloth and the roof placed
upon it.
The swarm should then be thrown on the ground
in front of the entrance, and the bees urged in by smoke
or a feather dipped in carbolic acid. When the bulk of
the bees have entered the whole arrangement may be
lifted into position and the top of the super tested with
the spirit-level, to be sure that it is perfectly level both
ways. A good swarm will not be provided with
sufficient accommodation in the lower body, which I
will term the brood-chamber, and therefore a good pro-
portion will go into the upper body, the super, while the
queen, full of eggs, will be kept by the excluder below.
When the bees are thus forced into the super, storing,
if necessary conditions are favourable, commences at
once, and continues so rapidly that more room will soon
be needed. (The progress of the work is seen through a
circular window in one side.) The extra super room, if
it is decided to give it, should be a similar super placed
between the one already on and the brood-chamber.
If, however, one super is all that can be expected or is
cared for, instead of giving more super room above the
brood-nest a body shoidd be prepared with wide starters
and placed under the brood-chamber. When two
supers are used this is how t he first taken off should be
served when emptied.
In either case the swarm will then have a partly filled
super and two body boxes for brood-chamber, and it
should be the bee-keepers' endeavour to get these two
bodies filled with combs and have a strong stock well
supplied with food by, say October 1st, when a farewell
should be taken of them as far as interference is con-
cerned until early in February, when on a very fine day
a slight examination to see how the food is holding out
may be made. A thorough examination should be
made on a really warm day on or as near as possible to
March 1st.
When brood-rearing has progressed satisfactorily it
will be a great advantage to change the positions of the
boxes ; that is, the upper box may be put on the floor-
board and the lower one upon it. This operation would,
as a rule, take place in this district, where we are sur-
rounded with orchards, early in April, if not earlier.
When supering, if the two bodies have been so managed
as to contain little but brood and bees by the commence-
ment of the honey flow, excluders between the brood-
chamber — now consisting of two bodies — and the super
are not necessary.
36
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 19, 1888.
There are many ways in which a stock in these two
boxes may be manipulated to the advantage of the bee-
keeper. For instance, if from neglect to give sufficient
super room there is a quantity of honey stored in the
upper section of the brood-chamber, it may be inverted
and placed on the floor-board, that the honey may be
taken from it to the super (of course in inverting the
combs must be kept in a perpendicular position). When
the honey has been removed from the inverted chamber
it should be restored to its previous position, but remain
on the floor-board.
Again, when the time for supering has arrived the
bees may be driven from the body containing the least
brood to the other, and then having placed upon that
single body excluders a sectional or other super would be
taken to at once. One caution is necessary when the
stock is thus treated, the bees will be cramped for want
of room in a few days by the rapid storing in the super
and the increase of the population, and it will be probably
advisable to place a body of starters only on the floor-
board before giving a second super, or swarming may
take place, but for sectional work the bees should be
crowded as much as possible without causing swarming.
— C. N. White.
FRUIT CULTURE AND APICULTURE.
[1432.] Speaking superficially we are decidedly in
favour of the two going together. We can testify to
the unalloyed pleasure experienced when labouring amid
some hundreds of pyramid fruit trees. And it was our
daily and irresistible pleasure too, last slimmer, to leave
awhile the hoe, and lie or sit opposite the hives. The
experience was so charmingly new to us.
The bees were ever visiting the profusion of thorn,
cherry, plum, apple, pear, and raspberry blossom. The
great advantage of being always near the bees cannot
well be over-estimated. Especially is this so during the
swarming season. But there appears to be one draw-
back, viz., wasps ; and it would be a considerable gain
to some of us if any effectual means were known of pre-
venting or destroying these very troublesome and an-
noying insects.
The summer before last, when we had no bees, wasps
were not so troublesome, nor half so numerous, as they
were last summer. Wherever bees were kept there
were the robber wasps, and the pickle bottles with sugar
and water as counter-attractions. The latter, however,
seem to entrap as many bees as wasps.
But last summer the wasps were not only exceedingly
annoying to the bees, but the fruit of every apple, pear,
and plum tree was attacked and seriously damaged. So
general was the destruction that we had to gather all the
fruit ere it was ripe, or lose it altogether. Not a single
pair was left to ripen.
We frequently found three or four wasps inside an
apple or pear. And, of course, when the fruit was all
gathered the wasps attacked in greater force the bees.
We were glad, however, to find that our bees were quite
equal in fighting capacity to the wasps. We had the
opportunity of watching scores of combats, and it was
very seldom that the bees lost their lives in battle.
Generally they would fight and fly again. After, when
we lifted the roofs off hives, the severed bodies of wasps
lay scattered about the quilt, and just as often the bees
seized the opportunity of lugging their victims off the
premises. And yet how daring and cunning is the wasp,
how she watches her opportunity to enter the hive, and,
though often repulsed, at last succeeds. We object to
this wholesale depredation, and shall be very grateful
for any information of means of prevention. I suppose
we must follow the wasp line till we reach their nest,
and there put an end to them.
On the 7th, 8th, and 9th, our bees were much on the
wing. The weather was remarkably mild and bright
between the morning and evening mists. Manv of the
bees returned home after sundown, which to us was
rather a surprise. To many the pleasure was very brief.
On the morning of the 10th, scores of them hung with
the grip of death upon wood and stone, white with
the prevailing fog. — F. Goodrich, Methwold, Norfolk,
Jan. \Wi.
FOUL BROOD.
[1433.] Foul brood is not a thing of yesierday, and
was in existence in Ireland long before the introduction
of the bar-frame hive or Ligurian bee. Of late years bees
have been going to the bad in the old skep, and died
out in many places, due in part to the sulphur-pit, and
the survival of the unfittest which was kept as a stock ;
but in many cases, also, to the foul brood. On making in-
quiries of many as to the condition of the hives on the
death of the stocks, they had plenty of honey, and the
wonder was, why they had died. I saw combs thrown
out of hives that had foul brood most decidedly, though I
did not know it then ; but know it too well now, having
got it from a skep apiary of several hives that died right
out of the same. Being hardly a mile from this, my bees
brought it home through robbing the deserted hives.
An error of mine may act as a warning to others. I
extracted and fed back the phenolated honey to infected
hives (had then but two), gave it driven lots in autumn,
and fed it to others besides, with the result of sowing the
disease broadcast, so that out of thirty-five hives 1 had
but two clean the following spring. Through doubling
up weak and dwindling stocks, and then treating all
infected hives as swarms, placing a new clean queen at
the head of each I got a good many into a healthy state
again ; boiled down old combs and burned the frames.
If the queen is infected no cure can be made until she
is superseded, for though the phenolised syrup may be
freely used the source of the disease is there still, for
though you may cure it in one part of the hive it will
break out in another. Many would advocate stamping
it out by destroying the whole lot. That to my mind is
very wasteful, as with care, and a good deal of' trouble,
you can get them clean again ; and if a good season get a
little honey too, with carefully disinfected hives, but
with new frames and quilts I do not think there is
much danger of an outbreak in the same hive again. I
have them in use, and the stocks are now well.
Camphor I found of no use against foul brood.
To show bow widespread this disease is, and how
little is known about it in Ireland in its southern counties,
I was made a present of a skep some time since from a
place where foul brood was said to be unknown, and it
was simply rotten with it. Died out in one month.
A diseased stock may be cured by treating it as a
swarm in May if you have a young and clean queen to put
at the head of it ; place in a clean or thoroughly disin-
fected hive, and feed with phenolated syrup while comb-
building, and I would consider acure assured. Some may
differ, and if a better way is shown no one will be better
pleased than yours, truly, — John J. Smyth.
COUNTY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS.
[14.34.] In your article on page 2 of this year's
B.J., under this heading, there are still some remarks
that I think should not pass without notice.
It will not be conceded that the County Associations
have already accomplished the work for which they
were formed, and I am glad to see that Mr. McClure (the
energetic Hon. Secretary of the Lancashire and Cheshire
Association) takes exception to this statement in a very
able manner in his letter [1410]. He naturally is_ sur-
prised to find such gloomy and discouraging remarks in an
editorial of the B.B.J. 'I may say that although this is
the recognised organ of the B.B.K.A., the Committee
are in no way responsible for the article in question, and
January 19, 1888.]
'THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
:i7
do not in the least share the desponding feelings of the
writer. Considerable progress has been made by some
of the county Associations, the quantity and quality of
the honey exhibited, the number and keenness of the
competitors, the able management of the exhibitions, the
questions asked by visitors anxious to commence bee-
keeping, and the general interest taken, all tend to show
this. Still, much remains to be done.
I have, during the last season, had many opportunities
of noticing all this at the exhibitions where I have
attended to act as one of the judges, and 1 think the
B.B.K.A. has much reason to be satisfied with the efforts
being made and the success achieved in most counties.
Depend upon it that where then' is this decline and
want of interest there is something wanting in the
organization and management.
One Association not having fulfilled the conditions of
affiliation, is not acknowledged by the 15.I3.lv. A. No
general meetings have been held, no Committee of
Management has been appointed, and no report and
balance-sheet have been issued for several year.-. Under
these circumstances it would not be matter of surprise
if such an Association was on the ' dec! inc. ' This state
of things exists in one of the best honey-producing
counties in England, where there are some of our most
enthusiastic and successful bee-keepers living. They are
ready to support and subscribe handsomely if an Associ-
ation can be properly organized and affiliated to the
British. Surely some effort will be made before another
season to place this Association upon a proper footing.
There are other Associations in which parts of counties
only have been properly worked, and this must be the
ease in large counties unless they are subdivided into
districts, each having its district Secretary and its local
adviser, who should hold a third-class certificate at
least, working with and under the county Hon. Secretary.
By this division of labour the work would be easier, and,
at the same time, thoroughly done, and all bee-keepers
could be reached. Where the counties are thus sub-
divided, the number of members would be increased, the
entries at shows more numerous, the different districts
vying with each other in friendly rivalry for the credit
of a particular part of the county. The district Secre-
tary should arrange for periodical meetings for the
friendly discussion of all matters connected with bee-
keeping, lectures, and local exhibitions. Prizes should
be offered to cottagers for the best-managed apiary in
each district much in the same way that Horticultural
Societies give prizes for the best-managed garden,
A county subdivided in this way can be more econo-
mically worked, the travelling expenses of the expert
will be saved, and the adviee given at the time it is
wanted, which is not the case where there is only one
expert for a whole county.
Several counties have not yet started Associations.
In some instances members are ready to lie enrolled, and
are only waiting to find honorary secretaries among the
clergy or persons well known and respected who have
time, and who will volunteer their services, and throw
sjuie energy into the work of formation. The Secretary
of the B.B.K.A. will be very glad to give advice and
assistance in this work.
The county Associations were formed with the object
of assisting the British in spreading the knowledge of
the humane and scientific method of bee-keeping, of
teaching the agricultural and other labourers how they
could occupy their leisure time in an interesting and
profitable manner, and so improve their condition.
Surely you, Mr. Editor, do not admit that even in the
most prosperous county Associations ' the work for which
the}' were formed has in a great degree been accomplished,'
and that there is not much more to be done before any
appreciable number of cottage bee-keepers are taught
that they can keep bees in such a way, in their leisure
hours, that they may pay their rent out of the profits
derived from bee-keeping? — John M. Hooker, 76
Ti/rwhitt Road, St. Johns, S.E.
[The object of the institution of the British Bee-
keepers' Association cannot be said to be accomplished
until the great object to which the late Rev. II. R. Peel
devoted himself with so much earnestness —viz., that an
Association should be established in every county of
England and Wales — is effected. That gentleman took
the trouble to publish in the columns of the Bee Journal
a map with the counties marked dark and light — the
dark indicating where no Associations were formed, and
tlie light where they were. A reference to this map
will at once show how matters have progressed, or retro-
gressed, since his time. Many that were then light
should now have to be made dark, and a few the
reverse. A great advance has been effected by the
division of counties into provinces, and the provinces
again being subdivided into districts. But toiling secre-
taries (see in a recent number Mr. ('. X. White's reasons
for his resignation of the Hon. Secretary-hip of the
Hunts B.K.A.) have sad reminiscences of the cix inertia'
of bee-keepers yet to be overcome before the desire of
Mr. Peel can be realised. — Ed.]
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1435.] Mr. \V. M. Graham (141--) is probably not
far wrong in thinking that County Associations have
'one and all promised too much and done to > little.' I
have been connected with two Associations, of both of
which this was certainly true ; and I quite agree with
our Editor in thinking that the time has now arrived
when 'the internal working of tic Associations and
their individual condition may he a useful ami timely
inquiry-
1 trust that the matter will lie freely and fully dis-
cussed in the Journal and at the quarterly m oi
the Central Association, and thai some of the County
Organizations will thus be induced to reform their in ides
of procedure. Like all other public bodies we must
learn from experience, modify our rules and action ac-
cordingly, and move with the times. There is still much
good work to be done. There is ample room for more
lectures in winter, as well as shows in summer; but
both the lectures and the shows should be ' up to the
times.'
Then, again, certificated experts cotdd still do im-
portant work in most counties, and every intelligent
amateur who has a little spare time could become an
apostle of advanced bee-keeping. The fact is, many of
the older bee-keepers have fallen out of the rank- or lost
their enthusiasm, and the time has come for rousing up
and re-organizing the younger men.
Bee-keeping is now such an important industry that it
is well worth while to take this matter seriously in hand,
and to try to put our local machinery in gear again. In
the part of the country where I recently lived, we never
did so well as when there was a metropolitan show,
which was something to look forward to and prepare for,
as well as a rallying point for our best workers, who
brought back from it a stock of knowdedgeand a fund of
enthusiasm that helped most materially to keep things
moving in our shire. Then we had our own local shows,
lectures, and experts; now- we have neither. At our
shows honey producers sold their surplus stock, and local
hive-makers booked their orders ; they could still do so,
I feel convinced, if things were properly managed. The
practical lessons conveyed during the manipulations were
invaluable, because they carried conviction to the minds
of the sceptical, and taught those who could not or would
not read. But deaths, removals, and changes of cir-
cumstances, thinned the old ranks; depression of trade
and agriculture reduced the subscriptions, and a little
want of discretion in management put the finishing touch
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 19, 1888.
to what was at one time a flourishing association — the
result being debt and temporary despair. There is hope
yet, however ; and a time of revival is, I trust, at hand.
It will help us in re-organising, and others also probably,
if bee-keeping friends will tell us candidly, during this
discussion, the secrets of success and the causes of
failure. — An Old Bee-keeper.
THE PRICE OF HONEY.
[1430.] On page 27, ' Sherborne,' lamenting the low
price of hone}', is allowed to take occasion to have a
fling at the clergy. As far as I can understand his
meaning from the construction of his sentences (and I
am in doubt between ' I ' and ' the uneducated public '
whether I am not one of the latter), he attributes the
' mischief ' in part to ' men with their regular salary, and
clergymen to a large extent .... going in for fruit,
vegetables, bees, and photography.'
Now, clergymen have not a 'salary' in the ordinary
acceptation of the term, but an income given to them
originally by those who had it to give; and it is not
regular in one sense, viz., that it does not maintain its
level, but is on, what ' Sherborne ' calls, a ' down-grade,'
to an extent which he is evidently unaware of, and
which, if he understood or believed it, I am inclined to
think would not distress him. From a pecuniary point
of view — if one is not too nice as to the use of the
words 'salary,' ' business,' and suchlike— very likely the
information lie gives us as to the superior importance of
chimney-sweeping is quite correct. It seems to be
attributed to ' Sherborne ' that he does not ' read care-
fully,' &c. Has lie observed the many names of clergy-
men on the list of the committee of B. B. K. A.? and
does he think that one of the objects of these gentlemen
is to lower the price of his tenpenny sections ? Would
he be surprised to hear (I expect he would) that the
interest of many a clergyman who keeps bees is quite the
other way through diminution of salary ? and will he
give others credit for having for years, with the secretary
and perhaps his assistant, done nearly the whole of the
work of their County Associations, till they feel bitterly
the wrong of such a ' foul ' blow, as that which
' Sherborne ' has delivered, and clergymen to a large
extent ?
I see, sir, that you have had to sit on this same
individual anent ' Holy Writ.' Whether or not he used
the word 'holy' I am unaware, but one is astounded
that he should have attempted to introduce such a
subject to your columns, and one feels more than it. is
well tn say; mi 1 will only add that if you had but
' deled ' that unhappy expression you would not have
been troubled with these lines by — Clericus.
IMPRESSED FOUNDATION.
[1437.] I see in B. B. J. Messrs. Neighbour have in-
vented an impressed foundation. I have made foundation
for some time with thread or twine embedded, also thin
strips of wood — which foundation is unbreakable — also
foundation on paper base. The idea of embedding other
material than wire is mine. — Geo. Stotiiarh, Welwyn,
January 13.
FOUNDATION v. WORKED COMBS.
[1438.] Instead of replying to my query, as to his ex-
perience of tiering clean combs, Mr. Saddler asks a
question and refers me to the practice of another corre-
spondent; this may be a reply, but is scarcely an answer.
1 urther, I did not write concerning the replies to Query
No. '2, but to Mr. Saddler's strictures thereon — which I
am glad to hear were not meant to be uncourteous.
By the method advised of extending the brood-nest by
the insertion of foundation, at least three examinations
are necessary in place of one where a comb would be used
in which food could also be supplied in its most available
form ; further, to work out the foundation an additional
strain would be imposed on the colony (and therefore an
increase of food) whose every effort might otherwise be
employed in raising brood at this critical time, which may
be in April or May, according to the latitude of the stock,
or the forwardness or the reverse of the season. It is
further advised that the frame of foundation be placed
in centre of brood - nest, when, should a cold snap
occur, the bees and brood will be divided by a com-
paratively cold wall of wax and air-space on each side,
which if they fill, other portions of the brood must be con-
sequently depopulated. Now had a frame (with stores)
warmed to the temperature of the hive been placed on
the outside of the brood-nest, the colony woidd be com-
fortable in any weather and could be left safely until it
was practicable to divide the brood-nest by additional
combs.
An easy and safe method of storing combs is to fill the
body of a hive that will ' tier up ' with frames, give the
bottom board a strong dressing of carbolic acid, double
on another hive body — de novo — until the ceiling is
reached if your combs hold out. Place on cover, close
up the single bottom entrance, and all is secure from
mice, moth, and foul brood; at least, that is our ex-
perience in dealing annually with about three hundred
combs, if packed in Edey's doubler. — Joun Edey,
St. NeoVs.
CHILIAN HONEY— SUCCESSFUL WINTERING.
[1430.] A few weeks back you referred to the import
of Chilian honey. It occurred to me that my father,
having at one time imported the article, could give some
account of the use made of this honey, and I wrote him
accordingly. In reply he says, ' The Chilian honey of
which I formerly got consignments was mostly sold in
Liverpool through a broker. The few parcels that came
to London were given to my drug-brokers, who took
samples and submitted them to the wholesale con-
fectioners. The latter relied upon their being given
impartially by the brokers, and made offers which were
submitted to me. I afterwards received a contract of
sale.
' Or the brokers advertised the honey for sale by
public auction, when they exhibited samples at their
offices for intending buyers to examine. Chilian, Cali-
fornian, and Cuban honey comes generally to Liverpool,
has every appearance of rough handling and of wanting
a great deal of civilisation yet. It is not likely that
any methods exist in those countries by which you
could learn anything. These outlandish honeys are at
present (after the season) unsaleable, and only worth
"25s. per cwt., whereas British honeys might still be sold
at GOs. The principal season is two months before
Christmas, and the principal buyers are the wholesale
confectioners and cake-manufacturers. They absorb the
whole import, the difference in price between British
and Chilian being so great. The rough quality of the
latter is quite sufficient for the common cakes. These
articles are generally sold for cash in fourteen days and
usually through a broker, who acts as an impartial
middle man.'
With regard to successful wintering, I am of opinion
that the size of the hive is of little consequence in the
matter; the main point being that there is only one
opening to the hive. I don't know if any one has ever
tried having the entrance at top of the hive, but
probably even in such a case the bees would winter well
enough.
The great danger is to have ventilation as usually
understood, viz., in at one hole below out at another
above. With a quilt of double or treble felt, or thick
chaff cushion, there is, of course, no ventilation to speak
of, any more than there is through our plaster ceilings.
January 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
3D
Gases do find their way out, but by no means as fast as
generated, and when a stock is packed for the winter
with propolised top covering their abode may be prac-
tically considered as air-tight above. Anyway they will
do their best to make it so, and no one has ever given
an instance in which his bees have left a hole above
unpropolised for ventilation.
My bees enter below the floor-board through a !)-inch
opening f-inch wide. The alighting-board is underneath
also, and is always dry. No rain can blow in, and
robbers have no chance of entering and a poor one of
even alighting. It is known that a roof by itself placed
above plants will keep off frost, for the reason that the
colder air is always descending, I suppose. Thus the
floor-board keeps the frost from the entrance in my
hives, being a roof to the alighting board. Though I
consider this plan much better than having a direct
opening in the side of the hive, I am unable to say yet
if there is any marked effect, advantageously or other-
wise, on the colonies. The only decided point noticed so
far in comparing the two plans are : on frosty days
there is distinct buzzing at each floor entrance, none at
the side entrances. Looking in at the top I find the
colonies with floor opening down low, some bees on
the floor-board at times, the others close up against
quilt.
The bees with side entrance come out in great
numbers on warm days, the others only sparingly. I
may also state that the driven bees put on empty combs
reared brood to end of November over the floor-holes,
and there is no sign of mortality so far. I shall be
pleased to report further if the matter is of any interest.
My winter packing is ticking, two felts, wood in pieces,
and, as extra precaution against frost, four straw bottle
covers. The latter are cut loose at the top and make a
neat covering, and can easily, if wanted, be strung
together as a mat. The two felts are laid together, and
then, with a round tin canister having one or two
notches filed in the edge, two neat circular bits of felt
are cut out of the middle of the quilts. These are
stitched together and a loop of string attached, over the
quilt-hole, fits the hole in the centre bit of wood, which
is covered in feeding time with gauze. By removing a
straw bundle and pulling up the felt bung one can get
a hasty glimpse of the condition of the nest. — Silke.
SAFE ARRIVAL OF TWO STOCKS OF ITALIAN
BEES IN INDIA.
[1440.] Mr. A. G. Nicholson, Hawthorne Estate,
Yercand Sheraroy Hills, Madras Presidency, India,
writing to Messrs. Geo. Neighbour & Sons in December
last, aclcnowledging the receipt of two stocks of Italian
bees, says : ' You will be glad to hear that both stocks
you sent me have arrived at their destination in perfect
condition, in spite of many bees having died, but then
we had terrible storms to start with and very hot
weather. I was greatly surprised to find both hives full
of brood, and in one the queen actually continued
depositing eggs whilst I held the frame of comb in my
hand. I am, as you may imagine, greatly pleased with
the success so far, but they are having a trying time just
now, for we have been having days of pouring rain and
Scotch mist ever since their arrival, and the time for
flowers will not begin before April next.'
These two stocks of Italian bees were sent on November
the 4th, by order of the Indian Government, in the
steamship Pekin, and I shall endeavour to prevail on
Mr. Nicholson to let me know their future condition, so
that I may report the same to this Journal. — Alfred
Neighbour, London.
WHAT INDUCED ME TO KEEP BEES.
[1441.] ' Will you accept of a hive of bees ? ' I must
confess that I have a very great weakness in always
trying to please : as the questioner was a lady I said,
' With pleasure.' So in due time I received — ' none of
your new-fangled notions about bar-hives, observatory-
hives ' — a skep with a strong lot of bees; but this was
an extraordinary hive, an old skep which I presume had
been used in a case of emergency. It was a very crazy
sort of tiling, very rustic ; one skep on the top of another,
and a large bell-glass on the top with a cosy over. I
don't believe that ever a tom-tit would approach within
a few yards. Talk of strong stocks, there was almost a
swarm in the bell-glass.
I have given a minute description because I wish to
refer to it again, and see what lesson we may learn from
it. I got a covered stand and put the skep on facing
south. My neighbours and friends called out in passing,
' I see you are going to keep bees.'
Just to digress for a moment. — A minister once over-
heard a conversation which was carried on so that he
might hear, — this occurred on the platform, — ' Do you
know the reverend gentleman ? ' Only that he once kept
a shoe-shop.' The reverend gentleman was called upon to
speak, and he said that he had heard that he once kept a
shoe-shop, ' I can assure you, Mr. Chairman, I never did
keep a shoe-shop, but that the shoe-shop kept me.'
Within a few days a lady brought me a Parish
Magazine. She said, ' Here is something that may be of
service to you, as then' is an article about bees.' I was
very glad, because 1 knew nothing whatever about bees,
only that they stung and gave honey ; my wife appeared
to know a great deal, as her father kept bees for many
years. I soon found out that he belonged to the old
school — honey and brimstone. 1 found the article, and
something like a parson with a veil on; the article was
about quieting bees, my wife's father knew all about
that.
I read it more than once, then I got excited and
wished to know more about the dear bees. Now I must
go in for a bar-frame hive. I sent for one, and all fitted
up with foundation, &e. I got a letter from the Station
Master that it had arrived. I shall never forget the
misery I was in at this time; a day or two before the
arrival of the hive a lady friend called and told me that
the bar-frame hives would not answer. Her brother had
had several, but the bees all died in them ; and that his
place was much better than mine as it was high and dry.
My dear half gave me no rest: 'Oh! send the hive back,
and get the man to allow you something,' and suchlike.
I still had a besetting sin in that line of bees keeping me,
or at least that they would pay their way. Well, I
painted the hive a nice green colour, and was careful to
leave the opening same size as thej skep. I had to do
nothing now but wait until my bees swarmed.
Coming from church one Sunday morning 1 met a
man who worked for the lady that gave me the hive ;
he had his shirt-sleeves rolled up. I said, ' Whatever are
you going to do, and on a Sunday ?' he said lie had been
sent for to go and hive a swarm of bees. What a chance
for me, only that it was Sunday ! That besetting sin
again got the mastery, and I went to arrange to have
them. I had not to ask twice. Two men brought them,
a skep full as full could be of bees ; it happened that two
hives bad swarmed at the same time, both on the same
bough about three feet from each other, and the men put
them all in, or tried to do so. Here was uniting. I was
quite ready for them when two men brought them. I
had got a platform in front of the hive, and covered with
a white table-cloth. The men said, ' There they are.'
I said, 'I want you to throw the skep down, and then
take it up.' ' No fear ; you do it yourself,' said one
of the men. He added, ' You nor no other man will
ever get them into a thing like that ; how can you expect
it ? My master once tried it, but he soon tired of it.'
I had no other alternative than to commence without
help. The man undid the cover, and then I bumped them
on to the platform, about half of the bees fell out. I was
40
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 19, 1888.
very glad I did not get stung. ' Now then, look ; just as
I told you,' chimed in one of the men ; ' they Will never
go into such a thing as that.' The bees ran here and there.
I was glad it was getting rather dark because they did not
fly. I could see the bees clustering in front of hive up to
the very top. Just then my wife called me in to supper.
She said, ' How long will you be in getting the bees into
the hive, as it is getting very cold ?' I said, ' You had
better go to bed.' 'All!' she said, 'you told me they
would all he in in the course of half an hour.' When I got
to the hive most of the bees had found their way back
into the skep. I bad to commence again. This time I
got a brick and placed it in the centre of the white
table-cloth, and I soon humped them out ; they hissed
just like an egg in a frying-pan.
Necessity is the mother of invention. I had no
smoker, so I got all the brown paper 1 coidd, and a box
of matches. The paper smoked away very nicely, and 1
kept getting them in ; about half of them were in when
it struck three o'clock. I was very cold and chilly. I
thru and there promised that if ever I again got another
swarm I would have a smoker. About six o'clock I
heard a door open, and then a voice twitting me, ' Why,
have you not got them in yet ? ' Then my wife came to
look at the bees, and then she looked at me. < Hi, what a
lecture I got on bee-keeping! Her father never had any
of those foolish things; just nice, comfortable skeps, and
at the end of the season used a very small piece of brim-
stone and took the' honey and got Is. per pound. How
humiliated I was ! My wife said, ' Just look, they come
out as fast as they go in.' At eight o'clock I gave it up
for a bad job. Friends came to see my success ; alas !
they saw thousands of bees clustering outside. I was
very like Job; you may be sure they gave me a lot of
comfort. I wrote to a friend stating that I had put the
bees on six frames according to directions. I got a
reply, and what a relief! — 'Give them all the frames.'
Oh, how happy I felt! It was only the work of a few
moments to remove dummy, ami then to my relief they
scampered in ; but it was .strong work on account of the
narrow doorway; still, a great many refused to go to
work, just basked in the sunshine. I wrote again.
Reply came, ' Put sections on.' I was very thankful for
this piece of advice ; it was worth lis. 8cl. You may be
sure 1 put them on within twenty minutes. There was
not a bee outside — 1 mean basking in the sun ; there
they were in the sections looking through the glass.
Next day I could see honey. I felt like Coiumbus now,
repaid for all the worry and trouble. And there was a
gnat change in my appearance, especially my head : if
Barnum hud been about I would not have been safe in
nine days. I took twenty-two pounds of honey from
tlio hive; if I had known then what I do now I could
have had fifty pounds. My friends came again this
time ; they said, ' Who would have thought it r' others,
'I could not have believed it!' I shall never forget
when I took the honey into the house. My wife opened
her eyes and looked at the honey, not at me, and said,
' Well, well,' and ran for some dishes.
I wrote to friend iluckle, and I soon got a wrinkle or
two fri im Modern Bee-keepinff and Mr. Cowan's hook. By
the time I had read these books I really had got bee-
keeping on the brain. I found that I had done all things
which I ought not to have done and left undone the
things which I ought to have done.
{To be continued.)
HONEY AND MELLA.
Has the taste for honey died out in this country, or
has it been benumbed by the atrocious imitations and
adulterations with which, in a time of scarcity, the
market has been flooded ? It is doubtful which, for the
introduction of sugar and the subsequent removal of the
sugar tax has decidedly told its tale upon the demand,
honey being used where sugar is now for domestic use or
confection. The tax upon mead and metheglin, our rare
old ancestral honey beverages, stopped their manufacture
in a great measure, and with the consequent decrease in
the demand followed the decrease in the supply, until
the reaction went, as all reactions do, too far, and then
the supply of real honey became deficient, insufficient
even for the reduced demand; consequently fictitious
manufactures, that a bee had never known, found a
sale as the genuine thing, and the taste for real honey-
died out.
Now there is another tide of reaction setting in, and a
demand for real honey is greatly on the increase. Medical
men prescribe it as a health-giving diet for children,
and especially invalids, or others ; and beverage-makers,
in their quest for ' something new,' are inclined to go
back to ' something old,' and take up the honey drinks
again. All this means a renewed supply, and that of
the genuine article only, wherefore there seems to he a
wide field for the cultivator and collector. Great Britain
can supply many thousand times more honey than it
does, and ladies yvould find bee-keeping a very lucrative
home employment, and a very pleasant and interesting
occupation.
The British Honey Company Limited (17 King
William Street, Strand ; depot : Columbia Market,
Shoreditch) have sent us some samples yvhich are truly
delicious, and should be found on every breakfast or tea-
table where cheap and nasty jams are now too often to
he found.
The same Company manufactures an effervescing,
non-intoxicating drink which they call 'Mella.' It is
rather too sweet for ordinary drinking, but it is by no
means insipid, and the honey is there in full flavour,
The adulterations of honey to increase bulk and profit
are perhaps more numerous than samples of fictitious
honey, and they are as bad and injurious as any can be.
Without going into the methods of their detection, it
must suffice in this article to enumerate those more
generally met with, and not a trace of one of them can
be detected in the honey sold by the British noney
Company. Amongst them starch, potato, wheat, and
cane-sugar, are the least injurious ; chalk, hydrated
sulphate of lime, and pipeclay taking a very had
position, and being very commonly found. The starch
is not only added for the sake of creating weight and
bulk, but to ' improve ' the colour of dark honey, and to
correct an acidulous taste yvhich old honey sometimes
acquires. No doubt the chalk, &c, are used for the same
purpose. The wax is often simulated with the aid of
hard mutton suet and starch. — The British Journal of
Catering, December.
Geombthical Construction of the Cell of the
Honey-Bee. — In the Proceedings of the Rayed Society
Professor II. Hennessey describes the geometrical con-
struction of the cell of the honey-bee, and gives a figure
and method by means of which the lozenges comprising
tlio cell can be obtained. On a straight line take a part
A 1), and mark off DC = 2 AD. From 1) draw a line at
right angles to AC, and with a radius AC =3 AD cut
off DP. Draw a line from A to P, then A P and AC
will form the sides of the lozenge A CEP. Prom this
the two remaining lozenges and the six trapeziums can
January 10, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
41
be obtained. The triangular pyramid which terminates
the bee's cell mar be inscribed in a sphere whose
diameter is three times the size of one of the edges of
the pyramid.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or querist asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, qwies cannot always be replied to m the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of persona
interest will be antieered in tliis column.
H. Wrioht. — 1. Lee's Frames. — You will be able to procure
Lee's frames from Messrs. Neighbour ; but we believe the
machine for making them is not quite perfected. When
the frames are ready will be announced in our advertise-
ment columns. 2. First Swarm. — In the case of a first
swarm, it is the old queen that leaves with the swarm.—
3. Camphor. — Bees do not object to camphor. 4. Excluder
'//inc. — It is not necessary to use excluder zinc under
sections. The bees object to it. Allow not less than
one-fourth of an inch, and not more than three-eighths
between rack and frame.
S. J. S. — Mr. James Lee's address is 43 Glycena Road,
Lavender Hill, London, S.W.
H. C. Schwerz. — 1. French Works on Bees. — Elevage des
Abeilles by M. Georges de Layens. Les Abeilles by V.
Rendu. Les Abeilles by Maurice Girard. 2. Italian
Works on Bees. — L'Ape e il suo Governo, by Dott. A.
Dubini. L'Ape Italiana, by F. deJorio. Manuale: Api-
cultura in Italia, by Cav. L. Sartori and Cav. A. de
Rauschenfels. These may be procured through Messrs.
Dulau, Foreign Booksellers, Soho Square, London.
C. M. R. — 1. Old Bees. — It is most probable that your bees
were old and queenless, and consequently died out.
2. Condemned Bees. — For treatment of condemned bees,
consult Vol. XV., pp. 329, 341.
Wblsh Novice. — 1. Utilising Slag Heap. — Try borage,
mignonette, wallflowers, or stocks. You give no idea
whether there is any soil at all among the slag. 2. Feed-
inn Stocks short of food during January. — Flour candy,
pushed quietly below the quilt, is the only food per-
missible.
A. Nicholls. — 1. Preventing Loss of Swarms from Skeps -If
you increase the size of your hives by adding ekes below
and supers above, you may safely leave them from week to
week. 2. If your bees require feeding, give them candy
or barley sugar.
W. Chester. — The honey in the unfinished sections should
be extracted when convenient, and given to the bees to lick
out. They may for this purpose be placed behind the
dividers, on the lower edge of which an entrance must be
made to give access to them. Then wrap them up warm
and dry, so that they may be ready on the arrival of the
honey-glut.
E. A.. Gibbon. — It is not easy to say what caused the bees
to desert the hive ; but the hive having been deserted, the
inmates of the neighbouring hives found it impossible to
resist the temptation of plundering. This temptation
passed from one hive to another till the whole apiary
became demoralised. Robbing is generally accompanied
with fighting.
Sherborne. — Hohj Writ. — Your letter received, with thanks.
We must respectfully, but firmly, decline its insertion.
^©usiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, ISerks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bro3., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keefers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTIC IE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDRETJ, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newart.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKOT, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 19, 1888.
THE HONEY-PRODUCING INDUSTRY.
t HIS department of Bee-keeping has attained such important dimensions, that Honey in its various forms is
now recognised as a staple article of commerce. There is hardly a Grocer or other dealer in the large
towns of the country, who is not becoming aware of the value of the same as a medium of profit ; and it
is now common for the Wholesale Dealer to come to the large Apiary and make his purchases, just as he
would buy any other commodity ; and notwithstanding, small Bee-keepers sometimes complain tkey cannot sell.
The fault is mainly their own, in holding out for a high price on a quantity too small for the dealer to trouble with.
Tke large holder, on the other hand, being well known, and having greater facilities, disposes of his entire crop to
one party, often before it is removed from the hives. Consequently the demand has exceeded the supply, and an
unlimited field is open for the profitable investment of capital in developing this industry, when under efficient
management.
Relying upon these facts gleaned from personal experience, as well as that of other large holders, the present
proprietor of the Great Sussex Apiaries is making arrangements to develope his entire business into a Limited
Liability Company, for the purpose of very largely extending the honey-produoing department.
The district is entirely free from any possibility of interference from the dark honey produced in some localities
by aphidean pests. At one of the apiaries, very favourably situated in a hollow at the junction of several fertile
valleys, many acres have already been sown for the benefit of the bees with honey-producing plants ; while many
acres more can be sown in like manner at little expense.
It is also intended to make mutual arrangements with neighbouring land-owners for the same purpose; as also
to rent land for the double object of producing both honey and hay from the same crop. Other apiaries will be
established from time to time in suitable locations, so that nothing will be wanting to make this the most complete
and extensive business of the kind in either Europe or America.
The Queen trade, as also the Factory, will all continue under Mr. Simmins' personal supervision, and it will he
his utmost endeavour to give satisfaction to all who may become interested either as Customers or Shareholders.
A complete Prospectus, with full particulars, will shortly be ready; of which due notice will be given.
Special prepaid ^.dvertisements.
Exchange Column. — Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Goods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms : Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
New Ready.
SIMMINS' NEW BOOK.— 'A MODERN BEE-FARM,
AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9d. Special Edition, stiff
covers, Is. 6d., post free.
The Special Edition includes Photos of the Author's
Domestic Hive; his Home Apiary, and another covered
Apiary ; also one of Queen and Workers on a Comb. Ot
the Author, Kottingdean, Brighton ; Neighbour & Sons,
149 Regent Street, London; and J. Huckle, Kings Langley,
Herts.
BEE-KEEPING, Plain and Practical : How to
Make it Pay. By A. Rusbridge, Is. 6d., post free,
Is. 8d. Address J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts, a 1253
THE MANAGEMENT OF STRAW SEEPS. De-
signed to teach the Cottager how to obtain the best
results at the least possible cost. By attention to its teach-
ings, Cottagers will be enabled to make their Bees a more
profitable source of income than hitherto. Price One Penny.
Six copies and upwards, post free. J. Huckle, KingsLangley .
ADVERTISEMENTS for Leicestershire Bee-keepers'
Association's Report should be sent to Edwin Ball,
Waltham, Melton Mowbray. Members residing in County,
10s. per page; others, 20s.
WANTED. — Copies of British Bee Journal for January
7th, 1886, and Nov. 1873. Full price given. Apply
J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
FOR SALE.— 50 lbs. of best Extracted Honey at 6rf.
per lb. Address T. Barnett, Ross, Herefordshire.
n88
ADVERTISEMENTS for the Kent Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation Report should be sent to the Hon. Secretary,
Hockenden, St. Ma.iy Cray, by Saturday the 21st instant.
ADVERTISEMENTS for Derbyshire Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation Report (1000) received at W, T. Atkins, 6
North Slreet, Derby. 10s. per page.
TTIOR SALE.— 12 dozen 1-lb. Sections (glazed), 8s. per
JP dozen, or 90s. the lot. Address Woodley, World's
End, Newbury. b 89
AMERICAN SECTIONS BY THE MILLION
The cut, taken from a photograph, represents our bee-hive
factory where we annually turn out about 20,000 hives and
3,000,000 sections, besides enormous quantities of bee-supplies
of every description. Dealers before ordering elsewhere
should correspond directly with us. We are prepared to quote
better prices on sections in quantities than we have ever
8uoted before. We are also publishers of Gleanings in Bee
ulture. with a circulation of 7674 subscribers. A sample copy
of our i ournal and our40-page price list sent on application to
jfc.. I. H.OOT, aledinR, Ohio, XJ. S. A.v
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stiungewats' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 202. Vol. XVI.]
JANUARY 26, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Editorial, Dtoittts, #t.
A COTTAGER'S BEE JOURNAL.
It must be apparent to all who have noted the
successive changes which have taken place in the
issue of the British Bee Journal, -from monthly to
fortnightly, from fortnightly to weekly, from its price
at sixpence to that of twopence per number, the
constant aim of the respective proprietors to produce
a journal which should be the full exponent of the
developments of a progressive industry, and the
faithful reflection of all those improvements which
are constantly being brought before the public in
the various appliances which tend to the inure
perfect and profitable management of the Honey
Boo, and which should be able to give sufficient
reports of the meetings of the County Associ-
ations.
But we have ofttimes been much exercised in our
minds whether our Journal, in its present form anil
at its present price, has reached the hands of those
for whose benefit the British Bee-keepers' and the
County Associations were more particularly insti-
tuted, viz., the Cottagers and the Agricultural
labouring classes. Again, in the annual reports of
the various County Associations mention has con-
stantly been made of the trouble and difficulty
experienced by the Secretaries in regulating the
circulation of the Journal ; and great has been the
trial of their patience at the absence of regularity
in forwarding the Journal from one member to
another. We also have in some measure been dis-
satisfied with ourselves, and have felt that the
object of our mission was not accomplished till the
Journal was published at such a price as should
render it accessible to bee-keepers of every class
and grade. The difficulty which we have felt we
have had to contend with has been how to produce a
journal containing the information appertaining to
an industry which is ever extending its borders, the
exposition of the constant novelties in appliances,
the communication of the increasing knowledge of
the physiology and habits of the honey-bee, and
the reports of the various Associations, and at the
same time to bring the teachings of the Journal to
the homes and hearths of the cottager and artisan.
To perform with satisfaction these desiderata, it has
been suggested to us by many friends and members
of County Associations to retain the l'»r Journal
in its present fulness and form, and concurrently
to issue monthly a summary of the useful and
practical portions of the Journal at a price which
should bring it within the means of the humblest
bee-keeper. This suggestion we have much pleasure
in adopting, with the hope that it will be for the
'encouragement, improvement, and advancement
of bee-culture in the United Kingdom, and for the
bettering the condition of cottagers1 and others;
and also that it will be the means of relieving in
some degree the hard-worked Secretaries of County
Associations of the anxiety they have felt with
regard to the circulation of the Journal, and of
giving facilities whereby the various Associations
could send out notices of meetings and other in-
formation to their members at more frequent
intervals than can now be arranged, ami with less
trouble than now devolves upon the Secretaries.
AVe purpose, then, on or about the 1st of March,
to issue a Cottager's Bee Journal, which will con-
tain those portions of the weekly Journal which are
most general and serviceable. The price will be
Is. (ii/. a year, or three-halfpence per number, 2s.
post-free. At this price we hope to give sixteen
crown quarto pages — nearly equal to the si/.e of the
Bee Journal. We purpose to make special arrange-
ments with the Secretaries of County Associations.
The price we have every reason to believe will come
within the means of those whom we most desire to
reach, who will thus be able to have theirown paper,
at the beginning of every month, without the trouble
of having it passed from member to member. This
will be found to be the cheapest printed bee paper,
— cheaper even than those published in America.
We trust that the secretaries of the various County
Associations, who will find this mode of publication a
great assistance to them in their work, will give us
their heartiest assistance in making this ' new
departure ' a success ; and for this purpose we
might suggest that the Journal in its new form
should be given to every cottager as an inducement
to become a member of the Association. We shall
be pleased to receive any practical suggestions
which will enable us more readily and completely
to meet the requirements of the Cottager.
It will be a great source of pleasure if by this
endeavour we as journalists are enabled mare
44
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 20, 1888.
effectually to fulfil the object of the existence of
the Journal ; and we feel we may confidently
depend upon the assistance of those who have in
time past supported us, so that a fresh impetus
may be given to the cause we all have at heart.
HUNTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
We very much regret to hear that the Hunts
Bee-keepers' Association are about to lose the
services of their Secretary, Mr. C. N. White, of
Somersham. For five years Mr. White has been
most assiduous in the performance of his duties.
In his capacity of expert he has visited every
portion of the county, and given lectures on bee-
keeping to the cottagers and villagers ; and he has
spent more than one vacation in tours through
various districts with the object of spreading a
knowledge of the management of bees. The de-
mauds on his time have now become too great,
and he is obliged to resign the post, the duties of
which he has so efficiently performed. It is sad to
think that a gentleman, so enthusiastic and capable,
is obliged to retire from the scene of his labours,
baffled and disappointed. Could not the services
of Mr. White be still retained] Could not the
county be divided into provinces, and the provinces
into districts, giving Mr. White the superin-
tendence thereof? We trust that some such
arrangement will be effected, and not allow Mr.
White to fall back into the ranks.
ASSOCIATIONS.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Meeting of the Committee held at 105 Jermyn Street,
on Wednesday, January 18th; present, the Hon. and
Rev. H. Blig-h (in the chair), the Rev. Geo. Raynor,
Captain Bush, Captain Campbell, the Rev. Dr. Bartrum,
the Rev. F. S. Sclater, the Rev. J. L. Seager, J. M.
Hooker, II. Jonas, W. O'B. Glennie (Treasurer), and the
Secretary. The minutes of the last meeting having
been read and confirmed, the Secretary presented the
statement of accounts for the past year. After some
consideration, it was resolved that the same be adopted
and printed as usual. Attention was called to the fact
that whilst the Association had fully maintained its
position in all other branches of its work, the income
from subscriptions had decreased.
The advisability of the Committee altering their day
of meeting was considered, and the Secretary was in-
structed to write to each member of the Committee
requesting him to name the most suitable day, or days,
of Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday, for him to attend
with the view of fixing the meetings in future so as to
enable the majority to attend.
The consideration of the Committee's Report and the
business of the General Meeting occupied the remainder
of the meeting, which was followed by the usual
Quarterly Conference with the County Representatives.
There were present, Mrs. Curry and Mr. W. B. Webster,
Berks; F. Cudd, Kent; Rev. W. E. Burkitt, Wilts;
W. Lees McClure, Lancashire and Cheshire; W. M.
Graham, Middlesex.
The representatives reported that two subjects had
been considered at their preliminary meeting : —
(1.) The advisability of some modification being made
in the existing arrangements for the third-class examina-
tion of candidates for certificates in practical work.
(2). The desirability of some facilities being given to
the County Associations whereby the Bee Journal might
be more largely used by them, and further whether
there was any probability of the price being reduced to
one penny.
In regard to the latter point the. Committee pointed
out that they had no power in the matter, but they had
no doubt but that those who conducted the Journal
would do their best for the Counties.
The former recommendation was discussed at some
length, the majority being of opinion that the present
system was not too severe so far as the requirements of
the knowledge of the work, but that the system might
be much more simplified. The Committee promised to
give the matter their best consideration, and in the
meantime they would be glad if the representatives
present, and others, would send their suggestions on the
subject, in writing to the Secretary.
The first Quarterly Conversazione of the new year
was held at G p.m. Among the ladies and gentlemen
present were the Hon. and Rev. Henry and Mrs. Bligh,
Mr. Hooker, Mr. Glennie, Mr. Lyon, Mr. Grimshaw,
Captain Campbell, the Rev. G. Raynor, Mr. Webster,
Mr. Leigh, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Haviland, Mr. McClure,
Mr. Wm. Graham, Mr. Henderson, and others.
The Chairman (Mr. Glennie), in opening the pro-
ceedings, said he would not detain the meeting by any
preliminary remarks, but as Mr. Grimshaw had kindly
undertaken to read a paper he would at once call on
that gentleman to give them the benefit of his ideas,
wbich could not fail to be entertaining and instructive.
Mr. Grimshaw said that he had entitled the subject of
his address ' Specialisation,' and he begged that the
meeting would favour him by freely discussing and
criticising the opinions he was about to lay before it.
Specialisation.
It seems strange that it no"v becomes a question,
debatable pro and con, I admit, but still an open question,
whether it is advisable at this stage in bee-keeping
knowledge to centralise our studies, our experiments,
and our energies, into given grooves and channels in
order that our science may continue to develop with
the same giant-like rapidity which has distinguished
it during the recent past.
There are rivers of thought which widen and deepen
their channels by the aid of the numerous streamlets
whose contents they are constantly absorbing. There
are also other watercourses which spread themselves out
over barren stretches of almost profitless waste, which
divide, and again subdivide, their flow until, if travellers
tell us truly, their floods become so absorbed amongst
the sandy and muddy detritus or residuum that they are
entirely wasted.
What applies to one science may apply to another, and
if it be found requisite for students in other sciences to
specialise their energies after reaching some common
given point, it is necessary for the bee-keeper also to well
consider the. matter, whether he can add to our present
store of knowledge, and advance the science, without
this specialisation. Like the veins on a leaf, or the ribs
on a bee's wing, bee-keeping lias divided itself and rami-
iicated into so many channels that we are beginning to
feel the necessity for specialists and authorities who have
made particular branches distinct and undivided studies,
and whose word becomes a dictum. As we stand at
present, we see in Great Britain, Canada, America, and
Europe, many brilliant lights amongst bee-keepers, whose
opinions differ as we read them, week by week, in the
columns of nearly every journal, so that one feels con-
strained, when asked for advice, to recommend the
novice to subscribe to but, a sing'e journal, and follow its
teachng alone ; and there sometimes exists a little feel-
ing of delicacy in suggesting even this course,
January 26, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
45
Clever doctors are quite at variance with each other as
to the treatment their patients require, and though we
cannot but warmly thank them for their best prescrip-
tions, gratuitous and at great trouble, we have but to
look into that facetia column, the part of our journals
devoted to ' the selected query,' and glance at the answers,
to see the necessity for specialisation. The distinctly
conflicting nature of the advice in some places, given by
men of light and leading for the guidance of the sub-
scribers to the periodicals, is symptomatic of the want of
specialisation ; the confusion of their readers is a develop-
ment of this, and the tyro in bee-keeping becomes dis-
couraged and disgusted with the whole thing. The
queries are sent out to well-known bee-keepers, they
answer according to their individual predilections, but it
requires an expert in the business to sift out the real
truth, and best proceeding out of the matter of their
replies. Often there is direct variance amongst the
replies, and then the reader's difficulty is at its height,
for, amidst it all, he feels how much they are trying to
do for him, and how grateful he must be, and is, for
their efforts.
The directions which efforts towards specialisation
should take are almost self-evident. On the subject of
foul brood and dysentery, there is room for years of
study, and by getting periodical information from those
who are devoting attention to this branch (of this kind
of information by the way we have the exceedingly in-
teresting translations of Pastor Schdnfleld's articles on
brood-food), the bee-keeper, by means of his journal,
would get to know exactly what to do, and when to do
it, in both the prevention and cure of this disease. (Jueen-
raising and mating affords another deeply interesting
route for investigation and experiment; we may thus
learn from specialists the disadvantages of permitting anv
black drones in our own apiaries, aud also the combina-
tions of varieties required to produce the best all-round
bee, the bee of the future ; one which shall work early
and late, swarm little, winter well, give clear white cap-
pings, and withal, 'keep its temper,' thus giving us
another reason for looking to it, as we are told to go to
tho ant.
Another special study well worthy the attention of
the highest intellects amongst bee-keepers of to-day, as
it has engaged the minds of many in the past, is the
botanical aspect of bee-keeping, the practical part of this
being, of course, what, when, and where to plant forage,
witli its respective values as cattle-fodder. The rationale
of the hive, the why and wherefore of the best systems
of hanging frames, wintering, obtaining the best
sections, or combs for extracting, these are, both theoreti-
cally and practically, advantageous lines of research : but
particularly interesting would be a study of the different
kinds of honey, with their respective worths as food,
their various flavours, and medical properties. For the
specialist in bee anatomy and physiology there is the
widest and most delightful field for observation and
thought in such enchanting vistas of light, as the voice,
sight, hearing, smell, taste, memory, instinct or reason of
the bee, its homing power, the uses of the different
limbs, wings, head, antenna?, jaws, eyes, and what not;
for, depend upon it, there is much more to learn yet about
all these than we already know.
Specialisation I hold to be the future watchword of
those who aspire to become advanced bee-keepers.
When I say advanced bee-keepers, I do not wish to class
them with cynical scoffers, whose claim to be advanced
is merely a question of the calendar. We know of Mr.
Webster's discovery in borderland, the advanced apiarian
who ' ken'd mair aboot bees than onybody,' and some of
lis can perhaps call to mind others of the same class, who
sneer at science till it offers them some gem for the mere
trouble of picking up, just as some despise the physician's
science until they are seized with illness, or others who
despise religion until they hear ' the old Reaper ' sharpening
his scythe. Let not the specialist in bee-keeping be dis-
mayed or disheartened by sceptical scorn, but let him take
heart of grace from the knowledge that the mocker
himself uses hives and appliances, and also follows the
instruction of the scientific bee-keeper of the past, just
as in the future he will follow those of to-day.
I am prepared to admit that the honey farmer, pure
and simple, must generalise to same extent, and take only
a digest of the information provided for him in the bee-
literature of the day; this, coupled with his own ex-
perience, may perhaps keep him in a lino with other honey-
farmers, but as a thorough student of bee-physiology, the
bee-keeper cannot long continue to cull the sweets from
various ilowers, from various chalices of study, the
nectar-tubes become too deep for good to be drawn from
all, and he will be forced eventually to take a lesson
from the worker-bee herself, concentrating his attention
on one exclusive source for a given time, if he intend to
gather or diffuse any appreciable amount of intellectual
nectar, and he will find he cannot keep pace with the
latest information and most recent discoveries, and still
be able to contribute to the sum of knowledge already
possessed, unless be select one particular branch of
apiculture, devoting to this the whole of the time and
energy he has hitherto given to the entire subject.
If we do not specialise our work, we shall, I believe,
drift to one side like logs, or become mere milestones,
marking the advances made by others, who, wiser than
we, selected one science, and then again one branch of
that science, wherewith to develop and recreate the mind.
By-and-bye, as one broad route is travelled and explored
it becomes crowded with fellow-workers, the forward
in iveinent is again arrested, unless they decentralise and
diverge along what seem at present only dark, tortuous
allevs ; but these open and exp mil the further they are
explored until specialisation again becomes necessary.
It is so with the chemist, the surgeon, the physician ; in
law, in art, in music; and also in our varied trades and
manufactures. Finally, it is so in the home of industry,
tin' hive itself. If excellence is to be maintained and
continued, subdivision of effort, in other words specialisa-
tion, has to be resorted to. In my mind, it is not now a
question of whether specialisation be uec63saryor not (it
goes without saying), but whether the time has arrived
when we must i-jsort to it; and this, as far as regards
bee-keeping, I hope to bear discussed— discussed I hope
to advantage.
The Chairman congratulated Mr. flrimshaw on his
very able paper. The subjects touched upon were
no doubt op 'ii to a great amount of consideration
and interchange- of thought and opinion amongst bee-
keepers, and he hoped that members who could throw
any light thereon would kindly express their views, and
thus assist in the elucidation of many mysteries in con-
nexion with bee-keeping. Mr. Grimshaw had referred
to some points upon which investigations were already
being made by specialists, who had been good enough to
lecture at the meetings of the Association from time to
time; for instance, Mr. Cheshire had discoursed ably on
foul brood. The subjects of wintering bees and honey
as food had also been dealt with in the same way.
The Rev. G. Raynor thought they would all agree on the
advantages of specialisation. It was impossible to arrive
at anything like perfection in the different branches of
the science of apiculture without specialising. It was well
known that a ' Jack-of-all-trades never excelled in any
particular line. He was not surprised that experimenters
had arrived at different conclusions. Such results were
always occurring, no matter what the subjects were.
In regard to bee-keeping, there was plenty of room for
difference of opinion. As a cure for foul brood some
people used salicylic acid, whilst others preferred
camphor, and various other remedies. His experiences
showed that the cheapest and safest cure was to destroy
46
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 26, 1888.
the diseased stocks arid their appliances. His apiary
had never suffered from it, but he had seen a good deal
of it in the apiaries of others, wbo had lost more than
they gained by attempting to cure the evil with specifics.
As to queen-raising, the great obstacle to breeding any
race pure was the difficulty in making the queen pure.
That could be insured by specialists, but in an apiary
conducted on general principles it was troublesome to
manage, and required a thorough knowledge of the
subject. The greatest advantages accrued from the
introduction of fresh blood into an apiary. They were
well aware that in the breeding of cattle the diffusion of
fresh blood was considered all important — the same
applied to bees. Until the foreign races of bees were
brought to England they had been breeding in-and-in
for many centuries, which had resulted in a loss of
vigour; and if that system had been continued, they
would never have been able to take 200 lbs. per colony,
as was the custom in the present stage of bee cultivation.
He advocated the transmission of virgin queens a distance
of at least ten miles from the apiary in which they were
bred, wdiere they should be introduced in a strange
apiarj' in order to be mated with fresh blood, and then
returned to the original home. By this means vigorous
stocks would be ensured. He heartily thanked Mr.
Grimshaw for his interesting paper.
Mr. Baldwin dissented somewhat from Mr. Raynor's
view as to the desirability of killing the bees to destroy
foul brood. Mr. Cheshire had thoroughly investigated
the subject and shown beyond doubt that, if properly
treated, however bad the disease may be, it was possible
to thoroughly cure it. Perhaps, however, Mr. Raynor's
advice was the best in the case of unskilled persons. He
thought the object and aim of introducing new blood
would be best served if bee-keepers would exchange
young fertile queens. The capping of sections was a
most important matter, and he would be pleased to see
the bee that could give good white capping, thick
enough to prevent the sections from ' weeping,' but not
too thick to displease judges. The bee that he had
found to give the best capping was a cross between the
Ligurian and black bee, or a cross between the Carniolan
and black bee. Carniolan capping was exceedingly thin,
and not suitable for sending distances, low temperature
or dampness causing it to ' weep.'
Mr. Lyon said a few words in regard to the modes of
transmitting bees from place to place, which subject
was discussed at great length by the Chairman, Messrs.
Baldwin, Graham, Webster, Raynor, Sambels, Hooker,
Haviland, Lyon, and Grimshaw.
Mr. "Webster was strongly of Mr. Raynor's opinion as
to the necessity of destroying hives containing foul-brood.
In cases where the bee-keeper thoroughly understood the
disease the circumstances were different and a cure might
reasonably be attempted.
Mr. .Sambels was of the same opinion as Mr. Raynor
with reference to the stamping out of foul-brood by
total destruction of the stocks. That was the best advice
to inexperienced people. If he (the speaker) had large
apiaries he should do his utmost by means of the
doctoring system rather than condemn a number of hives
to the sulphur pit. His bees had never been troubled
with the disease, but lie had had experience of it in the
apiaries of neighbours.
Mr. Hooker considered that no bees were so good as
the old English bees for sealing honey-comb. Crosses
were no doubt more vigorous and produced more honey,
but for satisfactorily sealing comb black bees were the
best.
Mr. Haviland said with regard to Mr. Raynor's re-
marks, that few bee-keepers had time to attend specially
to the bite ling of bees, which involved the expenditure
of considerable time and money. The first cross was
generally considered very vigorous, but breeding from
the crosses produced speedy degeneration.
Mr. Sambels approved of the frequent importation of
fresh blood. Instead of breeding crosses he thought it
better to keep to one breed, but obtain fresh blood.
That principle applied well to fowls and other animals.
Mr. Grimshaw differed from Mr. Haviland somewhat.
In-and-in breeding no doubt caused an inferiority of
race. The first cross was no better than either of the
original ancestors, but this should be crossed with a bee
whose good points it was desirable to secure, and by so
crossing and inter-crossing with bees possessed of
specially good qualities the result would be what he
would call the bee of the future — containing a maximum
of good with a minimum of bad points. Some races had
extra long tongues, some wintered more successfully,
whilst others gave better cappings. His object in
writing the paper on ' Specialisation ' was to cause bee-
keepers to think on the subject, and decide for them-
selves what particular line they would take in specialising
their studies. Generalisation did not forward the science
of apiculture at all.
Mr. Graham said a gentleman whom he knew, and
who had made a special study of breeding, advocated
that a start should be made with a black bee as the
original queen, introducing yellow blood by means of
Carniolans or Italians. That product might be allowed
to last for three years, after which fresh blood should be
introduced according to circumstances. If vigour should
be found wanting introduce the black species ; if the
stocks were not prolific or not good honey - gatherers
yellow blood was required.
Mr. Baldwin was afraid a great deal of mischief was
done by what were known as condemned bees. He be-
lieved that many stocks given up to be driven contained
foul-brood. He had found straw hives so diseased that
he had refused to take them, and it would be impossible
for him to say that he had never unconsciously driven
from hives containing the disease. Generally cottagers
would insist on the combs being left in the hives, and in
such cases persons of the greatest experience would have
a difficulty in recognising foul-brood.
The Chairman said they were all much indebted to
Mr. Grimshaw for his able and valuable lecture. AYhile
agreeing with that gentleman's remarks, he must add
that most bee-keepers were obliged to go in for generali-
sation. But there were scientific gentlemen, members of
the Association, who had both time and oppartunity to
devote to the specialities of apiculture ; and if they would
each study one particular branch of that industry, and
give to the bee-keeping world the results of their labours,
in the same way as physicians and physiologists assist one
another, the cause for which they met would be advanced
to an incalculable extent. lie proposed a vote of thanks
to Mr. Grimshaw.
Mr. Sambels lieartily seconded the motion.
The Rev. G. Raynor then proposed a vote of thanks to
the Chairman ; which was seconded by Mr. McClure,
and acknowledged in graceful terms by Mr. Glennie.
Mr. Grimshaw expressed his thanks, saying that he
had been honoured by a patient hearing, and also by the
interesting conversation which had ensued after the
reading of his paper. He would at all times be proud to
do his best towards assisting the Association by the in-
troduction of subjects for thought and discussion at the
quarterly gatherings, and he hoped they would have the
benefit of many fellow-labourers.
HUNTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual business meeting in connexion with the
Hunts Bee-keepers' Association was held at the 'Foun-
tain ' hotel, Huntingdon, on Saturday afternoon. In the
absence of the President (the Earl of Sandwich) the
chair was occupied by Col. A. W. Marshall, J. P. (vice-
president). Amongst those also present were the Rev.
January 26, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
47
C. G. Hill, Rev. C. C. James, Mr. J. Howard, Mr.
Z. Hobbs, Mr. C. N. White (honorary Secretary), &c.
The Chairman, in presenting the financial report for
the past 3'ear, expressed the pleasure it afforded him to
be able to give them a more favourable account of the
Association's finances than he was in a position to do
last year, when there was a balance against them of
51. 3s. -lid. The receipts during the past year had
amounted to 26/. Os. Ad., and the expenditure to
Ml. 4*. 8grf., leaving only 4s. AUl. due to the Treasurer.
On the motion of the Rev. C. C. James, seconded by the
Rev. C. G. Hill, the Report was adopted.
Mr. 0. N. White presented the annual report of the
Association. It was as follows : —
' The record of 1887, which is now presented to the
Association, is, I feel sure, one upon which we may con-
gratulate ourselves. The number of subscribers now far
exceeds that of any previous year, and the balance-sheet
which 'the Treasurer is enabled to present will give more
general satisfaction than, at the beginning of the year,
the most sanguine of us anticipated.
'In addition to defraying the ordinary expenses, the
Committee have paid oY. 158. towards the expenses
attending the Great Exhibition, which, as representing
the bee-keeping industry in England, was held in London
in lssii. Mr. Linton, one of our representatives to the
British Bee-keepers' Association, has also very gene-
rously paid the sum of '21. ~s. 3d. to the same fund.
Thus have we taken a worthy part in an exhibition
which has done much to make a valuable bee-product
more extensively known and probably more generally
sought after.
' Now, although it is undoubtedly gratifying to be
able to present such a satisfactory balance-sheet, there is
cause for regret, as maivy old subscribers have intimated
their intention of withdrawing their names from the list
of members. This action on the part of some of our
friends evidently suggests the necessity for reviewing
the past, with the idea of securing more general
sympathy and support in the future. And here, as a
means to that end, I would again emphasise the import-
ance of endeavouring to find a means of assisting
members in the sale of their produce. 1 feel convinced
that it is to the attainment of this object that our efforts
must be mainly directed.
'Acting again in the capacity of honorary expert, I
have visited most of the members requiring advice. I
have also delivered a lecture at Homingford I iiv\ , where
fresh members were obtained.
' The Annual Show was held on July I'lith, at St. Ives,
in connexion with the Agricultural Society's Show, and
to this Society we are indebted for the space for our tents
and a donation of •'!/. to the prize fund. Considerable im-
provement in the quality and appearance of the exhibits
has been noticed in previous years, and this exhibition
was no exception to the rule. The judge appointed by the
British Bee-keepers' Association, the Rev. F. G. Jenyns,
of Knebworth, reported that the show was a success,
and had rarely, if ever, been surpassed in the history of
the Society. The cottagers' exhibits were more numerous
than in previous years, and were specially complimented
by the judge, who pointed out the non-sectional exhibit
of Mr. Z. Ilobbs as the best of its kind in the show. The
silver medal was awarded to Mr. J. II. Howard, jun.,
Holme; the bronze medal to Mr. R. Allpress, Fenstanton ;
and the British Bee-keepers' Association certificate to Mr.
Z. Ilobbs, Little Stukely.
' Copies of the Bee Journal have been sent round to
thirty-seven members weekly, but very few have been
returned.
' In concluding this report, I regret feeling compelled
to surrender the official position winch I have held since
the formation of the Society in 1882, but I trust that,
with the kind assistance of the Agricultural Society con-
tinued, and the hearty co-operation of the bee-keepers
and their friends in the county, our work will be carried
on with vigour and success.'
The Bev. C. G. Hill moved, and Mr. Howard seconded,
the adoption of the report, and the motion was carried
unanimously.
In the course of a conversation which ensued on
the present condition and future prospects of the
Association, the Bev. C. G. Hill threw out a suggestion
with regard to the Society's meetings. Huntingdon, he
said, ought not to be always the place in which the
meetings of the Association were held. To bring the
objects of the Association thoroughly home to the minds
of the cottagers it would be necessary to form smaller
areas in which meetings might take place. If, for
instance, the various polling districts were taken, honey
might be exhibited in those districts, and a number of
prizes could be apportioned to each. That, he believed,
would greatly tend to popularise the Association, and
would carry out its principal objects in a more effective
manner. — Mr. White pointed out that the chief ob-
jection to that plan would be the additional expense it
would entail, and this the Association would really be
unable to bear under the present circumstances. Prizes
might certainly be given to local centres, but it would be
a great pity to adopt any scheme which would in any
way tend to do away with the annual central show.
On the motion of the Bev. C. G. Hill, seconded by the
Bev. C. C. James, Lord Sandwich was unanimously
re-elected President. Mr. Marshall was then thanked
for his past services, and also re-elected. The Bev. C. C.
James suggested the advisability of having a paid secre-
tary, but Mr. White pointed out that the funds of the
Association would not permit of this. For himself, he
added, he would at once say that he could not consent to
receive payment. That was not the idea which possessed
him when he first undertook the office. The secretary
should be a gentleman who had more time at his
disposal than he had. — The Bev. C. C. James was then
requested to accept the office, but this he declined to do
on the ground that ho had not sufficient time to devote
to the work.— It was found impossible to make a
definite selection of a successor to the retiring Secretary,
and, Mr. White consenting to continue the duties in the
meantime, the matter was left to the next meeting of the
Association on April 28th, — Mr. J. Linton and Mr.
White were appointed as representatives to the British
Bee-keepers' Association, and one or two alterations
were made in the composition of the Committee.
WBOCKWABMXE BEE CLUB.
The annual meeting of this Club was held in the Boys'
Schoolroom, Wrockwardine, on Tuesday, the 17th mat.
The report of the hon. treasurer and secretary (Mi-s
M. E. Eyton) showed the Club to be in a nourishing
condition, both as regards funds and members. Nine
new members have joined during the year, and the Club
now numbers thirty. Great interest has been taken in
the examinations held by the B. B. K.A., and during the
year five members, three of whom are cottagers, suc-
ceeded in passing as third-class experts. Of these five,
two have also been successful at the examination for
experts of the second class. Several of the members
were exhibitors at the County Honey Show, and suc-
ceeded in carrying off four prizes in all. The Club
Show, held iu September, was a most successful and
encouraging exhibition, and altogether the members may
fairly congratulate themselves upon their advance during
18»". This prosperous state of affairs is chiefly due to
the unfailing interest and fostering care of their inde-
fatigable hon. secretary. The following were elected as
officers during the next year : — President, the Hon. Mrs.
K. C. Herbert ; hon. secretary and treasurer, Miss M. E.
Eyton ; assistant-secretary, Mr. John Palmer.
48
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 26, 1888.
-^^ would be safe
after a few hours' travelling in the mail-bags.
During the past live years we have handled and raised
a considerable number of queens of various rare . al o
natives, and can fully endorse the remarks of 'U. II.'
on the value of fresh blood, whether native or foreign,
when introduced to apiaries where in-and-in breeding
had been allowed.
Referring to postal arrangements, it appears hopeless
to expect that until other weightier matters such as an
excess of ■\\d. being charged per letter to the Australian
colonies over that of cur neighbours, of circulars being
posted by the ton in Belgium for redelivery in England,
&c, &C. — are satisfactorily adjusted, that we shall lie
able safely to drop our surplus queens in the letter-box.
Perhaps half-a-dozen so posted may be safely delivered,
but the seventh will bring an official notice that ' Live
bees are not allowed by post,' and t he parcel (after a
week's rest) will lie delivered personally to the sender. —
John Edby, .V. Neots.
X
PREVENTION OF INCREASE.
Number. One.
[11-14.] Prevention of increase of colonies of bees does
not mean to prevent the increase of bees by any means,
as this would be exactly opposite what we do to gain
the best results, for no bee-master ever had too many
bees in a hive. Its object is to prevent swarming in a
measure, but more especially increase in numbers of his
colonies, which is always done at a loss of surplus honev
and expense of new hives, combs, and reducing the
season's profit. My plan is no theory, but the result
of live years' experience with one hundred colonies of
bees.
It is as follows : As the preparation begins when bees are
set out, I will begin with April 1. In the first place I will
say I use the Langstroth hive 101 inches wide, allowing
i' inches from centre to centre of combs; brood-frames
!• inches deep, thus it will be seen that I have a broad,
shallow hive, which I find the best, all things considered,
for profitable bee-keeping, and as I am a specialist at
bee-keep :ng, have been obliged to make it pay. I strive
to keep queens that will fill ten combs with brood ; this
hive will certainly give room for the most prolific queens,
which if crowded in a small hive are too willing to
swarm out. Then again, if we contract too much, wo
shall crowd pollen into the sections. This size of hive
obviated these troubles.
My belief is that the bees control swarming, and that
the queen is always opposed to swarming. It is, there-
fore, the bees we must please. Knowing just what they
require we may proceed to manipulate them to the best
possible advantage.
First, then, in early spring, when set out, allow one
day's flight for them to mark their location, then examine
every colony, taking away all c Ik not densely covered
with bees ; then crowd with division-board, being sure
they have abundant store-,; cover up warm above and
pack warm at sides of hives to hold the heat of cluster
and hasten brood-rearing ; leave entirely alone twenty-
one days, when young bees will begin to hatch ; then
examine once a-week, adding the combs as fast as young
bees emerge to cover them.
The combs should be added to outside of brood-nest,
one at a time, as warm weather advances, until all are
in. Young bees will now hatch as fast as the queen
can fill the empty cells with eggs; the swarm is now
a rousing one, and the hive packed full of bees, brood
in all stages, and honey (the old stores) mostly consumed.
It is now June 1; clover begins to yield, and we see
the combs begin to whiten. This is the proper time to
place on a super filled with sections, having starters in
them, which will be taken possession of immediately,
and honey will be stored rapidly, and if left in this
condition swarming would be the result. We watch
the super, however, and before it is quite full we raise
it up and place an empty one under it, alwa3rs adding
extra room before quite needed, and if the hive is
standing in the sun a shade-board is placed upon it.
Managed in this way throughout the season swarming
is scarcely ever thought of, and not one colony in twenty-
five will cast a swarm, as all the energy of the bees is
bent upon honey-gathering. The strength of swarm is
kept up by the queen having all the room she can till;
consequently, the white homy all goes into sections.
But should a swarm issue we proi 1 at once to profit
by it, and hive them so that no time is lost for work in
the sections. This we accomplish as follows: As soon
as all the bees are in the air we turn the hive clear
around, so that it faces the opposite direction from what
it did ; setting it just off the stand
We now place a new hive on the same stand as the
old one occupied, and put seven combs or frames with
foundation in it. Take three combs of brood from old
hive and put in also ; then place the super, or supers, as
the case may be, on the new hive, and hive the swarm
back in it, letting the old hive remain until towards
avening. At that time all the flying force will be back
in the new hive on the old stand. Now open old hive
and shake and brush all remaining bees down in front
of new hive, when they will all run in. We now have
all the bees of the swarm, and all left in old hive on
new stand. That colony is now done with swarming
for the season. There is a strong field force, no combs
to build, or supers of unfinished sections to till up. The
bees have gained a new impetus by swarming, and the
work goes on rapidly : no loss of time, no increase, and
a double surplus will be taken.
"We now return to the old hive, which is taken into
honey-house, queen-cells cut out, honey extracted, and
the brood given to stocks not overflowing with bees, to
nucleus, or to artificial increase (if we wish such), or Still
better, held over till next day and a swarm hived on
them and treated the same as was the one the day
before, as regards supers, &c., and so on to the end of the
season ; when we find we have had half-a-dozen swarms,
and yet only our one hundred stocks in the yard in the
50
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 26, 1888.
fall, the original number in the spring. Following up
this method during ihe se.ison, an extra yield of comb-
honey can be secured, fully as much, I believe, as of
extracted.
After July 10, the supers can be contracted to the
close of the season, leaving few unfinished sections to
carry over. These latter can be extracted and combs
kept for the next year. Should I wish increase I should
manage my apiary as above until after clover and bass-
wood bloom, then divide aud let them fill up on fall
flowers. — R. A. Morgan, Columbus, Wis. {American
Apicu'.turist.)
WHAT INDUCED ME To KEE1' BEES.
{Continued from p. 40.)
[1445.] I got another bar-frame hive. I knew all
about what ought not to have been done. Had another
strong swarm this time from the skep which the lady
made me a present of. This time I gave the six frames
and left the opening full width and a feeder on. A few
days after I gave the ten frames, and when I was
satisfied that they wished to work above I put on the
large bell-glass which I got with the skep. It was
about half filled with hone)' when I got it ; I thought it
would look very nice as an ornament when it would be
full of honey, but I counted my chickens before they
were hatched; in a few days all the furniture had dis-
appeared, they had taken it down below.
1 caught a severe cold the night that I kept my bees
company, which turned to bronchitis. I gradually wasted
away for three months. I had a daughter at this time
troubled with a short cough; I knew well what that
meant. We took our walks together, thinking that soon
we must be parted from those who are very dear to us.
Just at this time I thought I would send to friend
Huckle for the leaflet 'Honey as Food and Medicine.'
There was not much medicine that I could see about it,
but I saw it was good for food. I had my bread cut very
thin, then spread honey on it, and made a sandwich of
it. Before twenty-four hours I began to feel a different
man. I got my daughter to take some; her cough has
left, and we are now iu as good health as any person
could wish, and I thank God for it. Calling upon a
bee-keeper a few days ago I found his wife had the
bronchitis; her case was worse than mine. 1 told her of
my cure. She tried it, and is now able to go about as
usual, although seventy years old. People looked at
me and said, 'Why, you are quite well!' 'Oh, yes!
the honey has done it.' I was soon sold out, and not
less than Is. per pound, some more. One thing I know ;
I shall always try to keep 100 pounds of honey per year
for home use. Once let the value of pure honey be
known, and then our friends may do better than they
have ever done before, both for themselves and to benefit
their fellow-creatures. I hope that some who read these
few lines and who have the bronchitis will just try it,
and write a few lines respecting their cure and send
them to the Editor for publication. Eat the bread
very, very slowly, don't wash it down with tea or coffee.
I believe in Cod's providence, and here we have one of
His good gifts.
I have got a long way from the hives. I must now
get back. Well, I was so delighted with my bees, just
to think what good creatures they were. I had a great
many visitors coming to see the bees working — indeed, it
was becoming almost like a show ; every person that
came to the house must see the dear bees that I looked
upon as having under God's providence saved my
life. A veiy sudden stop was put to my peeping, ll is
the last feather that breaks the camel's back, and so I
suppose that they had put up with my prying until they
were determined to resent it. A young man wished to
look. I lifted the top, and in a moment the bees lifted
me. "We ran (I know some bee-keepers will say ' What
cowards!') into a shed a few yards off, but the bees
followed us. The young man managed to get behind
me in a stooping position in one corner. The bees
placed their stings into my face as if it were a pin-
cushion, and it resembled one for a few days afterwards.
At last I said, We must run for it, and we did run. When
we had got out of harm's way he drew the stings out
and pressed his watch-key on them to get the poison out.
Now all this can be avoided. We all wish to learn as
much as possible about ' our bees.' Thanks to Abbott
Brothers of Southall, London, for their cheap observatory
hive, Messrs. Neighbour & Sons, Hegent Street, London,
and others, we can now see what is wanted ; before we
were still partly groping iu the dark. We get one lesson
respecting our frames hanging true. How man)' of us
have found our frames near each other at the bottom of
hive, and consequently the next space further off than it
ought to be? I now do the following, Place a piece
of wood between each frame one inch in length and fth
of an inch square, keeping them about one inch from
hive side, and resting on bottom of hive. Again I have
found the bottom bar bent so that it touched bottom of
hive. This is very annoying to the bees. I now have a
piece of cork about a quarter inch deep and glue it on
centre of bar. We can hardly expect our hive-makers
to do this work for us, as they put. everything in our
way for as little money as possible. We have also gone
a step further iu the observatory hive. We can now see
our bees feeding, piercing their candy, and making it
like a beautiful piece of coral work. Thanks to the
Productive Tin-plate Worker Association, Masshouse
Lane, Birmingham, for their Excelsior bee-feeder. How
pleasant for an invalid to see all this when he cannot
get about.
Now to return to my skep which the lady kindly gave
me. With one skep being on the top of the other the
bees got in between the steps and came out same way, as
well as others using the bottom entrance. Query:
Can something not be done with our bar-frame hives ?
It would save the bees a great amount of travelling up
and down in the hive ; I mean just when the honey is
coming in freely.
And now, in conclusion, I am glad to say that I have
never seen or heard any of the hobgoblins or will-o'-
the-wisps in my hives. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Commence this season well. Begin by getting at least
one new hive, and do not omit to order an observatory
hive. Paint it well outside with four coats of good oil-
paint, and paint the inside with Mr. Cowan's prescrip-
tion. When there is no smell from the paint then com-
mence to put the bees in, and treat every hive in the
same way. To beginners, Don't be alarmed by all the
thousand and one things you read about. I quite
expect to bear of the Hessian fly or the Colorado beetle
being found, — almost anything, but I am quite prepared
for anything in that line; nothing will deter me from
keeping bees. Bee-keeping is with me a great pleasure ;
indeed, I may say they contribute to my happiness as well
as thepooket. The Bee Journal I prize very much, although
we do get unpleasant things to read about, such as damp
hives, mouldiuess, aud that other thing, &c. If you are
determined to have Is. per pound for your honey, get the
bronchitis. — T. II.
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES— SECTIONS.
[1440.] During the season of 168" I have made a
number of experiments in order to find the best method
of securing sections tilled evenly and entirely. I have
had colonies worked upon the various lines indicated
in the issues of the British Bee Journal for the
past two years, and will here just say the method
which has given the most perfect result. The four
inner faces of the sections have a small groove into
which the foundation is placed at the time of setting up
the sections. This foundation fits rather loosely in
January 26, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
51
order to allow for a slight expansion upon being treated
with the heat of the hive. I find the bees fix the four
edges of the foundation to the sides of the sections
' first thing they do ' invariably. I use Dadant's thin
foundation, which I import direct from their establish-
ment in America. After this is worked out, the so-
called fish-bone cannot be detected, and I have never
found this foundation to fail, break down, or be removed
or destroyed by the bees. Dadant's extra thin foundation
I fix all round with molten wax by means of a sable-
hair pencil, afterwards scraping the surplus wax away
with the point of a penknife. When foundation is fixed
by either of the above methods I have had 100 per cent
of finished sections without a single pop-hole.
The grooves can be easily made by means of a small
plane, or a small circular saw. I cannot bear the
appearance of a line of wax showing upon the outside
of the section, as is the cise with the Lee section and
the one figured by Mr. Simmins in his Modern Bee-
farm.
For all practical purposes, appearance, See., the very
best section is the four-piece pin-dovetail section. Those I
import from Mr. Heddon have their faces beautifully
smooth, and the wood is nearly as white as milk. By
means of slotted dividers 1 have not obtained more than
80 per cent of sections free from pop-holes when the
the ordinary one-piece sections have been used in the
cases of two-ways and four-ways respectively, and the
most approved section-cases have been used, the defects
being caused by the wood coiners of the one-piece
sections. My best results have been made by using wide
frames, as illustrated in lleddon's Success in Bee Culture,
the wood of the sections being quite free from traces of
propolis, See,, and the sections evenly and entirely filled.
I have come to the conclusion that a vertical unobstructed
passage is what is required in order to have the corners
tilled, and that this is almost impossible with the one-
piece section with two bee-ways, or even four bee-ways,
to secure entirely filled sections every time owing to the
wood corners. I have most carefully tested the new
patent Heddon hive with leference to sections, and find
it unsurpassable for this purpose. — T.Boxxku Cham nuns,
F.L.S., Tref Eglwys, January 18.
HONEY LIQUOBS, CONFECTIONS, &C.
[1447.] Mr. E. McNally, of Rutherglen (1417), will
probably get the information he requires as to the names
of manufacturers who use honey in their goods, if he
communicates with the lion. Sec. of the Berkshire B. A.
1 remember they had an exhibition at Beading some
years ago, at which such articles formed a very prominent
feature. A reverend gentleman, whose name I forget,
took great interest in the matter, and did much to bring
the many uses of honey before the public.
The Dorset B. A. also had a stall at their shows for
some time for the sale of confectionery, drinks, &c, in
the manufacture of which hone}' was used. I tasted
many varieties and found them excellent. The biscuits
made by Messrs. Huntley & Palmer, of Beading, and
called ' Honey Drops,' are so good that 1 do not like to
be without them. They are sold in tin boxes at Is. per
box.
There were many announcements in the Journal a
few years ago giving such information as Mr. E. McNally
now wants. If he fails to get the information from
other sources I dare sa}' he can get access to a file of
bound volumes. The report of the 13. B. A. exhibits at
'The Healtheries' will be especially useful to him. Mr.
AN'. II. Duuman, of Dorchester, late Hon. Sec. of the
Dorset B. A., and Mr. W. N. Griffin, of Beading, late of
the Honey Depot, Freshford, Somerset, could probably
give much acceptable information on the subject. — 'West
Countryman.
WHO IS 'AMATEUB EXl'EBT?'
[1448.] This is a question which none of us would
have thought it necessary to ask as long as that nom de
plume attached itself only to the pleasant chit-chat and
friendly criticisms which have appeared from time to
time in the pages of the British Bee Journal. Lately,
however, under cover of the same fictitious name, an attack
has been made in the columns of a Canadian Bee Journal
which will naturally incline us to ask, ' Is this the writer
in the B.B.J., whose letters have crossed the Atlantic ?
Are the two " Amateur Experts" in reality one and the
same man?' As chairman of the Board of Examiners
of the B.B.K.A., I am perhaps in a better position than
any one to refute this attack which is made against
those who conduct the examinations for the third-class
certificates of the B.B.K.A. 'Amateur Expert' says
that the candidates are required to find the queen in ten
minutes by examiners who would probably take ten hours
to find her, or words to that effect. We can only
interpret this to mean that these examiners are incom-
petent men, and I think it due to the British bee-keeping
public that I should say that this is altogether a false
charge. Although as chairman of the Board I have
signed nearly all the diplomas to examiners which have
been issued, I have never acted in the capacity of third-
class examiner myself, and have therefore less hesitation
in saying that the examiners have always been chosen
i from those who ware known to be most competent, noi
have any been appointed about whom the Board felt
any doubt as to their fitness.
May I be allowed to give this advice to those who use
a nom de plume : Do so as long as you please, if pro-
tected by its shelter from the public gaze you feel more
confidence and can write better for the good of the
community at large; but when you think it necessary
to make attacks which are more or less personal— use
your own naim ! — IIenuy Bi.iuii, Hampton Hill
Vicarage, January VMh.
PARALLEL r. RIGHT-ANGLE FRAMES, Sec.
[1440.] Having read a good deal of the correspondence
on the above subject, I should like now to give my ex-
perience and the result. I u-e some long hives with the
frames parallel, and some hives with ten frames. I can
turn either side to the front, as my entrances are all
sunk in the floor-boards. In 1886 I wintered fifteen
stocks on the parallel, six on the right-angle, and last
spring I had one queenless on each system, and one
rather mouldy on each system. I have not lost a stock
for several years, except one I tried to winter as an ex-
periment on the right-angle iu a half-inch hive, which
died. My four best stocks last year on the parallel system
gave me, as near as I can say, No. 1, hybrids, 53 lbs. and
01 sections; No. 2, Ligurians, 101 lbs.; No. •'!, blacks,
50 lbs. and 41 sections ; No. 4, hybrids, 91 lbs. The
four best on right-angle: No. 1, blacks, 08 sections:
No. 2, blacks, 66 sections ; No. :i, hybrids, 40 lbs. and
14 sections ; No. 4, blacks, .".2 lbs. and 21 sections, which
leaves me in favour of parallel frames. I have not
found any difference in the healthiness of either system.
I prefer 'manipulating parallel frames. I was pleased
with my Ligurians beating all my others but one, and
they the No. 1, hybrids, which I should have said were
two lots wintered' in a fifteen bar-frame hive, and having
a queenless stock. On May 28th I took one queen away
and united the others, they giving the 53 lbs. and 01
sections.
If it will interest the readers of the Bee Journal, I
will explain how I managed the Ligurians, which are
a mile from home. Wintered on nine bars. On
January 20th I found entrance stopped with dead
bees. April 5th, examined and gave 1-lb. cake of
candy on top, and two pounds of dry sugar in dummy
52
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 26, 1888.
at back; in May gave 2 lbs. of liquid food. June 10th,
doubled to twenty bars, putting the stock at the top, and
five bars of comb and five bars of foundation in the
— -^ bottom hive. June lGth, gave ten more bars of
a »/^Sfoundation in the centrej June 29th, gave five more
_^__^--bars"cff comb and five~bars of foundation under top box,
making four storeys high. July 29th, took top box, ten
full bars. August loth, took nineteen full, one empty,
leaving stock strong and plenty of honey.
I am now going to give the Oarniolans a trial, having
received one of Mr. Benton's selected queens, and success-
fully introduced her, October 4th, on Mr. Simmins's
principle, as I have done several before. On November
20th 3'oung Carniolans were out, on December 16th a
lot were out, and on January 8th and 9th all the bees
had a good cleansing flight. — Ligusticus.
TARALLEL versus BIGHT-ANGLED FRAMES.
[1450.] We are invited by the writer of ' Useful
Hints ' to the B. B. J. to publish our experience in
regard to the above question, i.e., whether frames should
be hung parallel or at right angles to the entrance. We
can scarcely claim to have any experience in the matter,
as we have never worked a single stock on the parallel
system. Our objections to it are rather theoretical than
practical. But so thoroughly convinced are we of its
demerits that we have never even considered it neces-
sary to test it. We could tolerate it, and even recom-
mend it as perhaps the best arrangement for wintering
weak stocks, and we have frequently practised it so far,
keeping the bees on a few frames well back from the
entrance, and chaff packed. It may work well also in
building up stocks in spring, since it is unquestionably
the warmer system. But when our stocks come to full
strength we could not tolerate it. It would be im-
possible for the bees, of what we call strong stocks, to
get jostled past each other in the limited passage
afforded by a comb hung across the entrance. Under
the right-angled system the bees have all their streets
opening clear out to the country, in our case ten in
number, not counting those at the sides. Under the
other system every passenger has to burrow under or
scramble round each of the ten or eleven combs the hive
contains before reaching the back. And so, of course,
with the ventilation. Only in one way could we tolerate
it, viz., by propping the hive from the floor-board so as
to give entrance all round. Our great difficulty in bee-
keeping has been, and to some extent still is, not to get
stocks strong, but to keep them strong, which means
during the honey season to prevent swarming. This we
can almost certainly do under the system we prefer, but
we would consider it a hopeless task under the parallel
system.
"\\ bile acknowledging that we have never given the
latter system a season's trial, we should like it to be under-
stood that we are not strangers to it. We have handled
for others many hives on the combination principle ; but
in no caso did we ever find one that could compare
in results with our own. — W. R.
So far as actual experience in working hives on the
parallel system goes, we are only a little in advance of
' W. R.' We have in our apiary but one stock of bees
with frames so hung, and this is one of two ' long-idea '
hives presented to us last year by a friend who was
reducing his stock. Our experience, therefore, of parallel
frames is too limited for us to speak with authority for
or against them. At the same time, wo have seen
enough of the combination principle in the bands of
others to be quite sure we shall never adopt that plan.
Tiering -up recommends itself, both in theory and
practice, over lateral extension so unmistakably that we
shall never give the latter a trial. As to hanging frames
parallel to entrance, it has something to recommend it,
so far as actual manipulation goes, because, no doubt, it
gives some advantage in having lateral space in the rear,
when hives are made to accommodate more frames than
are in use by the bees.
It is also hardly likely that we should be much
troubled by bees jostling past each other, as our colleague
suggests, because we could not tolerate a hive for our
own use wherein a free passage and free ventilation all
round could not be readily given in hot weather. Seeing
that the question has been put to us, and that we have a
couple of these hives on our hands, we shall give the
matter some attention ; but, while endeavouring to keep
an open mind regarding it, we have a strong conviction
that we shall prefer to work with frames at right angles
to the entrance in the future as we have in the past. —
W. B. C. {The Bee-keepers' Record.)
COUNTY BEE-KEEPING ASSOCIATIONS.
[1451.] Your article under this heading has presum-
ably produced the effect which was intended, and as far
as comment upon it has gone it has been fully justified.
As a County Secretary of many years' standing I thank
you for opening your columns to a discussion which I
trust will not be closed until the committee of the
British Bee-keepers' Association admits that its future
position in the world of bee matters requires it to give
its aid in elucidating the questions commented upon.
It was not a lit tie remarkable that coincidently with
the appearanca rf the article the intimation of Mr.
White's retirement from the honorary secretaryship of
the Hunts Bee-keepers' Association, under circumstances
so closely resembling those indicated in that article,
should have appeared. Simply stated, his resignation is
owing to the lack of assistance afforded to him in the
management of his Association.
I have carefully read the observations which have
been made by your several contributors, and there are a
few that I should like to remark upon. ( If Mr. McClure
(14W), I would ask, Why is it that the County Associa-
tion, of which he is honorary secretary, ' has not begun
to fill the place it was intended to take?' and what
hitherto have been the aims which have so long pre-
vented it from beginning to fill that place? Surely
during the time that it has been in existence it has done
something more than form an organization ? If not
there is at once good ground for the suggested investi-
gation. Replies to these would in all probability afford
additional justification for the article, but possibly not
from exactly the same quarter as the writer expected.
Mr. McCluro brings into strong contrast the character of
his committee with the one described in the article
referred to. Could it but be known how such attendances
were secured, and how to ensure their successful applica-
tion in other counties, one of the chief causes of anxiety
would be overcome. It is to be sincerely hoped that the
enthusiastic hopes which Mr. McClure indulges in may
be realised, and that he may soon see the bee-keepers of
his county working their districts up and these workers
greatly assisting the County Secretary. The conclusion
to which Mr. McClure is led. in reference to the
ultimate position of the County Secretary, is the same
which I foresaw ninny years ago, and which I com-
municated to the B. Bee Journal during the time it was
in the hands of Mr. Abbott ; and it has been a matter of
surprise to me, as it must have been to mauy others,
that the voluntary efforts of a few devoted men filling
the post of honorary secretaries in each county have so
long supported and maintained the position of the
respective Associations as has been done. The enthusiasm
of one individual may do much; but can that enthusiasm
be depended upon to continue if the objects on which its
aim is fixed are uncertain and indefinite ? I venture to
assert that we do need some stimulus that shall rally the
energies and direct the efforts of those who are interested
January 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
53
in the welfare of County Bee-keeping Associations,
otherwise we shall find our ranks thinning', and the
Associations assuming the character of which America
supplies the type.
Turning to Mr. Hooker's contribution, I note he
speaks of the considerable progress which has been
made by some of the County Associations, the able
management of exhibitions, the questions of visitors,
&c, but concludes by saying, ' Still, much remains to be
done.' Further on he attributes the decline, if such
is shown, to ' something wanting in the organization
and management.' This may be the very point and
centre of the enquiry ; and if so, the consideration of the
matter by the Committee of the B. B. K. A. as sug-
gested should be productive of great benefit at the
present juncture.
Mr. Hooker does not leave us to find a remedy for the
state of things complained of, but lays down an excellent
programme, upon the carrying out of which he foresees
a new period of prosperity. But can we at this period
count upon a re-awakening of enthusiasm with which to
produce so desirable a result? I fear not. In our
Association we have local honorary secretaries, and it
may be taken for granted that the best appointments
possible have been made. The result is seen in district
branches being formed on precisely the same footing,
but showing very different degrees of energy and interest.
For this inequality many circumstances must be brought
into account, but rarely, if ever, does it happen that a
complaint is formulated, or even a hint given, that any
locality was prepared to furnish a better local secretary.
Should the fault of the condition of things be attribut-
able to the County Secretary? A simple remedy may
be found by the members at the annual meeting replacing
him by some one better fitted to cany out the duties of
the office. I do not thrust rnyself into the controveisy
in any feeling of alarm, but solely with the object of
furthering the inquiry which has been opened out, viz.,
What is the state of the internal working and the indi-
vidual condition of the County Bee-keeping Associations ?
— Jesse UAnnATr, Hun. Secretary K, B. K. A.
MARKETS FOR HONEY.
[1452.] Your correspondent 'Sherborne' must be
one of those 'Peculiars' as no fellar can understand;
he is pecking at all around, and himself too, but the
latter fact need not, I think, concern any one but
himself.
I feel sure correspondents and readers alike are not
unmindful of your ever readiness to give space for all
such matter communicated that is interesting and calcu-
lated to assist us on the path of learning; further, your
liberality for giving broad gauge to fair and honest
criticism is widely acknowledged ; to say the least then,
it is not generous on the part of any one to desire to
force intrusive matter into your columns. Hence. I have
ventured to thus express myself, not that I fear you
would deviate from the course you have hitherto
followed, and which is, I believe, so generally appre-
ciated and has landed us with our fifteenth volume,
but to record my warmest thanks and approval of
the manner you conduct the Journal, which to steer
clear of dissensions is, at times, doubtless a difficult
task.
Permit me through your medium to tender 'Sherborne'
my thanks for his useful hints on the question of the
price of honey, and to congratulate him upon his great
success after his efforts of obtaining what, under present
circumstances, may be considered so fair a price for all
his honey, and having also found, too, two or three
markets for another year, which, as he says, is some
small consolation to him (I should feel it a very great
consolation.) Now here is a grand opportunity for
'Sherborne' to help those around him who may be less
able to help themselves by letting such into the secret,
say, of where one of the three markets may be met
with. I don't for a moment doubt he will wish to
monopolise all three markets, and it would be an excellent
example.
Nothing like persevering oneself. 'Sherborne,' to be
discontented and to find fault with others for their
non-success in finding a ready market for your honey
surely is of no avail. Vast is the advantage gained by
careful study of the various articles put before us week
by week in the Journal : few less in importance, perhaps,
than some which have appeared of late in reference
to the system by which such enormous stocks have been
produced in so short a time, and the great yield of
honey obtained. I have a statement before me, given
by a member from the Ulceby district of Lincolnshire,
telling me how he worked up his stocks last season
to an enormous size, and the great yield of honey con-
sequently obtained, and the fact was fully demonstrated.
I admit I have never vet been able to accomplish such
great things, but I nevertheless readily admit they are
accomplished, and right glad am I to know it.
A happy outpour, whether ' Sherborne' intended it or
not (January 1-', page 27), the very trade, forth it goes,
— bee-keeping and chimney-sweeping. 1 never once
thought of the combination, and I have long, too, been
casting about to find a trade or business that neces-
sitated little brain and labour to which that of bee-
keeping could be linked with a prospect of its being
profitably worked. The callings of the chimney-sweep
are, as a rule, at early dawn, thus leaving the clear day
for bee-calling. What trade could be better fitted ?
How great and good things may result from a slip! —
R. K. Godfrey, January 28.
ECHOES FROM WILTS, 800 FEET ABOVE SEA
LEVEL.
[1453.] As my experience for last week must bo
different to many, I send you the following report : —
January 9th. Lowest night temperature by Negretti and
Zambia, 1 ft. from ground, 3!l° At 1 p.m., 803 in sun.
January 10th, Lowest 42' At 1 p.m., 82° in sun.
11th, „ 37 „ 70" „
12th, „ 35° „ 70' „
This being the case, bees from all hives flying as in
May, and cleansing themselves. At 10 a.m. on 9th
removed all doors, slides, and covers, and exposed to sun
and air. Bees at once set about cleaning out debris. In
the middle of the. day I helped them with a bent wire.
Total dead from twenty stocks less than J pint. Lifted
corners of quilts only, and saw evidence of abundance of
store for the present. Found all hives warm and dry,
and floor-boards very clean. Knowing that food was
not required to be given, I resisted the temptation of
spreading frames to look for brood.
M v stocks consist of four good skeps and sixteen bar-
frames, the latter packed up at the end of October, with
from six to ten frames well stocked with sealed food
( mostly honey), and well covered with bees. I use
American cloth quilts, two thicknesses of house-flannel,
and over all 3-in. tray of chaff or cork-dust. All my
hives have the entrance extending full width of hive.
When I packed up, I removed all wood slides and substi-
tuted others of coarse perforated zinc, with entrance in
centre f in. wide, and never had floors so dry and clean.
This time last year several of my hives were buried 3 ft.
deep in snow. — W. E. BunKiTT.
51
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[January 2fi, 1888.
S. CORNEIL.
The subject of this sketch was born of Irish parentage
in the township of Ops, County of Victoria, and Province
of Ontario, April 7th, 1830. He worked on the farm
until he was nearly eighteen years old, going to the
common school in winter. lie was big and strong
for his age, and being the eldest of the family, and the
only help his father had, got plenty of hard work. For
some time before he left the farm he could take a man's
place at most kinds of agricultural labour. He was
always ambitious to excel, and won two prizes at
ploughing matches before lie quitted farming.
From childhood he was a voracious reader, and re-
ceived many a severe scolding from his father when he
was found reading a book while his team was feeding,
His father belonged to the Episcopal Church. During a
religious revival young S. expressed a wish to join the
Methodists. This displeased his father, who told him he
might do so if he pleased, and could continue at home,
but must do no more farm-work. Learning that an ex-
amination of teachers was about to be held at Peter-
borough, young S. determined lo attend it and try for a
certificate. Peterborough was eighteen miles distant,
but our hero set off with a brave heart on foot. He got
a friendly lift part of the way and arrived in good time
to undergo the ordeal. He succeeded in obtaining a cer-
tificate, and found himself in 1853, at the early age of
seventeen, a legally qualified school teacher.
lie did not, however, take a school at once. His
father, having relented, sent for him to come home again,
which he did, and worked on the farm for another
twelve months. He then went to the Normal School for
a session. He commenced teaching towards the end of
1854, and continued at it steadily for about thirteen
years, until June 1867. lie married early in life, so
much so that statute labour could not be exacted of him
until some time afterwards because he was under
twenty-one. The third year of his teaching he ob-
tained 400 dollars a-year, which was considered liberal
wages in those days, and continued to get as good
salaries as were paid to common school teachers at that
time, but as the. years rolled on and his family increased
faster than his salary, it became necessary to look out
for more lucrative employment.
He decided to go into the insurance business, at which
he has now been working for upwards of twenty years.
During his career as a teacher he had the schools in
Omemee, Balyduff, Cavanville, Milbrook, and Ashb urn-
ham. He has resided in Lindsay for nearly twent3r
years. While attending the Normal School he was
greatly benefited by the teachings of Dr. Ormiston.
It was not so much the information that was imparted,
as the mental impetus given, that was of value.
Young S. at that time acquired a fondness for the
study of natural science, which lias never since died out.
Before he desisted from teaching, Mr. Cornell had ob-
tained the highest certificate County Boards had the
power to grant, viz., first clasj, grade A, permanent. It
is still in force, so that if insurance fails, and bee-keeping
goes to the dogs, he can resume that
' Delightful task ! to rear the tender thought,
And to teach the young idea how to shoot.'
Mr. Corneil has been successful in the insurance busi-
ness, his receipts having averaged not less than $1800
a-year, but as he latterly remarked to the writer of
this sketch, ' It has never stayed with me, and I suppose
it never will now ; ' a condition of affairs in which he is
by no means alone. He has been twice married. His
first wife, a native of Edinburgh, died in 1858. He
married again in 1859, his second wife being a daughter
of the late Christopher Knowlson, of Omemee.
In 1875 Mr. Corneil bought his first stock of bees. It
cost him ten dollars, as it stood in his garden ready for
business. He did not then know a worker-bee from a
drone, and had no idea of ever keeping more than three
or four colonies — just to supply honey for his own table.
He determined, however, to read up on bee-keeping in
the winter, when he had more time. He got Langstroth
on the Honey Bee, and Quinbi/s Mysteries of Bee-keeping
Explained, — those old-timed standard books, to which
many of us owe so much. He also read the writings of
Mr. Quinby in the American Agriculturist , getting the
back numbers for the purpose of tracing up every item
of apicultural information. He was thus peculiarly a
disciple of Quinby 's, and naturally contracted a pre-
ference for the closed-end frame which was used by the
great New York apiarist. After reading up on this
fascinating pursuit, Mr. Coi'neil could not be satisfied
without having the latest improvements. This meant
outlay of money, and to recoup this expenditure, he
bought more hives, and went more extensively into bee-
keeping. Thus, from less to more, he got into it as a
business. When he left home to attend the Colonial and
Indian Exhibition a year ago last summer, he had 212
stocks of bees. In preparing them for winter, they were
doubled down to 180 to avoid sugar-feeding, and make
the apiary self-supporting. They were packed and pre-
pared for winter as usual, but, unfortunately, the bees
had gathered a large quantity of honey-dew. About
half-a-dozen stocks which were given sealed comb, filled
early in the season, were clean, bright, and strong; but
wherever there was a considerable store of honey-dew,
the bees were either sick or dead. On the first of
June of last year, 122 colonies out of 180 had suc-
cumbed. Nothing dauuted, however, Mr. Corneil went
vigorously to work to repair his losses, and, though the
past season has been an exceptionally unfavourable one,
he has 105 colonies iii winter quarters; 04 packed on
their summer stands, and 41 housed in the cellar. Mr.
Corneil is now an authority on honey-dew, and strongly
advises extracting it, and feeding sugar to take its place.
lire subject of this sketch is one. of our foremost
Canadian apiarists, and in the scientific branches of bee-
keeping is probably ' the noblest Roman of them all.'
He is a careful experimenter', a patient investigator, and
arrives at his conclusions logically. He wields the pen
of a ready writer, and his articles are always interesting,
instructive, and to the point. He has filled the highest
offices among Ont ario bee-keepers, having been President
of the Association in 1884, and one of the four com-
missioners to England in 1886. In the last-named
capacity he rendered invaluable service as book-keeper
and accountant, performing a lot of hard work, at late
hours, in keeping the cash balance up to the mark.
At the present time Mr. Corneil is experimenting with
a straw hive, which he hopes will prove 'just the thing'
for out-door wintering in this climate. It is a model of
neat workmanship, thanks to the mechanical ingenuity
of his son, whom the writer watched one day last winter
dexterously weaving in the layers of straw, making a
very compact, nice job of it. This hive is designed so as
to have the sheets of comb built transversely and con-
verging to the centre, where it is meant to secure a
vacant space large enough to admit of the bees forming
one solid cluster, instead of being in strata between
combs. It is believed that, on this plan, bees will hiber-
nate more perfectly, and winter better, than on any
other at present in use.
Mr. Corneil has never aspired to municipal or political
distinction. But before the change from the Local
Superiutendency to County Inspection, he was Local
Superintendent of Public Schools in Ops for several
years. He is now, and has been for the past nine years,
a prominent member of the Lindsay Board of Education.
— W. F. Clarke., The Canadian Bee Journal.
[Many of our readers were brought into contact with
Mr. Corneil when acting as one of the Commissioners at
the Colonial Exhibition; they will be pleased to read
the above interesting memoir. — Ed.]
January 2G, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
55
€tJKres fram % yi-acs.
Kilmington, A.vminster, Devon, January 23. — We
have been having dense fogs here for the last week or
two, but the glorious sunshine has come out at last. On
Sunday, the 22nd, my bees were taking advantage of it,
and were coming out of their hives for a cleansing flight.
One would think they were swarming; you could hear
their joyful lium for some distance away. They look as
if they are in a very healthy state. I have twenty
stocks of different sorts, and they have passed the winter
all well so far. I cannot complain with what my little
pets did for me last year. I took about 500 pounds of
honey, which I think is exceedingly well for this part of
the country, and, better still, I found a good sale for it;
so I think you will agree with me that I have been
remarkably lucky. I take the Bee Journal weekly, and
I find it gives me a good bit of useful instruction, and I
strongly recommend it to all other I -keepers, and then,
if they would follow its instructions, we should not so
often hear them complaining about their bens not paying
them which I often hear as I go about. So 1 just till
them the results that I have met with since I commenced
bee-keeping. They cannot understand getting fifty
pounds of honey from one hive of bees until I explain it
to them and persuade them to try it. I now wish my
fellow-bee-keepers a prosperous year for their little pets.
— J. W. Sanders.
Blind Lake Apiary, January 20. — To-day very bright
sun ; bees having a thorough cleanse, pouring out as if
about to swarm. Their cheerful hum is delightful;
they are bringing out their dead amongst them. I
observe some dead grubs after two or three nights of
sharp frost. I have given my opinion to several bee-
keepers that we are to have a damp, mild winter and a
damp summer. Look out for early swarms, plenty of
bees, but small honey harvest. Shall be on the look out
for reports from our 100 and 150-pounders this season.
I hope they may get them, but am afraid the season will
be against them. — SHF.nnonNE.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can he purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to ■:■-> to prose in advance
of the date of issue, arteries cannot always be replied to m the issue
immediately /allowing the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
II. Xeeve. — Sample of Pea-flour. — The pea-flour is just
the thing for the purpose you name. A sprig of
heather has been sent you.
R. F. — 1. Best variety of Bees. — A hybrid bee as the
result of a cross between a black queen and either a
Carniolan or Italian drone gives better results as an all-
round bee than the pure black or Italian. 2. Addresses
of larye Consumers of Honey. — We have no knowledge
beyond that appearing in our advertising columns.
3. Locality for larye Bee-farm. — This is a matter we
cannot help you in without a great expenditure of time
and money. We should recommend you to look round
and try to discover where bee-forage would be naturally
abundant, and then go to work there cautiously — very
cautiously, unless you have more experience than your
questions lead us to suppose. 4. Present Value of
Comb and Extracted Honey. — This entirely depends
on local requirements, the quatity of the honey, and,
last but not least, whether you know how to put it
on the market in an attractive way. 5. Slotted
Dividers. — We must refer you to page 531 of B.B.J.
for 1866.
Woodsetton. — Deserting Hive. — The condemned bees,
being not more than a mile from home, returned to
their old locality, with the exception of the handful
or two which remained with the queen. These, being
insufficient in number to keep up a sufficiently high
temperature, perished from cold.
T. M. D. — Decamping. — The bees from the centre skep
(full of honey) having lost their queen, joined the
other colonies on the fine day you mention. Or it
might be that, being a weak colony, it was attacked
by the other bees, and, its queen being destroyed,
united with the marauders.
J. \V. P. — Granulated Honey, — The sample of honey
forwarded is very good, witli a nice rich flavour. The
season of the previous year was very peculiar, being
free from rains, and therefore a dry atmosphere, honey
when extracted very quickly granulated. Many
apiarians found that the honey gathered from fruit
granulated in less than eight days, and that from
clover in fourteen days. Honey from rape, mustard,
and plants of that genus, candies very quickly after
extraction.
SnEnnonNE. — You would much oblige by adher'ng
in your communications to bee-keeping, pure and
simple.
Malta. — Wax-moth. — Strong stocks are the best de-
fence against the wax-moth. If hives are kept strong,
having a fertile queen, the moth need not be fe ired, ae
it would have little chance of effecting an entrance.
As a preventive, care should be taken not to leave
old combs about, or allow them to be in hives where
moths can enter. Sulphur will destroy the egg^ of the
moth.
[Captain II. II. has just started bees on humane
principles at Malta, and being a novice, would be glad
if any bee-master passing through would call on him and
give him advice at 86 Sta Britannica.]
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Atpleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchtnos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Bintield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fench uch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., b'trand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Jan. 26, 1888.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Sihmins, S., Eottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehureh St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehureh St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H, Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
nsr oti c E.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT U Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh. Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 14« Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley. Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
AMERICAN SECTIONS BY THE MILLION
The cut, taken from a photograph, represents our bee-hivo
factory where we annually turn out about 20,000 hives and
3,000,000 sections, besides enormous quantities of bee-supplies
of every description. Dealers before ordering elsewhere
should correspond directly with us. We are prepared to quote
better prices on sections in quantities than we have ever
quoted before. We are also publishers of Gleanijias in Bee
Culture, with a circulation of 7674 subscribers. A sample copy
of our journal and our 40-page price list sent on application to
, A. X. BOOT, Medina, Ohio, XT. S. A.'*
Special prepaid j^_dvertisements.
Exchange Column. — Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Goods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms : Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
Now Ready.
SIMMINS' NEW BOOK.— 'A MODERN BEE-FARM,
AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9UNTY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS.
[1455.] I venture to offer a few notes on the work and
organization of County Associations, which are ba ed
on some years' active experience as a county secretary.
Worn; op the Association. — It is convenient to
consider this in the first place, apart from the question
of organization necessary to cany it out.
1 . Work for the benefit of all interested in bee-
keeping. In the early days of Associations this was put
forward as their chief aim, and people were asked to
subscribe, not merely to benefit themselves, but to help
others. Accordingly, manipulations in bee tents (which
for a time paid their own expenses), winter lectures, and
exhibitions of hives and honey at horticultural shows,
were the main items in the programme. But as Asso-
ciations progressed they began to offer substantial
advantages to members in return for their subscription ;
and at the present time probably three-fourths of the
members expect (and give up subscribing if they don't
get it) some direct, and real advantage to themselves as
bee-keepers, and are not willing that part of their money
February 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
G3
should go for the benefit of outsiders. Accordingly,
manipulations at horticultural shows (which now do not
benefit member.-) should be things of the past except
where committees of such shows make a grant to cover
all expenses; and the other work I have mentioned
should not be undertaken except where the expenditure
will be balanced by a direct benefit to members, or
except, as in the case of lectures, there is the hope of
gaining new members.
2. Work for the direct benefit of members. This
should, I think, under present circumstances, be the first
consideration; but of course if it is possible (as in b. c.
and e.) to benefit the general public at the same time, so
much the better.
(a.) Experts' Visits. — These have become among the
most important items of work, and should on no account
be left out. At the same time, it is impossible, if the
bulk of the subscriptions are of the '2s. 6d. and os. class,
to give more than one visit to members, preferably in
the spring, or for that visit to be paid at any other time
than on the organized tour. The idea, chietly prevalent
among well-to-do members, that in return for 5s. per
year they are entitled at any time to a visit from the
expert, who would perhaps have to travel twenty miles
and spend a whole day at the one visit, should not be
encouraged. It is most desirable to obtain the services
of several experts in the county, each to work within a
reasonable distance of his own home ; this saves ex-
penditure in lodgings and travelling. Experts must in
nearly every case be paid, and will either be hive-makers
or of the upper artisan class. There should be little
difficulty in securing the services of intelligent and ex-
perienced bee-keepers of this class in various districts of
a county.
(6.) Lectures. — As they cost but little, the lecturer
being usually unpaid, lectures should be given in as many
places as possible. They benefit the genera] public as
well as members, and often result in the addition of sub-
scribers. Admission must be free to the body of the
room. My experience, both in this and other subjects,
is that the value and attractiveness of any lecture is
immensely increased by the aid of the lantern and a
good series of slides bearing on the subject. Perhaps it
is because I have been a photographer as long as I have
been a bee-keeper; but I much prefer a photograph
from nature thrown on the screen to a mere copy of a
wood-cut, which may show the desired details with
greater ' sharpness,' but lacks the attractivene s and
fidelity of the natural photograph. This, at least, is my
experience from having made and exhibited a large
number of slides on many subjects,
(c.) Summer Demonstrations. — In our county these
have taken the place of tent manipulations. Place — the
garden of any member who has frame-hives and will
issue invitations. Time — (i o'clock on a June or .Inly
(not later than the loth) afternoon. Audience— all bee-
keepers within walking distance. Protection — a screen
of netting surrounding the hives and lecturer. Manipu-
lations— any practical work which may happen to be
required by the hives at hand, accompanied fay practical
explanations on the subject.
(d.) Honey Fairs. — One central one in the chief town
well advertised by hand-bills distributed bv hand to
every house; managed in a business-like way bv a busi-
ness man; no charge for admission ; held on market day,
if possible in the public market hall; chief object in
view, to sell honey. Our own Honey Pair is successful;
thirty members (out of 10-5 paying subscriptions) sent \\
tons of honey to the last one, and over half a ton was
sold, nearly all retail.
(e.) Rice and Honey Shows. — There must be a curtail-
ment of these, and I think it best to keep to one County
Show in the year, and that one in connexion with the
Honey Fair, so that members may at the same time send
honey for exhibition and sale. This is one branch of
work where a good deal of members' money has been
spent, partially for the benefit of the public. And now,
1 think, it 13 not well to spend money in prizes at Horti-
cultural Shows, except where a grant is received to cover
most of the expense.
(/'. ) Circulation of a Use Paper among Members. — A
m 1st important item of work which is all advantage to
members, but rather difficult to work for financial reason'.
The Bee Journal has been almost out of the question, so
the Record has been utilised, but now the cheaper
Cottagers Uee Journal will much facilitate matters.
1 am of opinion that a good deal of energy has been
wasted in well-meant attempts to ' help the cottager.'
My experience is that the average cottager is an ungetat-
able individual, who, ' when he will he will, and wdien
he won't he won't' — usually the latter ; and that the best
way of educating him is indirectly through the example
of advancing bee-keepers around him. Cottagers' classes
at shows have been a failure in their intention of stimu-
lating improved methods, and a good many cottagers
will cease to subscribe as soon as the Association fails to
expend some 5s. or more on them in prizes, &c, in return
for their 2s. Gd. subscription.
1 will in my next consider the organization of Associ-
ations.— Alfred Watkins, Herefordshire B. K. A.
COUNTY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION'S.
[1456.] The articles and letters on the above subject
that have appeared in recent numbers point to the de-
creasing interest that is being taken in Association work
by the executive of the various Associations. Perhaps,
a few lines, even if pitched in a minor key, not to say in
a pessimist vein, may throw some little light on some of the
reasons why. Of the apparent declension in interest and
working of the executive, some Hon. Sees, complain of
the paucity of attend luce by tic members of Committee
at the Committee meetings; and not without reason, for
very often there i~ barely a quorum responds to the
notice. Allow me to point out that in many instances
it is a question of time and the attendant expenses
causes a poor attendance. Take a case in fact. Pro-
bably, your Committee will be chosen from all parts of a
large county to make it as representative as possible,
and, say, the meeting i- announced to take place in your
county or other large town at 6.30 or ~ o'clock in the
evening, an hour that suits the members of the Com-
mittee residing in, ami in the immediate neighbourhood
of, the town; but, probably, only a email minority are
within ea-y distance, and the larger number reside in
various parts of the county, engaged in various businesses
and professions, some, perhaps, several miles from a rail-
way (and that a branch line with only three or four
trains per day). Now, probably, those country members
of Committee are as anxious and as willing to attend as
those living near, and have the success of their Associa-
tion and the spread to profitable and humane bee-
keeping as much as heart as those who, after business
and living near, can always put in an appearance at the
meetings. Now, the Committeeman from, a distance
has, most likely, to leave Lis home and business 8001
after the middle of the day to reach the town in time
for the inciting, and, probably, the last train that would
take him to within a few miles of his home leaves the
town by 8.15 or 8.30 p.m., and the consequence is
lie must either leave the meeting before it is half over or
lose his chance of reaching home that night, and the
consequent discomfort of staying in lodgings and return-
ing next day, with the chance of getting back again about
the same time as he set out the day before. This, I
think, is a very reasonable excuse for not always
attending.
Then, on the other side, if the meeting is held at 2.30
or 3 p.m. to suit country members, the townsmen cannot
leave business to attend. Another reason there is not
64
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 2, 1888.
so great an interest evinced in the Association is the
newness is wearing off, the new style of bee-keeping has
become more general and the novelty is gone. Three or
four years back my apiary was visited during the
summer months by a large number of visitors for
information, but during last season I had very few com-
paratively to what I had in previous seasons ; and a still
more cogent reason is the rapid decline in the price of
honey, especially section honey, during the past year or
two. We are feeling the depression as a body as much
as any other industry, with, as a natural sequence, a
diminished interest. If we could still make Is. each for
sections, our hopes would rise and our interest wax
warm, and we should sing the praises and the profits of
modern bee-keeping in as full a compass as of yore. —
W. WoODLEY.
'WHO IS AMATEUR EXPERT?' (1448.)
[1457.] I have great pleasure in informing the Hon.
and Rev. Chairman of the Board of Examiners that the
' Amateur Expert ' of The (not ' A,' please !) Canadian
Bee Journal is ' the original and only genuine ' 'A. E.' of
the B. B. J.
On page 713 of the C.B.J., after describing 'Straw
Skeps ' and ' Bee-driving,' I said : — ' A third-class expert
has to drive a stock in this way : Capture the queen as
she ascends and clean out the hive in ten minutes, or he
fails to get a certificate — a feat that the examiner
probably could not accomplish in ten hours. But there
are examiners and examiners, and they all know when
it is done well, if they cannot take the tools and show
the non-successful how. Bo you know the " fortunes of
war ? " I will tell you. " If you do or say such things
you must take the consequences."'
As I sinned with my eyes wide op»n, I await my fate
with calmness ! I respectfully submit to my readers
that I have done some of the examiners no injustice, and
without wishing to ' add insult to injury ' (? ), I wish to
assure Mr. Bligh that there are two opinions as to the
fitness of some of those whom the ' Board ' have ap-
pointed as examiners, just as there are two opinions as to
' pleasantness' of the chit-chat and the ' friendliness ' of
the criticisms that have appeared in the columns of the
B.B.J, to which 'A. E.V nom-de-phmte has been
attached.
Our Committee in some matters ' go slow.' My
quotation is from the C. B. J. for November 2-'Srd. This
arrived in England about the 8th of Becember. It has
taken the rev. gentleman six weeks to sift it out and
challenge it ! And why after six weeks ? Is it because
I am at present at variance with the Committee, and
have only recently given notice that I intend to carry a
matter to the annual meeting of the B. B. K. A. because
the Committee refuse to take what I consider a common-
sense view of a very simple matter, that this question is
now dragged in, on the score of ' abusing the plaintiff ? '
Oh, ' A. E.,' how hast thou fallen ! We had great
hopes of you once; but alas! my unfortunate nom-de-
plume is taken to task again ! When Mark Twain takes
his next ' tramp abroad ' and calls to see me, I seriously
shall have to take him to task about the iniquity of
using a nom-de-plume . I do hope I may induce him to
reform, as I may then think of reforming myself. —
Amateur Expert.
DEATH TO WASPS.
[1458.] In letter [1482] on 'Fruit Culture and Api-
culture,' Mr. E. Goodrich complains very much about the
fruit-destroying and hive-robbing wasp. I have for the
last few years lost on an average ten or twelve pounds
of grapes from a large vinery by wasps ; that is to say,
if I did not take the trouble to bag them in muslin.
But this year, having started bee-keeping, they (the
wasps) tormented the bees so much I determined on
destroying their nests, and the best and simplest remedy
is a powder named ' Death to Wasps.' It can be had
through any respectable chemist, or from some wholesale
chemist in Holborn, London, price 2s. 6rf. Mode of
applying it is by simply putting half a teaspoonful in the
entrance to the nest, and in a few hours' time you can
dig out the nest and destroy the larva? without a singlo
sting, as every wasp will be dead. There is sufficient in
one box if one is careful with it to destroy twenty
nests. — J. A. A. Wood, Watergate Nursery, near New-
port, Isle of Wight, January 22nd.
HOW TO DESTROY WASPS.
[1459.] In answer to the question asked by Mr. F.
Goodrich, in his letter of January 14th, wasps may bo
almost entirely destroyed in any district by offering a
reward of one penny for each queen killed in the spring.
They will be found hunting along the hedgerows in the
early spring, and can be easily caught with a butterfly-
net. Boys will gladly undertake this work, and it is
astonishing how soon a neighbourhood can be cleared of
queens ; after which you will see very few wasps, for
at least one summer. — W.
BOTANICAL NAMES— HEATHER HONEY.
[1400.] As to botanical names, I suppose I did not
express myself with sufficient clearness. What I meant
to say was that our three late autumn honey-bearing
plants were rosemaiw, and cirrhosa, and heather. Our
almond-trees are, some of them, already white witli
blossoms, aud the bees are having a little honey-How all
to themselves. This will last till the end of February,
so that I think stimulating them is unnecessary fur the
present.
On the (3th of March, 1887, we transferred a few hives
a few miles from here, and already found fresh combs of
rosemary honey partly capped. The natives clear out
the old combs from their cylinder hives about the 20th
of February, preparatory to comb-building anew, so
that were it not for the high winds that often prevail
this would be a very fine climate for bees.
And now as to heather honey. It is considered very
inferior here, and as the price would rule low, I would,
like, with your permission, to propound the following : —
Query. — In a heather district where prices of honey
are low — say 'M. or -id. a pound — would it pay to set
bees transforming it into wax -comb, and which would
be the best method for so doing ? — F. C. Andrei", Port
Malum, Minorca, January 11.
[To produce combs you have only to put your frames
closer together, say not more than one and a quarter
inches from centre to centre. The frames should have
guides to the top bar so as to induce the bees to build
straight combs. These guides can be pieces of comb or
strips of foundation half an inch deep. You need not
wait to have the combs filled with honey, but as fast as
they are constructed remove them, and any honey con-
tained in them can be pressed out and given back to the
bees, preferably at night. We have had bees build
comb when the frames nearly touched each other, at
one inch from centre to centre, but in this case onr
bottom bar was only three-eighths of an inch wide, so
that the bees could go up between the combs, and the
frames were brought from their normal distance apart
close together by degrees. We can hardly think it will pay
you to produce wax if you can get 3d. or 4rf. a pound for
the honey. Taking it at as low a figure as 15 lbs. of
honey to produce 1 lb. of wax, this would make the wax
cost you 3s. Qd. a pound at Sd. a pound for the hooey, to
say nothing of the time lost by the bees while making
it, which would be otherwise employed in gathering,
You would hardly get half the price of its cost to you
February 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
65
for the wax. It is therefore very much to your
advantage to sell the honey at 3d. or 4<2. a pound than
convert it into wax. — Ed.]
FASTENING FOUNDATION COMB.
[1461.] I think the difficulty refered to by a writer in
your last Journal as to the fastening of foundation comb
might be got over by making the sections with a slit
along the middle of the top side, as in the bar-frames.
The foundation comb could be then slipped through and
turned over, dividing the lap so as to let one half turn
one way and the other the other. — R. II. S.
ISOLATED APIARIES.
[1462.] In the British Bee Journal for January 19th,
1888 (No. 1428, page 7:1), Mr. Webster asks, ' In what
county of England can we go where there are not
colonies of bees kept within two or three miles, take any
position we like in that county?' I am of opinion there
is one county, and that is Hampshire in the New Forest.
If he will take a ramble through the New Forest in
the summer time it will repay him, for it is a lovely
place for any one that has a week or a month to spare.
If Mr. Webster will start from the ' Oompton Arms
Hotel' at Stoney Cross, and take the main turnpike-road
towards Uingwood he can have a nice walk of eight
miles without finding a house along the road. The first
house he comes to will be an hotel at Picked Post.
After leaving Stoney Cross and walking for about two
miles and a half he will come to a cross road ; no ting.-r-
posts, but the road to'.the right hand takes him for about
three miles to a gentleman's house called Broomy Lndgi'.
There are the old straw skeps ; I have no doubt : it was
so fifteen years ago. If he take the left-hand road for
one mile and half it brings him to Baulderwood Lodge.
There, fifteen years ago, I saw about seventy old straw
skeps ; but it is in different hands now, so, perhaps, there
are not any at all there now. Then, I think, he can
get a distance of about four to five miles, and he will
find several places through the New Forest of over two
miles.
Let him take the Christchurch road to Lyndhurst or
Lymington, he will in that direction, if he turns nut
of the main road through the woods, find a lonely
keeper's house and the brimstone pit. and straw skeps,
and not any other house for miles.
The New Forest is noted for fine heather, chest-
nut, whitethorn, and the wild apple. I have known a
swarm the first week in August gather fifty to sixty
pounds of honey by the first week in October, and then
done to death in the sulphur pit. How dreadful ! —
A. H. Miller.
UNFINISHED SECTIONS.
[1463.] How Bkst to Utilise thr Partly-filled
Sections. — In the report of the proceedings of the North
American Bee-keepers' Convention at Chicago, I find the
discussion on the re-use of comb built in sections to be
filled with honey the next season. It is gratifying to
know that the great majority of bee-keepers consider
these combs of great advantage, by which they can
obtain larger crops of honey, and of just as good quality,
as by the use of foundation. I can hardly understand
why some bee-keepers cannot obtain good honey in nice,
white combs built in sections the year previous.
Some years ago it was a real perplexity to me to have
a lot of unfinished sections in different states of com-
pletion, after the harvest was over, and I hardly knew
what to do with them. I then tried in different w;i\ i
to make use of them. Those nearly completed I sold at
about half the price of sealed honey, and the rest was
given to the bees for completion the next season, and of
which the bees made a bad job, as some of it was
granulated, and some was sour, though they fixed it all
up as well as they could, and finished them ; but it was
horrible-looking honey, the sides of the comb was very
uneven, besides being of different colours. I was almost
ashamed to offer it for sale.
Using Partly-Filled Sections. — After experi-
menting two or three seasons more, I discovered the
right way, though I think I had lost considerable before
by trying to make the bees finish nearly all the sections
the same season, by changing them around among the
hives. This was not only Io3t time for me, but also for
the bees, or rather less honey for me. I now allow my
bees to go above toward the close of the honey season,
and let them have their own way about finishing the
sections ; but as soon as the honey season is over, 1
extract every unfinished section that. I have, and let the
bees clean them out, when they are ready for the next
season. By this method I secured just as fine honey as
I do with foundation starters, and a great deal more of
it; and the cases with the empty combs are nicely put
away, where no mice or dust can get at them. I eon
glad that there are more bee-keepers who can secure
nice honey with these combs, as was shown at the late
Convention in Chicago; that Mr. Hutchinson had the
nicest lot of honey in Chicago; and thai 1 e, as we
understand, uses the empty combs.
When 1 was ready to sidl my honey, I have never
been asked, ' Are your crates and sections clean?' or,
'Are the combs from last year?'&c. No, not any of
these questions have ever been asked, hat invariably, ' Is
your honey white ?' and on this ir/iile the whole que-tion
turns, in selling and buying. If I have my dark honey
in ever so nice combs, crates, and sections, it is slow
sale, and at a far lower price than white honey : even if
the latter is less attractively put up. Of course it is
best to have the honey in the best marketable shape,
ami everything else clean, ami in its proper place.
0. Theilmann {American Bee J>>nniri/.)
COTTAGER'3 HIVES.
[14C4.] In the Journal of January 26 I read with
great interest a most instructive and detailed article on
the ' Champion Cottager's Hive,' by Mr. C. N. White.
The hive so designated is presumably an introduction of
Mr. White's, and is, I suppose, supplied by him to pur-
chasers. In a spirit of friendly criticism perhaps he will
allow me to make a few remarks as to the construction,
form, and probable cost of the hive under notice, and its
claim to be considered the Champion Cottager's Hive.
In his introductory sentences he refers to ii as a hive
adapted to the wants of those bee-keepers who may
desire to adopt the modern bar-frame system at a small
initial outlay, and again in almost the same breath, as
equally adapted to the wishes of those who, not desiring
to give up altogether the old-fashioned skep or fixed-
comb hive, yet require a sort of happy medium between
the ancient and modern plans, and consequently welcome
a hive made of wood, square, and having a top which is
fixed or moveable at will and perforated for supering.
It strikes one as slightly anomalous to describe an article
as capable of adaptation to two such widely dissimilar
methods of management. The boxes are of the standard
size it is true, but from the description it is not clear h iw
a standard frame could be accommodated, no provision
apparently being made for hanging frames of any sort.
Any deviation1 from the standard size of frame is much
to be deprecated. It is the recognised national size, and
is a standard round which all British bee-keepers rally
throughout the world. Every appliance-manufacturer,
Association, or individual bee-keeper, should regard any
infringement with suspicion, and should consider as
carefully as possible an institution in the bee world of
such recognised value as the 'standard frame.' At the
66
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 2, 1888.
same time it is not intended to reject all suggestions of
improvement, but discourage so-called reform which is
too often a change without being an advance. A hive
which cannot take the standard frame forfeits its claim
to he regarded as a frame-hive.
The Champion Cottager's Hive is a single-walled hive,
and is on that account to be considered as inferior to the
old straw skep in point of ventilation and in interior
healthiness. This, perhaps, is a matter of opinion, but
in fourteen years' experience, during which I have
wintered bees in ^-inch and f-inch single and double-
walled hives, as well as skeps of all forms, I have proved
to my own satisfaction that the double-walled hive with
packing space is incomparably the best. I hesitate to
cross swords with such a master of the art as Mr.
Simmins of Brighton on any point of apiculture, but I
am of opinion that double walls all round, and not on two
sides only, are much to be preferred and offer no obstacle
to the rapid diffusion of warmth during a spell of winter
sunshine. As a medium between the ancient and modern
bee domicile, one possessing some of the advantages and
disadvantages of each, the Stewarton hive, holds the field
against all competitors as yet, though like all the others,
rather out of the reach of cottagers on account of the
price. The great obstacle to the spread and development
of the modern system of bee-keeping among the cottager
classes is the first cost of the hive. The Champion
Cottager's Hive first noticed, although cheaper, presum-
ably, than any other, so far as I know at present in the
market, is yet, I expect, too dear for the general run of
artisan bee-keepers. When a good sound bee-hive, fitted
with ten frames and a window-roof, and floor-board and
cushion, double-walled, and painted, can be produced at
a cost of 2s. or '2s. Gd., then will it compete successfully
with the straw skep at Is. Gd., and make good its title to
the name of the Cottager's Champion, and then will the
long-hoped-for day when every cottage garden possesses
a bar-frame hive be near its accomplishment. — E. J.
THE STANDABD FRAME.
Should the 15| Top Bah i;k Adoptf.h?
[14G0.] Your esteemed writer of 'Useful Hints' of
Jan. 5 states his views very clearly under the above
heading. There is little doubt the Committee of the
British Bee-keepers' Association, who in 1S82 fixed on
the size of the frame and also the length of top-bar, viz.,
17 inches, at that time completed a most important step
for the advancement of bee-culture. The size of the
rectangle of the frame — 14 x 8£ outside— is all that
could he desired. But I agree with ' U. II.' that this
point of the length of the top bar should not be defined,
and should be re-considered by the General Committee.
Some of our veteran bee-keepers will perhaps say, 'On
what grounds, then, do you think this alteration should
take place ?' It is a well-known fact that the manufac-
ture of hives and appliances has been advanced in this
waj'. At the annual shows of hives and honey, prizes are
awarded to what the judges think the best, and the hive
that gains the first place is perhaps bought by some local
bee-keeper, is taken home as a pattern, and in a short
time the district is filled up with the first prize hives.
In 1882, and for several years later, prizes were awarded
almost exclusively at our shows to hives ranging in price
from three to six pounds sterling. They were most
elaborate structures, ' having the most complete arrange-
medts for summer and winter use, &c, &c.' At that
date, no doubt, the 17-inch top bar would be the uni-
versal favourite. Within the last two years, however,
matters have changed in toto : instead of these high-
priced and ingenious hives carrying off first honours,
prizes are awarded now to those that are ridiculously
simple and cheap in comparison.
Competition may have something to do with this, but
the main reason is that bee-keeping is getting more to be
recognised as a business and less as a hobby. Should
the B.B.K.A. be prevailed on to reconstitute the Com-
mittee of 1882 that fixed on the standard frame I be-
lieve they would not be unanimous now in determining
the length of the top-bar at 17 inches. All that is ne-
cessary would be to allow in competition the short and
top-bar equal chances, and that the size of the rectangle
of the frame remain unchanged. — William McNally,
Glenluce, Scotland.
HIVE ENTRANCE.
[1467.] I enclose sketch of new hive. There is
nothing very new about it, except the alighting-board is
fixed underneath on the slant. At the top of the slant
a slot is cut, say, 6 in. long in the bottom-board, forming
the entrance to the hive, which I think is a great im-
provement on the present patterns. With this arrange-
ment I think will bo found the following advantages :
Facility of hiving a swarm ; bees have more control over
robbers ; they can come out in all weathers ; young bees
take an airing in safety ; as the alighting-board is always
dry ; all dead bees, &c, brought to the hole fall out
clear of the entrance. I would like some of our able
bee-keepers' opinion on it, as I am only a new beginner.
— W. Corkiiill.
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES.— SECTIONS.
[1468.] Respecting my note upon the. above in the
issue of the British Bee Journal of the 26th inst., I have
received the following letter from Mr. T. B. Blow, which
I think may be read with interest by some of your
readers : —
' Welwyn, Herts, January %tli, 1888.
' Deak Sib, — We have a patent on the thing you describe
in the Bee Journal. We do not want to unduly interfere in
the right of private individuals, but if there is any attempt
to import a section with a groove all round the inside they
will be stopped at the Customs. We shall be happy to send
you a section to show you what it is. We may say that we
shall have 50,000 in stock in a few days. We enclose you a
cutting from the first proof of our new catalogue. — Yours
truly, T. B. Blow.'
Upon receipt of this note I at once wrote to Mr. Blow
to say I had been using a groove all round the inside of
sections during the past three years, and that I had men-
tioned this method of fixing foundation to friends upon
various occasions, viz., to Messrs. Lee, Heddon, Neigh-
bour, Howard, Simmins, Hewitt, See., that I had a
machine for turning them out, and had been doing so for
three seasons; and asking Mr. Blow to say whether Mr.
Howard's description (of using grooves for fixing founda-
tion) appeared in the B. B. J., or the Recoi-d, prior to his
attempt to obtain a patent for this object.
The first season I used grooves my finished sections
were not free from pop-holes owing to the wood-corners
of the one-piece sections, but I had sufficient evidence to
indicate that foundation could be fixed by this method,
and that it merited further trial. In 1886 I cut out the
wood-corners with my pen-knife and found a great im-
February 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
G7
provement in the finish, but cutting away part of the
wood of the section spoiled the shape of the section a
little. Last season I used a number of 4| x 4J x 7
to the foot, four-piece pin-dovetail sections, and now
prefer this section to all others. But I should here
state that my hives and bee-appliances are all fitted up
regardless of cost, with the object of securing the best
materials and apparatus obtainable. I suppose the sec-
tions I mentioned cannot be obtained here at the present
prices of ordinary one-piece sections. I might add to my
notes that I use Heddon's zinc-slotted queen-excluder,
and also have a bee-space above and below the wide
frames that contain the sections. I use shallow brood-
cases, which are exactly similar to the surplus cases, and
may be used as such, but these will require a separate
description.
Some months ago Mr. S. Simmins wrote me to say
he had tried grooves all round the inside of sections
for fixing foundation, but it -would not answer very well.
I think this was owing to the sort of foundation which
he used, or the style of section or the kind of section-
case he experimented with.
I knew nothing about Mr. Blow trying to obtain
patent rights until I received the above note. 1 have
tried the grooves for fixing foundation in both the I llan-
rafon Apiary and my bee garden at Tref Eglwys. My
friend Nicholas Bennett, Esq., J. P., last year, whose
ingenuity I have already noted in the British Bee Journal,
kindly made me a present of a beautiful little plane for
making grooves in sections, in addition to an apparatus for
adjusting the groove to the centre of sections of any
width. These appliances were similar to what he was
already using himself, but I should confess they were
only accepted as they were more neatly made than my
own. I will add that I was constrained to mention this
way of fixing foundation in sections through the remarks
under ' Useful Hints ' in your issue of the 5th inst. I
might, of course, have written at least two years ago,'
but I prefer thoroughly testing a thing before giving or
offering an opinion. I think it is only just to state that
Mr. J. H. Howard, of Holme, Peterborough, has been in
frequent correspondence with myself during the past
three years upon the subject of grooves for sections and
frames, and has sent me several samples of sections and
frames with grooves all round, together with samples of
his very excellent wax-foundation from his factory at
Holme. Of course if Mr. T. B. Blow can justly claim a
patent right for sections with grooves all round I con-
gratulate him. I think, however, we might as well try
to patent common needles and pins as to try to secure a
patent right for the above, as so many factors are neces-
sary to secure perfect sectional honey, and as British
bee-keepsrs are striving to create a market for this
industry, free from all hindrances. I should like to add
that both Messrs. Neighbour and Howard have executed
some orders for me in the highest state of perfection. —
T. Bonner Chambers, F.L.S. London, Tref Eyhcys,
January 27.
PARALLEL i'. RIGHT-ANGLED FRAMES.
[1409.] It seems to me that your correspondents are
making this a question of Tiering versus Combination
instead of the above. This does not seem right to the
' parallel ' side of the question, because very many ten or
eleven-frame hives are on the parallel system, and thus
just as suitable for tiering as any right-angle frame hive.
At the present time the combination principle seems in
disfavour, and if the question is confined to the use of
parallel ». right-angle frames, the parallel will probably
come out best. The majority of opinion seems decidedly
to be, that (size of hives being about equal) the parallel
is the most convenient to manipulate. The only opinion
I have seen advanced against this is on account of t'ue
length of hive from back to front, but this is outside the
question, as I have shown, The letters of ' W. R,' and
' W. B. C editors of the Record, ere also outside the
question because they have both taken it up as a ques-
tion of combination verms tiering. The argument of
' W. R.' that 'every passenger has to burrow or scramble
round each of the ten or eleven frames,' shows that he
has mistaken the question. In using parallel frames for
a tiering hive, here is how that argument would look.
The laden bees instead of going up through the brood
nest can at once go straight up the outer comb into the
super. Altogether, 1 think this question resolves itself
into one of convenience of manipulation, and I think
thai as such the parallel method is best.
If the question has been wrongly taken up by me and
Combination versus Tiering is meant, please give it its
right name and prevent confusion.— George D. Clark,
Kirldandhill, Dunbar.
FRAMES.
[1470.] After nearly ten years' experience with frame-
hives, I must say that for all-round purposes I prefer
hives with frames at right angles to entrance. In my
apiary (some 100 hives) I find the bees winter best on
this system, and in the honey season the first stock* to
start work in the supers are generally those with the
frames at right angles. The American hives are almost
all on this plan. The hives witli frames parallel to
entrance are, however, handy for some purposes in an
apiarv, and I should never entirely discard them. 1 find
the generality of my customers prefer the parallel system.
— G. Stothard, Wehryn, Herts.
EASY METHOD OP RENDERING WAX.
[1471.] For a while post my stock of w-ax odds and
ends has been accumulating, because boiling down wax
has always been the most disliked job in connexion with
my bee-keeping, and the Swiss extractor is too expensive
to be used by me. However, I have got out of the mess
by the following plan which I can heartily recommend
to those who have small quantities of wax. My wax
was stored in a tin biscuit box. Through the bottom of
this box I made a large number of small holes, then I
got a dish wider and longer than the biscuit-box, and
about four inches deep. This dish I filled almost full of
water and then placed the tin box with wax above it,
fixing the bottom of the box about an inch above the
surface of the water. Then I placed both into a hot
oven, and on going back an hour afterwards, was de-
lighted to fiud all the wax melted and run through the
small holes into the dish beneath. The dirt was all left
in tin box above. On allowing the wax and water to
cool I got a cake of beautifully clean wax, and with, as
you will see, the smallest amount of trouble and no
expense. I suppose if the combs were old and verjr
dirty the wax might require to be run through again.
This method may have been mentioned in B. B. J.
before, but not having seen it, I give it for the benefit of
small bee-keepers. With best wishes for the success of
your Cottager i Journal. — George I). Clark, Kirldand-
hill, Dunbar.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giiiing such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The spnee
denoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We Irish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in aioance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt of their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
MICE IN APIARY.
Query. — I should be glad if you would advise me on
the following point : In one of my hives I noticed to-
day an unusual commotion, and at the entrance I found
68
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 2, 1888.
small particles of comb. I wondered what made the
bees carry out this comb, and being rather anxious about
them I ventured to open the hive by lifting up the quilt.
No sooner had I done so than a mouse ran out at the
entrance. Suspecting this to be somehow the cause of
the commotion I took out some of the frames, and you
may imagine my astonishment when I saw that the
combs had been nibbled away, and in one of them there
was a hole more than three inches across. I followed
your advice and left the entrances open the full width,
but as they are only a tritle more than half an inch deep
I cannot understand how a mouse could squeeze
through. What do you advise me to ? I have set a
trap and hope to catch the rascal. I have not ventured
to examine any of my other hives, but thanks to your
instructions, which I have alwa3'S carried out, they
appear in good condition, and am anxiously looking
forward to the spring when they will begin work. —
A. \V. B.
Reply. — Your entrance is too deep and should not be
more than f tbs of an inch. Leave the hive alone for the
present, as you are more likely to do harm than good by
disturbing the bees, but we should place a piece of wire
net four meshes to the inch against the entrance. For
more particulars consult our article on ' Mice in the
Apiary,' page of the present number. — Ed.
J. G. Sxook. — Growing Heather. — It is quite possible
to grow heather or any other hardy heath in a private
garden, providing the soil is suitable for its growth.
If the soil is not naturally peaty the only alternative
will be to procure as much peat as is requisite and
plant good, strong, established clumps of heather,
which will flower the first season. This operation
should be done in February or early in March in order
to get the plants thoroughly established before the hot
weather sets in. If our correspondent put himself
in communication with Mr. II. Dobbie, Nethersett,
Norwich, he would, we feel assured, be pleased to
give him all the information required.
Welsh Novice. — Shale. — The heap you mention might
be profitably utilised by planting it with borage,
colden rod, and French honeysuckle, planting the two
latter round the base and giving the greater part up
to borage. French honeysuckle and borage may be
sown and golden rod planted in March. As borage is
an annual it will flower this year. 2 lbs. of borage
seed and 1 lb. of French honeysuckle will be sufficient.
and the remainder may be planted with golden rod
and broom.
A. C'aheniiead. — Robbing. — It is rarely that robbing
begins so early as January. Are you quite sure that
it is a case of robbing ? If so, contract the entrance
to about, half an inch, and when the weather is mild
enough for bees to fly, apply a little carbolic acid
solution around it, and on the alighting-board.
C. A. J. — Clipping Queens Wings. — The queen should
be tenderly grasped between finger and thumb, in the
left hand, across the thorax, and with a pair of sharp
scissors the tips of both wings on the same side should
be removed. The operation is very simple, but care
must he taken not to injure the legs. The disad-
vantages are : («) Bees often supersede clipped queens ;
(6) strictest watch must be kept at swarming time, or
the queens, falling to the ground, will be lost. We
should say that nine English bee-keepers out of ten
disapprove the practice.
Kingston. — Zinc Excluder. — If a prolific queen with
her colony is confined to eight frames under section-
cases, with free access to the latter, it is probable that
she will ascend and spoil sections. But much will
depend on weather and income. A strong colony
should have ten standard frames in the brood-nest.
We are in favour of a modified Heddon honey-board
(which we think Mr. Neighbour supplies) beneath
supers, but by no means use plain excluder zinc laid
flat upon the frames.
J. A. A.Wood. — Pollen Gathering. — The pollen your bees
were carrying in was probably collected from the
groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), which flowers freely in
the winter whenever there is a spell of open weather.
Lincolnshire Bill. — 1. Doubling Boxes. — The boxes
will have to be made to correspond in size with the
inside walls of the hive. 2. Bee-space in Body-box. —
The bee-space is on every side of the body-box, no
matter how many doubling boxes you have on. The
size of doubling boxes is a matter of individual opinion.
We prefer them to hold ten frames. This is the usual
size, but many prefer a box of this size but much
shallower, holding special shallow frames for ex-
tracting, from five to six inches in depth. 3. Trans-
ferring- Bees to Bar-frame Hive. — Any warm day in
April, but for a novice it is best to wait until three
weeks after they swarm. 4. Extractor for Loose
Comb. — Any extractor will answer your purpose if
provided with a loose cage to hold the pieces of comb,
this cage being placed within the cage of the extractor.
B. McD. — 1. Article on Sections. — Wo have forwarded
j'our thanks to Mr. W. B. Webster. The sheets of
foundation are only fixed at the top. 2. Spreading
Brood. — Do not attempt ' spreading brood,' it is a very
risky operation oven with an adept. 8. Pull Sheets of
Foundation or Starters in the Brood-nest. — In a heather
district, where clover or early honey is of little or no
value, we should use starters of about an inch in depth ;
but in other districts, where the early honey crop is
a consideration, we should use full sheets.
II. M. B. — White Super Foundation. — The sample sent
melts at much lower temperature thau pure beeswax,
viz., 40" F. We should not think of using it for
foundation in sections, as the unmistakable odour of
Cera japonica (earth-wax, used in the manufacture of
candles) would taint the honey, and so spoil the sale
of sections. We do not care for pure white foundation,
the colour is not natural to beeswax.
W. J. — 1. Avoiding increase of Stock and getting rid of old
Queen. — Your plan would do. We shouid prefer
placing swarm close alongside the stock to which it
belonged until the new queen is laying well, then
unite, shifting the hive that is to remain midway
between where the two had stood. 2. Patent Hives.-. —
There are plenty of good hives unpatented. If you
are in doubt as to any particular hive, send particulars,
and we will endeavour to help you.
II. J. A. — 1. Transferring to Frame-hives. — Early in
April iythe weather is mild and bees flying freely.
2. Getting Combs drawn out. — Once your bees have
got well to work in their new quarters you can from
time to time introduce fresh sheets of foundation in
the brood-nest, and if the bees are fed gently and
regularly, they will draw same out if the weather is
genial in about twenty -four to thirty-six hours.
Remove that and replace with more foundation. Do
not try to get too many done, as it is a considerable
tax on them. Six per hive should be enough to make
a good sheet for the doubling box.
W. A. T. — Your address was mislaid.
W. Robinson. — Large Apiaries in Yorkshire. — 1, Rev.
J. Challoner, Newton Kyme ; 2, John Dixon, Great
Aytou, Northallerton ; '■'>, W. Dixon, Beckett Street,
Leeds.
D. M. — No. It should be reboiled and mixed with fresh
sugar. It is not sufficiently soluble for the bees in its
present dried condition.
A Query. — Will ' T. II.' kindly say if be fastens the
pieces of wood for keeping the frames a proper distance
apart at the bottom permanently, or does he let them
remain loose? — A. C.
r~— ■"' --- - ■ : •
IffFiSH
the:
^Li-fc^
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranqeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 294. Vol. XVI]
FEBRUARY 0, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Sftitorial, Stotitts, #t.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
QUEEN-REARING.
1 1 wish Mr. Cowan would write a leaflet, or in the Journal
give a person who has not time to work scientific dodges a
plain, easy way to understand of raising our own queens
from an ordinary stock of bees (from frame-hives, of course).
There is so much conflicting information, a few lines from
him to tell an amateur how to start and go through with it
would be a great service to many. — S. J. Stevens.'
It is quite true, as our correspondent remarks, there is
so much conflicting information respecting queen-rearing
that it is often puzzling for an amateur or young bee-
keeper to decide on the best and simplest plan. It is
often thought that as queens are to be raised from
common bees, any stock will do, but no greater mistake
can be made. The queen is the life of the colony, and
upon having a good one entirely depends whether the
bee-keeper reaps the benefit of a good honey harvest or
otherwise. Every one must have noticed that there is
a great difference in the behaviour of various colonies.
One will with difficulty be induced to take to supers,
and will persist in swarming; another will do neither,
whilst others again will be noticed to be eager in occu-
pying all the space provided for them, build combs,
collect honey, and not think of swarming. If we were
to allow queens to be bred from such stocks, we should
gain nothing by it, but, on the contrary, be the losers.
Every bee-keeper should do his utmost to improve his
strain of bees, be they even the common blacks, and tbi s
he is able to do by judicious selection of the colonies
from which he intends to raise his queens. The secret
of success in bee-keeping is, as we pointed out many
years ago (British Bee Journal, Vol. II., page 180), in
having young and vigorous queens at the head of
colonies, and in constantly replacing them as they
become worn, and we are pleased to find advanced bee-
keepers are now beginning to adopt this plan.
As we are strong advocates of simplicity both in hives
and methods, we will endeavour to give such instructions
as will enable any bee-keeper to utilise what he may
possess without the necessity of going to the expense of
anything special for queen-raising. Presuming that the
bee-keeper has several colonies of bees, he will have spare
hives, and he must provide himself with a pen-knife and
a few pins. Some recommend special hives for forming
nuclei, and this may be necessary when hives on legs are
used, but we prefer them without, and use our ordinary
hives for the purpose, which can at any time be made
up to till colonies, if we wish to do so. The inner boxes
need only be used, and can have a second empty box put
on the top to protect the feeder and over this a board
for a roof . If the bee-keeper has only hives on legs he
would do w-ell to have a few make-shift hives, which he
can easily make himself at a very trifling cost.
In selecting a colony from which to raise queens the
bee-keeper must pick out the very best he has, one whose
queen is in her prime and whose workers are industrious,
good honey-gatherers, and not inclined to swarm. Al-
though authorities differ on this point we prefer raising
queens early in the season, so that they can have the
whole summer before them, and thus enable the bee-
keeper to form some idea of their good qualities before
he puts them to real work the following year. The
colonies we select must be very strong, and by stimula-
tive feeding we can get the hive filled witli bees and
brood. All drone-comb should be excluded, frames con-
taining any being removed, and others of worker-comb
given in place of them, for this hive will only be used
for raising queens, and no drones should be permitted to
hatch. In this way we prevent the possibility of the
queen mating with drones from the same hive, as it is
obvious there would be none, since we have excluded all
drone-comb and thus have prevented their production.
In this manner we prevent iliat in-and-in breeding which
is so detrimental if queens and drones are raised in one
hive.
We commence by placing a frame of clean, empty
worker-comb in the centre of brood-nest, which will
be filled with eggs by the queen. Three days after this
the queen can be removed, as well as any frames con-
taining uncapped brood, except the one we introduced,
and which now contains eggs. We remove the uncapped
brood because we wish to make sure that the grubs,
which are to be used for raising queens, receive the
proper attention from the first. We have always
insisted strongly upon this point, and have had ample
evidence in our long experience of raising queens to
prove that our practice is right.
Without entering deeply into the theory of the ques-
tion, it is sufficient to say that it is based upon the dis-
covery of Leuckart that the larvae of workers were
weaned after the third day, by the gradual addition of
pollen and honey to the food supplied them by the
nurses ; whereas those destined for queens receive the
same food during the whole of their larval existence,
without any admixture of pollen or honey ; and further,
that this brood food is administered in greater abundance.
The bees will commence queen-cells, and we can assist
them bv enlarging the mouth of any particular cell we
wish tliem to start upon, in such a way as to break
down the walls of the adjoining cells, especially those
beneath.
We generally cut off the edges of the comb, and get
our cells started along these. They then usually hang
down, so that they are more easily cut out. A large
number will be constructed, and if we do not require
70
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 9, 1888.
them all the earliest ones are selected, and the others
destroyed. The hees should be gathering both honey
and pollen in quantity when the cells are started and
until they are capped over, otherwise they must he sup-
plied with food artificially. In about fight or nine days
from the time the queen-cells are started the bee-keeper
will be ready to form his nuclei. We always use our
ordinary hives for this purpose, and for several reasons
do not recommend the small boxes sometimes used. The
nuclei can be made up from any of the other hives
having young bees. Two frames containing brood and
honey will do for a nucleus, but three frames are better,
because if these are well covered with bees the hive
would he warmer, and there would he less risk of
chilling. In taking the frames out of the hives take
care not to remove the queen with them. Place the
frame in the hive close up with division boards, and as
all the old bees will return to the stock hive, shake or
brush the young bees from one or two other combs into
the nucleus, so that there should be as many as could
well cover the frames, and be able to maintain the proper
temperature. In this way form as many nuclei as you have
cells to introduce. We then on the next day with a very
sharp knife, cut out the queen-cells very carefully, so as
not to damage them in the slightest degree. If the bee-
keeper is not very proficient at this sort of work he had
better cut out one cell at a time, and return the frame
from which it was taken to its position in the hive until
the cell is inserted in its place in the nucleus. There will
then be less chance of the inmates being chilled or the
cells damaged. In cutting them out leave a small piece
of comb attached to each cell, and by this pin it to the
side of one of the combs with its point downwards. The
next frame is brought close, so that the cell hangs down
between the two combs without touching them, they
only coming in contact with the piece of comb attached
to the upper part of the cell. The space is then closed
up by the division board, covered with the quilt, and the
bees fed gently with syrup. The nucleus must be
watched to see if sufficient bees remain, and if too many
leave give them more in the way already described. In
from three to four days the queen will hatch, and in
about a week or ten days after she will become fertilised.
Before the queen leaves the hive for fertilisation, remove
one of the combs, and replace it by another containing
brood. Unless this precaution is taken, and there is
brood in the comb, the whole of the bees may leave the
hive with the queen when she goes out to meet the
drones, and so there would be a chance of losing all. If
brood, however, is given them, they will remain in the
hive, because hees very seldom desert young brood. The
queens may be left in these nuclei until they are required.
We have described the plan we prefer and have
found the simplest and most successful (see our remarks
in B.B.J., 1883, page 2, Vol. XI.), but as an alternative
one, some bee-keepers recommend instead of removing
the queen from the best hive, and having the queen-cell
started in it, to get the queen to lay eggs in some clean
worker-comb, and then give the frame containing this to
another hive. Of course the queen of this hive and all
uncapped brood should be removed so as to make sure
that the queen-cells will only be raised from the eggs we
have introduced. Some bee-keepers introduced the queen-
cells in a cage, Mr. Doolittle using one of wire ; but the
simplest thing in this way was one we saw in our
journeying in America, and is used by Captain
Hetherington. It consists simply of a block of wood
1£ x 1 x f in., having a f in. hole bored down to within
iV in. of the bottom, and here the hole is reduced to a
little under f of an inch. The queen-cell is introduced
into this, the point projecting below, and the tin lid
closes the opening above. We give an illustration of
this cage in section, so that the merest tyro can make
one himself. It is placed between the combs, is kept in
place by them, and the bees are not able to destroy the
«-_. sja'L^
K^s/ai^J
cell if they are inclined to do so, but such an incident
has rarely happened to us in introducing the cells in the
ordinary way.
So far we have only considered the raising of select
queens, and if we do no more than what has been
described we must take the
chance of our queens mating
with drones from any other
hive. But we can go a step
further and select our drones.
For this purpose we select our
next best colony and use it for
drone production. This hive
must also be stimulated so that
it is well filled with hees and
brood on most of the comb.
When we find this to be the
case we remove one or two
of the brood-combs from the
middle of the hive and put in
their place frames containing
drone-comb. By feeding more
rapidly the queen fills the drone-cells with eggs which
will produce drones. As soon as the drones begin to
hatch out it is just the right time to start the queen-
cells in the other hive, so that when the young queens
are ready to fly the drones will be in a condition to do so
too. To further ensure a better chance of success we
should prevent the production of drones in all our other
hives, and have none others in our apiary but the
selected ones. In this way queens are raised under the
most favourable conditions, and are far superior to those
started in nuclei with a small lot of bees, a plan fre-
quently adopted by queen-breeders. Of course, by
adopting this plan we must run the risk of the queen
mating with drones from a distant, apiary. Where a
large number of queens are required the plan may be
varied a little ; but a description of this must be deferred
to a future article, as well as the methods adopted for
insuring fertilisation by selected drones.
SIMMINS' BEE COMPANY, LIMITED.
We are now about to have the question, Will a Bee
Farm in England pay Y put to a practical test, and we
are sure our readers will concur with us when we say
the first venture in this direction could not be confided
to a more honest experimenter and withal a more com-
petent man, than our respected correspondent Mr. Samuel
Simmins of llottingdean. During recent years he has
attained a very prominent position as a queen-breeder ;
and we may say that having personally inspected his
Rottingdean and Balsdean Apiaries it would be impos-
sible to conceive places better adapted for this most
interesting pursuit. In whatever direction we looked
we found evidences of much thought and careful con-
sideration. Mr. Simmins will continue to manago the
affairs of the Company, it having purchased the sole
right to use the name of ' Simmins' in connexion with
bees, honey, and appliances, for the next twenty years.
Were bees and honey the only articles on which the
Company proposed to rely for profit we should have
some doubt as to its ultimate success ; but as queens and
appliances are to form a very considerable portion of
the Company's business, thus utilising all hands during
winter as well as summer, there seems to be no tangible
reason why success should not crown their efforts.
We shall look forward with considerable interest to
the first balance-sheet, when we hope to be able to con-
gratulate the Company on having shown that there is
money to be made by the development of our especial
hobby into a national industry. In the meantime we
have great pleasure in expressing our good wishes
towards the Company, and our earnest desire that it
may eventuate in success.
February 9, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
71
3|it 9£emoriam.
THE REV. C. F. G. JENYNS.
It was with a peculiar thrill of pain and regret that we
read the concluding paragraph of the ' Useful Hints' of last
week announcing the sudden demise of the Rev. C. F. G.
Jenyns, Rector of Knebworth, Stevenage, Herts ; and
all who were acquainted with the deceased will readily
join in the warm eulogium therein pronounced of his
sterling worth and of his earnestness in the cause of
bee-keeping.
The Rev. F. G. Jenyns was born on November 13th,
1827. He was educated at Bury St. Edmunds, after
which he entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He
there took a great interest in athletic sports, especially in
boating and cricketing. He was in the College boat
and in the University eleven. After leaving College, he
obtained a curacy &t Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, under
the Rev. Mr. Selwyn, Professor at Cambridge. After
serving the curacy for two years, he was appointed vicar
of the same place, and here he remained twenty-one
years. In the year 1874 he was collated to the rectory
of Knebworth, Herts, the home of the family of the
Bulwer-Lyttons, where he has been for the last thirteen
and a half years. In the year 185C he married Miss
Rose Emily Bulwer, and leaves three sons and two
daughters to deplore his loss. lie died very suddenly on
the 26th of January, and was buried on the 1st of
February. The Committee of the British Bee-keepers'
Association was represented at the funeral by Captain
Bush, R.N., and the Rev. J. L. Seager; and amongst
others present the following bee-keepers were noticed, Mr.
J. P. Sambels, Mr. T. B. Blow, Mr. G. J. Buller, and Mrs.
Maynard. The gentry from far and wide gathered to show
their respect; and, notwithstanding the extreme severity
of the weather, many ladies were present. In the neigh-
bourhood of Stevenage there was probably no one more
highly respected by all classes. He was a man of wise
judgment and of great sympathy and kindness to all, both
high and low. As a parish clergyman he had done a
valuable work both at Melbourn and at Knebworth.
Mr. Jenyns joined the British Bee-keepers' Association
in 1879, and was elected on the Committee at the election
of 1884, since which time he has taken an active part in
the work of the Association. He was conspicuous by the
regularity of his attendance at the meetings, and by his
impartiality as a judge.
In August 1884 he entered with great spirit into the
controversy raised, in the Times newspaper, by the
Hon. A. F. Leveson Gower, as to the position of bee-
keeping as an industry in England. Mr. Jenyns' letter
on that occasion was a valuable addition to those that
were elicited from other advanced and experienced bee-
keepers. His letter more especially embraced the work
that had been performed by the British Association since
its institution. The most interesting point was the
means adopted to ensure that those employed as ex-
perts should be competent to instruct cottage bee-
keepers at their own homes and in their own gardens.
Mr. Jenyns ever showed much interest in the educa-
tional aspect of bee-keeping, and at the quarterly Con-
versazione held on July 2-'!rd, 1885, he read an interesting
and exhaustive paper on that subject. In this he argued
that bee-keeping should be introduced as a ' class ' subject
to elementary schools, and endeavoured to prove that as
the tendency of bee-keeping is to make the man, so
also it would educate the child, to be observant and
accurate, to be prompt, ready, and provident, and to be
kind to God's creatures and attentive to their wants.
His great aim was to make the study of bees and in-
telligent bee-keeping truly educational, and his earnest
desire was to ascertain how that study could be most
profitably promoted. And the conclusion he arrived at
was that the Educational Department should move in the
matter, so that bee-keeping should take its place as a
subject in elementary schools ; and not in those only, but
also in the great middle-class schools and in the agri-
cultural colleges of the kingdom — not merely as an
educational subject, but as a profitable national industry.
At the instance, and under the auspices, of the British
Bee-keepers' Association, and in continuance of the
previous studies of Mr. Jenyns, he was induced to com-
pile a work, entitled A Booh on Bees, their History,
Habits and Instincts. This was published in the beginning
of the year 1886, with a preface written by our President,
the Baroness Burdett-Coutts. This work was a valuable
and welcome addition to bee-literature, the chief object of
the work being to make bee-keeping interesting to young
readers. Mr. Jenyns was most successful in the object
he had set before himself. The work bore clear evidence
of his special aptitude for making his subject interesting
and intelligible to the young. Its style was lucid and
simple, and the interest of the book was maintained from
the beginning to the end. We consider that the work is
a model of conveying instruction on the habits and struc-
ture of "the bee. A cheap edition of the book has been
since published, with a view to its introduction into ele-
mentary schools.
Mr. Jenyns evidently considered that his special
mission was to interest the young in favour of bee-
keeping, and therefore we were not taken by surprise in
finding that at the Conference that was held at the
Indian and Colonial Exhibition in connexion with the
South Kensington Show, he selected as the subject of the
paper he there read, ' The Promotion of Bee-keeping
amongst the Young,' in which he strove to show that if
we desire to promote bee-keeping amongst the working-
classes, ' we shall do well to sow the early seed, which
may afterwards bear fruit and so lead to intelligent and
profitable bee-keeping on a much larger scale, and on a
much wider field, than we had seen hitherto.'
We are indebted to Mr. Jenyns for the idea of 'local
advisers,' the judicious carrying out of which has pro\ 'ed
of such service toJCounty Associations. Mr. Jenyns has
officiated as judge on several occasions. The last time
he occupied that post was at the Royal Agricultural
Show at Norwich. He was one of the party who es-
corted the Princess of Wales and family through the
Bee-department on that occasion. He was a member of
the sub-committee for conducting examinations, for the
duties of which he was eminently fitted. As Hon. Sec.
of the St. Albans Diocesan Board of Education he pos-
sessed considerable knowledge of educational questions.
Mr. Jenyns was also a great rosarian, and a painstaking
recorder of meteorological facts.
In losing Mr. Jenyns we have to deplore the loss of
not only one of the best and most successful of bee-
keepers, but also of one of the most true-hearted and
kindest of men.
' EXCELSIOR ' BEE-FEEDER.
We have received from the Co-operative Tin-plate
Workers' Association one of their ' Excelsior' bee-feeders.
In this feeder there is an inside circle, where the bees
come up to the syrup-holder or tank. The syrup is con-
veyed from outside of the feeder by a tunnel. Inside of
the syrup-holder is placed a cork float, which the bees
get on to feed; there is also a bee-space between the
outside circle and syrup-holder, the whole extending
over six frames, and the spaces on each side of the frames
72
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 9, 1888.
covered with a 9-iuch circle of glass. When not in use
for syrup or dry sugar, candy can be placed in the syrup-
holder (and also on top of the frames as recommended in
' Modern Bee-keeping' and other works), and around the
syrup-holder, and a quilt over the glass. On removing
the quilt the bee-keeper can see what stores the bees
have. If candy is required, the bee-keeper has only to
take a penknife and lift up the glass and place the candy
on. This feeder seems to be appreciated by the bees, if
numbers be any criterion to go by. It is the warmest
place in the hive, giving the bees air-space and a place
for exercise.
A NEW METHOD OF FIXING COMB
FOUNDATION.
Ever since the introduction of sections there has been want-
ing a better method
of fixing comb foun-
dation than is at pre-
sent known. Messrs.
Abbott Bros., in try-
ing to meet the want,
have invented a
method (simple, but
efficient) that leaves
nothing- to be desired.
One glance at the little
wood-cut will explain
the whole thing ; it is
so simple that one
wonders it did not
occur to everybody
years ago. The top
of section is cut at an
angle, with a cutter
which leaves the top of cut larger than the bottom,
thus forming a dovetail for wax when inserted. The
cut being left at an angle, and the right-hand half of the
section being still unfolded, enables you to put the
foundation in without the least trouble, then by closing
the top half of section down into its place, a perfect
tightening pressure is formed, which forces the wax
into its place. Sections can be folded and waxed by this
method at the rate of twelve a minute, no appliance
whatever is required. We understand Messrs. Abbott
Bros, have patented this new invention. (See Adot.)
ASSOCIATIONS.
LEICESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
Annual Report.
Your Committee feel that they may very well com-
mence their Report for the year 1887 with hearty con-
gratulations, since the honey season in most parts of the
county has been an exceptionally good one. The fact
that one member (Mr. W. Brutneil.of Goadby Marwood,
near Melton Mowbray) lifted 215 lbs. from one stock
alone, clearly shows that Leicestershire possesses honey-
producing capabilities favourably comparable with
almost any county in England.
The annual show was held at Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
There was, as usual, a good show of honey, the bulk of
which was of first-class quality, but the number of ex-
hibits was smaller than in the preceding year, probably
owing to the difficulty of reaching Ashby from some
parts of the county. No prizes were offered for col-
lections of bee-keeping appliances ; nevertheless, Mr
W. P. Meadows, of Syston, Leicester, and Mr. C.
Redshaw, of South Wigston, exhibited their complete
collections for the benefit of the Association. For this
act of liberality your Committee here accord them
special and hearty thanks. The medals and certificate of
the British Bee-keepers' Association were awarded as
follows : — Silver medal, Mr. W. P. Meadows, Syston ;
bronze medal, Mrs. Ripon, Waltham ; certificate, Miss
Chester, Waltham. The judge, Mr. J. M. Hooker, was
appointed by the British Bee-keepers' Association. He
examined Mr. Windsor, of Netherscale, for third-class
expert's certificate. Mr. Windsor's success has since been
recorded in the British Bee Journal.
A second show, by kind permission and pecuniary
assistance of the Corporation Committee of the Abbey
Park Horticultural Society, was held in Abbey Park on
August 2nd in conjunction with that Society. Ac-
knowledgments are due to Messrs. Carter, Meadows,
Clarke, J. Cooper, and others, for the able manner in
which this show was managed.
It is hoped that the Abbey Park.Committee may see
their way to giving a larger grant to the Association, to
enable it, during the next season, to carry out the
arrangements more efficiently, and induce the members to
take more general interest in the Show.
At a Committee Meeting held in Ma}', it was resolved
to employ an expert. Mr. George Munday, of Rutland
Villas, Cavendish Road, Aylestone Park, Leicester, was
appointed to visit the apiaries of the members in the
spring. As a result, fifty new members were added to
the Association. The expenses, unfortunately, more than
covered the additional receipts, so that other arrange-
ments for an autumnal visit had to be made, which it is
hoped were little less effective. Mr. Munday visited
12o0 hives, and as a large number of these were of
modern make and under the modern system of manage-
ment, there can no longer be any doubt of the beneficial
influence of the Leicestershire Bee-keepers' Association.
Furthermore, Mr. Munday saw large numbers of similar
hives under the capable management of bee-keepers who
still hold aloof from the Association, but who, neverthe-
less, must have derived, and be still deriving, considerable
benefit from the teachings of the Association.
The Association has determined to send round an
expert in the spring to visit members' apiaries. It must,
however, be understood that the expert will not be able
to examine more than two or three hives in each apiary,
his time being limited; but he will give advice and in-
formation on special points if required. The services of
the expert can be obtained at other times by special
arrangements with him, with regard to payment for his
time and travelling expenses. The address of the expert
at present employed by the Association is Mr. George
Munday, Rutland Villas, Cavendish Road, Aylestone
Park, Leicester.
The condition of the finances of the Association is not
very encouraging, nor is it very discouraging when it is
borne in mind that there have been the extra expenses of
the expert's tour and Abbey Park Show. Your Com-
mittee once more ask assistance in clearing off the debt.
It may be here recorded that Mr. Bickley, to commemo-
rate the Jubilee, offered to pay one pound towards
liquidation of the debt, if nine others could be found
to do the same. Are there any members still disposed
to respond ?
A larger number of exhibitors is very desirabls. In-
tending exhibitors are requested to read the rules over
very carefully. Competitors exhibiting for the first time
are especially asked to give a little attention to the
' Hints to Exhibitors.'
OXFORDSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of this Society was held in the
Clarendon Hotel on Wednesday afternoon, January 2oth.
February 9, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
73
Lord Jersey presided, and there were also present : Revs.
F. C. Dillon (hon. sec), C. Sturges, Williams, and
Neames; Messrs. Ilitchman, Launchbury, f Iancox, Cobb,
Perry, Hayes, Taylor, Scrivener, Thomas, C. 15. Anstey,
Thomas, Hughes, C. Harris, &c. One lady bee-keeper
was present.
The Secretary read the balance-sheet, which showed
6/. 15*. KM. to the good.
The Secretary read the following Report :—' Your
Committee beg to present their sixth annual Report.
They regret to find some falling off in the numbers of
the Society, though in other respects its position appears
very satisfactory. Fresh ground has been opened out by
the circulation of the Bee Journal among the members,
and the balance, thanks to the generous support given
to the prize fund, is more favourable than it has ever
been before. Under these circumstances your Committee
trust that the work of the Society during the coming
year will be effective, and result in bringing in a con-
siderable number of recruits. The number of subscrip-
tions received for 1887 was 11(>. Of those twenty-three
were new members or old members whose names did not
appear in the last report owing to their subscriptions not
having been paid before the general meeting. As there
were 186 last year, there are, therefore, forty-three mem-
bers who have not yet paid for 1887. No doubt some
of these losses are unavoidable, but your Committee hope
that some may still be disposed to continue to support
the Association. The Bee-tent of the Association does
not seem to have been in as great request as in former
years. No doubt it would be more sought after if the
secretaries of flower-shows knew on what very favourable
terms it could be secured, and they would, therefore,
suggest to members and local secretaries that they should
make its existence known to the secretaries of the flower
shows in their neighbourhood and districts. It visited
the following places last year, viz., Banbury (two days),
in connexion with the Oxfordshire Agricultural Society;
Headington, iu connexion with the Church of England
Temperance Society Fete, when the Association also
held their annual show; and Swincombe. The spring
tour was taken by Mr. Perry, and the autumn tour by
Mr. Fewtrell. It will be of great assistance to the
Secretary, and save disappointment to members, if -those
who wish the experts to visit them, would be careful to
send in the forms by the dates mentioned. The annual
show was held, as stated, at Headington, in connexion
with the Church Temperance Fete, on July 14th. The
Committee were much disappointed in the number of
exhibits sent, there being only forty-one entries. This
was partly due, no doubt, to the fact that the great
show of the British Bee-keepers' Association was being
held at the same time at Newcastle. In the honey class,
there was a very good display in Nos. o1 and .r> for 1-lb.
sections and extracted honey, but No. 4, for best supers
of honey, found very little favour. Should it be decided
to bold another show this year your Committee hope
that members will do all tliey can to secure as many
entries as possible. In accordance with a resolution
passed at the last general meeting, copies of the British
Bee Journal have been sent to each of the local secre-
taries for distribution among such members of the district
as apply for them, and your Committee have reason to
believe that this additional privilege has been much
appreciated by many of the members. The hope ex-
pressed at the last meeting that some gentleman would
come forward and undertake the post of local secretary
for those districts which did not then possess one, has
been realised, and the Committee are glad to be able to
report that there is now a local secretary for each
strict. In conclusion ycur Ccnimittee think that the
tisfactory state of the balance-sheet justifies them in
commend ing the appointment of an assistant secretary
a small y early salary. The Hon. Secretary is willing
continue at that post; provided an assistant be found;
and your Committee are glad to report that Mr. C. Harris,
who has previously held the post of local secretary for
Oxford district, has consented to be nominated as assist-
ant secretary. The Committee are confident that in him
the Association would gain a most intelligent and energetic
officer, whose work would soon make itself felt and bring
a good return to the Association.'
Lord Jersey was re-elected President, the Rev. F. C.
Dillon (Vicar of Enstone) Secretary, and Mr. C. Harris
assistant secretary.
The following form the Committee for the year : —
G. II. Morrell, Esq., Dr. Boyton, and Messrs. Salmon, C.
Taylor, Crute, C. B. Anstey, C. Smith, and II. P.
Thomas.
YORKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Annual Meeting of the Yorkshire Bee-keepers'
Association was held at the Church Institute, Leeds,
Jas. Dodgson, Esq., Skipton (Hon. Sec. of Craven
Branch B.K.A.) in the chair. The usual official
business was transacted and the accounts passed. The
Committee, regret to have to report to you the resigna-
tion from the Honorary Secretaryship of G. II. L.
Rickards, Esq., who has so courteously and ably filled
the position since the formation of our Association; the
reasons given for this step being, that owing to the
march of time our esteemed official did not feel himself
able to do as much as he would like to forward the cause
we have at heart, i.e., the growth and prosperity of
our County Bee-keepers' Association. Suitable remarks
thanking Mr. Richards for his past labours, &c, were
made by the Chairman and others, and a resolution
was carried unanimously electing him an honorary
member of Committee. Resolutions respecting the at-
tendance of the Committee, &c, were passed, and inter-
esting information as to the foundation of Branch Asso-
ciations was given by Mr. Dodgson.
Mr. U. A. II. Gnmsliaw, of Horsforth, near Leeds,
who was elected a year ago Co-secretary with Mr.
Rickards, now remains the Hon. Sec. of your A?socia-
tion ; and in presenting you with the annual report, he
hopes he will receive the same kindly help given to his
late colleague. He asks also that the sympathy and
support of all who are interested in advanced bee-
keeping be extended to the Yorkshire U.K. A., and
especially does this appeal relate to those with whom
the fruit and fodder-yielding capabilities of this ' county
of broad acres ' are subjects of importance. To these,
amongst our friends, it is almost unnecessary to enlarge
upon the enormous benefits silently conferred upon the
community by the honey-bee as a plant-fertiliser (and,
therefore, as a seed and fruit-producer), apart from its
labours as a honey-producer.
During his year of office as Co-Secretary, Mr. Grim-
shaw has delivered six lectures (three at Leeds, one each
at LTleskelf, Badsworth, and Walton, near Liverpool).
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
Annual Report.
In presenting the sixth Annual Report vour com-
mittee are glad to say that in place of a debit balance
they close the year with a small balance to their credit.
The shows that have been attended during the year
1888 are :— July 21st, Prescot and District Horticultural
Society; August 4th, St. Mary's Floral and Horticul-
tural Society, Chester; August 20th, Huyton and
AVhiston Cottagers' Horticultural Society ; August 24th,
Lancaster and District Floral and Horticultural Society ;
August 31st to September 3rd, Royal Manchester,
Liverpool, and North Lancashire Agricultural Societv,
held at Old Trafford. The only one calling for remark
74
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 9, 1888.
is the Show held at Old Trafford under the auspices of
the Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and North Lancashire
Agricultural Society, and your committee feel that the
support of this Association should be given to this
Society as the readiest means of increasing the usefulness
of the Bee Association in the two counties. They have,
therefore, made an offer to attend the Show of the
Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and North Lancashire
Agricultural Society, to be held at Lancaster in 1888,
provided the Agricultural Society meet your Association
with a grant. In making their report to their sub-
scribers, the Agricultural Association refer to the
assistance rendered them by your Association.
Of the 238 members referred to in the report for 1880,
19 have resigned ; (33 have joined, leaving 282 members'
names on the books, including 07 in the Artisan and
Cottager List.
Your committee during the year have tried to work in
conjunction with the Sandbach, Hawkshead, Poulton-le-
Fylde, and Altrincham Associations, but no arrange-
ments have been come to.
Your committee early in the year secured a room at
2 South John Street to meet in ; this has proved very
convenient.
The plan of having local secretaries has been found to
work to the advantage of the Association, but many
more are wanted throughout the two counties, and your
committee ask the co-operation of members, so that no
part of Lancashire and Cheshire may be further than
live miles from an active local secretary.
The lectures given by Mr. Webster, of the British
Bee-keepers' Association, in the spring, opened up a
great deal of fresh ground to your Association, and will
doubtless bring in fresh subscribers next year.
By the kindness of Dr. Walker, who is one of the
examiners from the B.B.K. Association, candidates had
a chance of getting third-class certificates at the time of
the Show held at Lancaster; the two candidates who
came for examination obtained certificates. With
reference to this subject, your committee are glad to
learn the Committee of Examiners of the B.B.K.A. are
trying to arrange to make it easier for candidates to
meet them; and it will greatly assist all parties interested
if candidates for 1888 will send their names to the
secretary by the end of June, or earlier where it is
practicable.
On the recommendation of your representatives, the
B.B.K.A. have arranged that county representatives
shall meet an hour before the Conferences, so as to
discuss and arrange for all matters of interest to County
Associations to be brought authoritatively before the
Committee of the B.B.K.A.
A large quantity of honey has been sold for members,
and had more been sent it could have been readily dis-
posed of. What is chiefly required is an attractive
form of putting up, at popular prices, say — Jars at I*.,
Is. Or/., and 2s.
Foul brood being on the increase, your committee,
early in the year, had phenol solution put up in a cheap
form, but it was called for much more outside your own
counties than in them. Members would do well to make
very strict inquiries before purchasing any bees, and in
every case the inquiry should be made whether foul
brood exists at the apiary from whence the bees are
bought.— Wm. Lees McClure, Hon. Sec, The Lathams,
Prescot, Hist December, 1887.
€axxts%ovfomtc.
OUR HONEY IMPORTS.
The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom
during the month of January, 1888, amounted to 466/.
[From a return furnished by the Statistical Department
II.M. Customs to E, II. Bellairs, Wingfield, Christchurch.l
THE MONTHLY ISSUE OF BEE JOURNAL
AND ITS ADVANTAGES TO BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATIONS.
[14/2. | I felt quite elated when I first heard whispers
of there being a likelihood of the B. J. being issued in a
form more compatible with the financial requirements of
bee-keepers' Associations. For some considerable time
past it has been the privilege of members of Associations
to have sent them for their perusal (a time usually ex-
tending to from two to three days) a copy of the leading
British journal in apiculture ; but the difficulty of trans-
mitting same from member to member soon became
apparent, and for some lengthened period quite a failure
in its distribution has been the result.
The B. B. J. at its weekly price of twopence was much
too expensive for the Associations to send a copy gratis
to each of its members, but the advent of the condensed
yet practical stranger seemed all at once to relieve us
from the cloud of failure, experienced with its more im-
posing congener.
There is little doubt that Associations will at once feel
the great advantage thus conferred upon them, especially
so if the practical portion only of the B. B. J. is trans-
ferred to the columns of its monthly echo. It is what
the cottager or other bee-keeper requires ; the right nail
has been tapped upon its head, and now I trust to see it
in a few months driven fairly home.
Many would-be members of B. K. Associations want
to know what benefit they are going to derive from
joining; if it can be pointed out to them that each
month they will receive gratis for their own several uses
a periodical devoted entirely to apiculture, they will be
satisfied that a large amount of good will accrue, and
then a visit or visits from the expert, free admission to
all shows, meetings, conversaziones, &c, being added,
their natural dislike to ' part ' for a seeming myth will
be overcome, and Associations will thus receive an im-
pel us not felt for some considerable time past. Let us
hope that these sanguine expectations of mine will be
realised. I think they will.
Taking as a basis my own County Association (Berks)
it will be found that for a not very significant amount
above that paid for the weekly issue, the monthly B.J.
can be sent post paid to each of its members to become
their property for present use or reference. Unfortu-
nately a few of the members of the committee of the
Berks B.K.A. do not or will not see it in this light, they
must have a journal of their own, although at the
present time the funds are not, in the most flourishing
condition. A bee journal of their own, they say, will
lessen the printers' bill. So it will, but not sufficiently
by far to pay for a journal being issued from their own
press of equivalent interest or such practical advantage
as the Journal.
You, Mr. Editor, have the whole of the British Islands
to draw your supply of 'copy' from; a county can but
have a fractional portion of it, and a consequent diminu-
tion in its utility. Berkshire, I am aware, locates a
goodly number of practical bee-keepers, but how many
of these, although they may be stars in their profession,
have the natural aptitude of imparting that knowledge
in writing to others ?
You have the control of numerous writers, men who
have made their mark, more or less, in apiculture with
the pen. Can any County Association obtain this control
unless their funds are augmented to a condition far above
any bee-keepers' Association at the present time P They
cannot. I 'an they expect a man to expend his ideas in
the columns of their paper, who, if those same ideas and
writings were sent to another periodical, would command
a marketable value? It is not a common-sense view to
suppose they would. As a result, the matter produced
in its pages will have to be obtained at the nominal sum
of — nothing. In a bee journal, no matter how simple its
February 9, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
75
contents, it must in many practical articles be illustrated.
Can they get draughtsmen and engravers to form these
blocks for nothing ? Will an editor (poor man !) work
transcribing copy badly written, orthographically
deficient, or almost in a state of printers ' pie ' for
nothing ? You know, Mr. Editor, there is plenty of that
sort of ' copy ' sent in.
Philanthropy, I know, is a trait to be encouraged, but
in these days of £ s. d., where eaeli of us has to look
around for the wherewith, few can be found to work
day after day, night after night, without its equivalent
in some form or other ; and so, if the quality of the
matter contained in this embryo journal is to be kept
up to the standard, the promoters will assuredly find
out.
By the articles of affiliation to the British Bee-keepers'
Association the annual reports of Associations have to
be produced to a certain standard size (ordinary 8vo.),
that the different reports may be bound together in one
volume; this journal, though of a different size, is to
produce this report in its pages, and great satisfaction
was expressed by the promoters that the item of a
separate report would not have to be paid, as the first
number issued could be almost filled with the same ;
rather dry reading for its recipients, and scarcely to be
recognised as of practical advantage in the establishing
or successful management of an apiary ; therefore, as
this must appear in the March number, would-be manipu-
lators will have to wait until April for advice, or manage
their bees blindfolded.
Financially, according to the figures of the promoters,
it is a failure, as it will cost 71. per year more than the
monthly Bee Journal, replete with sound practical advice,
if a copy were sent each month to every one of the
members, and the annual report costing 67. produced as
usual, notwithstanding the very low price a printer has
offered to execute the work and till the editorial chair
into the bargain. One principal idea of the promoters is
to 'use the scissors' upon other journals; if so, the
readers will receive the advice or news secondhand, and
after a lapse of time, perhaps, sufficient to negative its
effects.
The usual meagre attendance of Committee-men was
the principal cause of the motion being carried, only four
voted, three for and one (myself) against. Two of these
three were promoters, the third being one who has been
placed upon the Committee since the matter was brought
forward.
I should not have troubled you with this latter portion
of my letter, but publicity has been given to the meeting
in these columns with but few particulars of it; my
opposition was very, very faintly expressed. — W. B.
Webster.
A VOICE FROM THE COTTAGE.
[1473.] I am very glad to see that steps are being
taken with the new year to bring the cottage bee-keeper
again to the front, and also that a new and cheaper
journal is promised him, although I cannot see how we
can have a cheaper paper than the B. B. J., or a more
ably conducted one. There is one little improvement,
however, I think might be made. I should like to see
the bond fide cottager show himself in print ; to hear a
little of his successes and of some of his trials and diffi-
culties. I have been a subscriber for a year now, and
during that time I do not remember to have seen any-
thing of him. I am afraid he is too much over-awed by
the learned gentlemen who from week to week almost
overwhelm with their stores of knowledge of all the
mysteries of bees and bee-keeping that he is fain to hide
his diminished head, lest, like some unlucky bee that we
have read of lately, he should be snapped up by some
tomtit in the form of some expert or other.
Now, Mr. Editor, I should like to know whom we are
to include in the term cottager. I presume it would
include any working man of small means in an agri-
cultural neighbourhood, whether working in his shop or
on his bit of land, or as a day-labourer on a farm. In
most villages there exists a class of small, working
tradesmen — the village smith, the carpenter, shoemaker,
tailor, &c, who in these tiines.find it a hard job to make
both ends meet, and would fain add to their little means
if they only knew how. Several of our correspondents
lately have been w ondering what trade could be worked
with bee-keeping. I venture to s.ay that in mo>t instances
any village trade will work with it ; for, as a ride, there
is a garden, and sometimes a paddock (if the man keep
a pony) where there are plenty of spare corners he might
find to put a few hives in. It is in the interests of this
class (to which I have the honour to belong) that I
should like to say a few words. I am a smith myself,
like Longfellow's ' Week in, week out, earning whate'er
I can ' (which is not much, i can tell you), and having a
nice plot of ground at command, I thought I should like
to keep bees. I thought over it a long time, but there
seemed so much mystery about them that I was afraid
to try. However, happening to be at a cottager's sale
one day, and seeing some half-a-dozen skeps of bees for
sale, I ventured to buy three skeps for a trifle, and that
was my first start in the line, now four years ago.
Naturally, like most other bee-keepers that I have met,
I had a little touch of the fever, and, being of a studious
turn of mind, I began to seek for information. Of course
I turned to Hiy nearest bee-keeping neighbour, who
gravely asked me if I had tuld the bees they had got a
new master. I gave him up as a bad job, and being near
swarming time, I asked another, who kindly assisted
me to hive my first swarm in a skep (I knew nothing of
bar-hives then), properly dressed with beer and sugar,
and wiped with elder-leaves in the orthodox way. But,
like riches sometimes do, they took to themselves wings
and flew away. That summer I went to the Royal
Agricultural Show, and in my wanderings came across
the bee-tent, and was very much interested in what I
saw ; — I can scarcely say in what I heard, for I could not
make much out, except that you had only got to do this
or that and you would soon get a fortune. One thing I
did remember, however, and that was to get the British
Bee-keepers Guide-book, which I did, and then I really
started to work in earnest. I found I had a great deal
to learn, and it would lie as well to proceed with caution;
so, after a prolonged study, I ventured to buy a bar-
frame hive, and by following instructions given, and a
little advice here and there, I drove the bees from one of
my old skeps and stocked my new hive. I soon began
to find that I could not afford to buy even cheap hives,
so began to burn the midnight oil in trying to master the
theory and practice, and make my own hives and appli-
ances, which I am glad to say I havo succeeded tolerably
well in doing. Of course I worked my own trade in as
much as I could, and made some frames, rather novel
ones, but they answer well. Up to now I have made
a bee-house for skeps, ten bar-frame hives and frames,
an extractor, section-crates — of an original character, a
brick hive, fountain, &c, and almost all after seven in
the evening. I would strongly advise cottagers as far as
possible to make their own hives, because I believe by
that means they will more quickly learn the science of
bee-keeping, being necessarily compelled to study in
order to ensure success.
A word or two on bee shows. I cannot see that they
are of very great advantage to the cottager as at present
managed. The information obtained at them, I am
afraid, more often leads him astray than benefits 1 im.
He begins driving bees, and messing them about before
he has mastered even the elements of the science ; and
frequently, after wasting a lot of time and money, he
either gives up in disgust or is compelled to make a fresh
start. I should like to see a greater readiness on the
part of the lecturer or manipulator to answer the
7G
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 9, 1888.
questions of the novice, and to give simpler lectures
specially bearing on the lirst steps to be taken in bee-
keeping, and not to bewilder him with elaborate manipu-
lations. I think a little conversation with, or a visit to
the apiary of a fellow-cottager more advanced than him-
self would be of more service to him, and stimulate him
to try and do likewise. What we want is unity among
ourselves, the desire and will to help one another, and to
cultivate that fellow-feeling that would make us
wondrous kind. There is one thing, too, that tends to
depress the bee-keeper of small means, and that is, the
constant changes that are continually taking place in
almost everything pertaining to the profitable manage-
ment of bees. It is utterly impossible for him to go in
for buying new queens, expensive feeders, the latest
hives, &c, for the simple reason that he cannot afford it.
That our new Journal may be taken up heartily by the
cottagers, and prove a boon to them and a success to all
concerned, is the hearty wish of — A Village Black-
smith.
A CHAPTER ON SKEP MANAGEMENT.
[1474.] Some time ago I promised to send you
some information respecting the use of skeps in this
neighbourhood. The cottager here does not keep bees
for a hobby, but for profit. The following is the mode
of management, and some of it I have not seen in any
other part of the country. First of all, I wish to draw
your attention to two facts, viz., this part is not a
good one for bee-keeping, because, being ,io high, it is
very exposed and cold, and there is only one honey
harvest, that the heather. All st< cks are worked with
this particular end in view, and that reason will account
for the peculiar management in a great degree. We
begin in the spring ; the season opens about April as a
rule, although bees have been known to ' bear ' here as
early as February 1 1th, but that is very, very exceptional.
The stocks are fed when required by means of a drawer
lined with zinc fitted under the tloor-board containing a
float of perforated wood. They are only scantily fed to
keep them going-. The only swarms are natural ones,
and they come off during the last week in June or be-
ginning of July, but sometimes extend into August,
showing the lateness of the district. All swarms are
hived into straw skeps and fed, if required, for about
three days.
About August 12th, the time when grouse-shooting
commences, all stocks and swarms are packed up over-
night or after 0 p.m., and loaded up and taken to the
moors. There they remain until the honey-flow com-
mences. If the season is very dry, no honey is secreted
in the bloom, and if very wet the bees cannot work;
for instance, this last season for three weeks, although
there was a perfect sea of bloom, yet it contained no
honey whatever. Rain came, and five days was the sum
total of the honey-flow, as after that the continual rain
prevented any more being gathered, but during the five
days mentioned each fairly strong skep gathered upwards
of 20 lbs. Well, to return, the hives are all set out and
allowed to take their chance, bo covering provided except
a large sod. The hives are visited now and again, and
if any seem to be short of room an ' ipper ' or eke is
added, and thus they remain until the end of the season,
about September 14th. No supers are used.
Saturday following the latter date the hivee are
fetched home, and every one which contains over 10 lbs.
of honey is taken. This is the part of the plan which I
think peculiar to this district. All hives containing
more than 10 lbs. are driven, and having previously
considered how many are to be wintered, the bees are
divided amongst them. Each hive is given a good whisk
round and placed on its stand over one of the drawer-
feeders, and fed up until the weight reaches 20 lbs.- or
over (30 lbs. of sugar will make 45 lbs. of thick syrup),
and it takes only 20 lbs. of sugar to form sufficient
combs to nearly reach the floor-board and stores for
winter, and therefore I can refute the statement that it
requires 20 lbs. of honey to make 1 lb. of wax. All the
combs, minus the little brood there may be, are put in a
large press, having three sieves of fine brass wire mesh,
and subjected to great pressure. The remaining blocks of
refuse are boiled in water, and the wax extracted. I
ma}- here say the honey thus extracted is perfectly
clear, and contains only a very small percentage of
pollen.
For this plan the advantages are, very little trouble
in management, all the honey is taken, new and clean
combs are formed, no foul brood, and 20 lbs. of sugar
only costs 3s. -id., sufficient to winter one stock, whilst
every 10 lbs. of honey is worth 10s. here. You now see
the reason of this plan. The wax also obtained realises
2s. Qd. a pound. The only disadvantage is in the spring,
on account of the extra amount of work. Many old bees
are worn out, and there being no pollen stored, stocks
are weak (but they winter better in skeps than in wood),
and for this plan they are not required strong until
August. This system has been carried out in this
district for the last twenty years. A good stock in a
favourable season will yield from .'10 lbs. to 40 lbs. of
honey, and on account of the honey-flow being so sudden
and quick, the queen is soon crowded out, but when
two or three lots of driven bees are added together and
fed in September, a batch of new brood is hatched off
before winter sets in.
I am sorry I cannot give exact account of income and
expenditure, as I have mislaid some memoranda I made
during last autumn. — W. Robinson, Yorkshire.
IRISH HONEY AT THE GLASGOW
EXHIBITION.
[147o.] I think that Irish bee-keepers owe a debt of
gratitude to Mr. John D. McNally and his brother for
the exertions they are making to open up new outlets for
the sale and use of honey by their scheme to exhibit
samples from all parts of the world at the forthcoming
Glasgow Exhibition (1417) ; and I am sure no pains and
trouble will be spared by them to make their part of the
Exhibition as attractive and interesting as possible. I
received a large order for honey from Mr. John D.
McNally in December, and I have been much gratified
bv bearing from him that he intends some of it to have
a place amongst his Irish samples, lie is still anxious to
obtain anything in the way of a novelty, aud any Irish
bee-keeper who has anything of the sort likely to increase
the interest iu and attract notice to the Irish part of the
honey show, will greatly further the good cause, aud aid
the efforts of the Messrs. McNally, by sending such to
them. There is no doubt that something is needed to
extend the demand for honey if it is to be of benefit to
bee-keepers ; it is most disheartening to work hard all
through the honey season, and after a grand honey
harvest to find it next to impossible to dispose of the
produce. I have quantities of first-class sections still on
my hands, and the demand seems absolutely nil, so far as
Ireland is concerned. — E. E. Rutheefoord, Carlingfard,
Co. Louth.
AMATEFR EXPERT AND THE THIRD-CLASS
EXAMINERS.
[1476.] Let me thank 'Amateur Expert' for acknow-
ledging the authorship of the remarks made with regard
to our Third Class Examiners in the Canadian Bee
Journal. I know him well, and feel that I can appeal
to him with confidence to set things straight if he has
done us any wrong in this matter. My objection is not
made to a nom-de-plume, but to it being the cover of a
grave charge. As to the charge I would bring forward
the following figures. During the years 1884, 5, 0, and 7,
February 9, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
77
127 candidates presented themselves for examination.
There were in all 18 examiners, and of these Messrs.
Walker, Sclater, Hooker, C. N. Abbott, Bellairs, Raynor,
Seager, Blow, W. 15. Carr, and Martin, examined 99 out
of 127. The remaining eight examiners are all men
whom I believe to be competent and quite capable of
finding the queen in reasonable time, but without dis-
cussing their merits, we have here the fact that nearly
four-fifths of the whole number were examined by men
of whom no one would venture to hint that they were
incompetent.
Has not the Examining Board reason to complain if,
in a description, not of one particular examination, but
of third-class examinations in general, it is alleged that
to capture the queen is ' a feat that the examiner
•probably could not accomplish in ten hours?1
With regard to my 'slowness' I may say that I do
not take in the Canadian Bee Journal, but the paragraph
in question was shown to me on Wednesday, January 18th,
and my letter appeared in the British Bee Journal, pub-
lished the following Wednesday, January 25th.— Hkniiv
Bligh.
PREVENTION OF INCREASE.
Number Two.
[1477] In preventing increase it is not necessary to
prevent swarming ; in fact, in working for comb honey
I prefer to have the bees swarm, as I think they work
better after the swarming impulse is satisfied. When
the time comes for putting on the sections look the hive
over carefully, cut out all the queen-cells, put on the
supers and let them alone. If they go to work they will
soon need more room. As soon as the first sections are
finished take them off and replace with empty ones.
With young queens this method will often prevent
swarming, but when you put on the supers, if they have
made preparation for swarming, let them swarm. Do
not cut out cells and fuss with them, fur they will not
work while they are thinking about swarming. Have
your new hive ready, and as far as convenient from the
old stand. As soon as the swarm issues open the parent
and remove all the combs but one to the new stand,
bees and all, but be sure that you have removed every
queen-cell. Put in one frame of foundation to till the
hive ; take the super from the old hive and put it on the
new one. By this time the swarm will be settled in
your hiving-box. Now carry them to the new hive and
run them in, as you now have all the bees and brood of
the old swarm, except the one comb left at the old stand
and the bens that are out in the fields; the latter will
work with all the energy of a new swarm. Be sure and
put on the super before hiving the swarm, and the bees
will go into it with a rush and stay there. 1 never use
an}' honey-board and am not troubled witli the queen in
the sections. I use the Laugstroth frame. If I used small
frames, and ten or twelve in a hive, I would leave two
frames in the old hive instead of one. If thev should
swarm again in the course of two or three weeks treat
them as before ; if they persist in swarming supersede
the queen. As to the frame of brood left in the old
hive, leave it alone till you have bees enough to fill a
hive; then unite the colony at sundown, remove the
empty hives, p it on the super, and the bees will go to
work promptly. With this plan you will have only one
new swarm out from eight or ten old ones, and still have
them in the best condition for storing surplus. I think
they will work with greater energy than when they are
put back on the old stand. — John II. Rcpkbt, Wood-
rock, Pa. (American Apiculturist.)
round each of the ten or eleven combs the hive contain
before reaching the back.' This would lead one to
imagine they were cramped for head room, or had a
difficulty in passing under the frames ; but it is not so, as
all the hives I have seen on this system have ample
space below for the bees to travel in any direction they
like. And as regards ventilation, in my opinion it is
better than the right-angle system. But I don't think
there is really enjugh difference between tin- two
systems to make any one change from one to the other.
There is a good deal in what one starts with or takes a
fancy to. — Geo. Whalley, Mm.
PARALLEL V. RIGHT-ANGLED FRAMES.
[1478.] ' W. R.' states on p. 52 in your issue of the
2Gth January (1450), ' Under the other system {i.e.,
parallel) every passenger has to burrow under or scramble
BEES-IBISH AND MOORISH.
[1470.] I have just returned home to my bees after
four months' absence in Morocco, and found all the
hives looking well and the bees very lively, the weather
being extremely mild for the time of year. < In January
2.'! there were half-a-dozen good-sized clumps of yellow
crocus in bloom, and the bees rolling ah >ut in them in
great delight. These crocuses are not the ordinary kind,
and blossom a little earlier ; they- have smaller blooms,
and the petals curve back, giving the flower a star-like
look. The ordinary crocuses were also beginning to
bloom, and besides there were Pyrus japonica, wall-
flowers, snowdrops in quantities, a few st cks, and
anemones also in dower. 1 hope only we shall not have
to pay for it all by-and-by with snow in March, Sec.
There is a great deal of furze in blossom, and to-davout
walking I saw half-a-dozen bushes quite yellow with
blossom. All this means that the bees are out a great
deal, and I have got my usual ' starvation ' panic on ; so
to ease my fears I removed the hive-covers the other day
when it was quite hot at noon, and gave some more
candy to the hives that had consumed their autumn
allowance of it. (Inly one luve.seeme 1 at all damp, and
to that I will give a dry quilt on the first good oppor-
tunity.
I had not much time to inquire about the bees in
Tangier and its neighbourhood, but 1 should think at
certain times of the year the yield ought to be large. I
left about the middle of December, wheu the orange-
trees were coming into blossom, and from what 1 heard
I should expect a good yield of honey from that time
till well on into summer, when the drought would
probably check the honey-flow. I saw some bees in
frame-hives, but 1 think they had 'established a funic,'
and their owners showed a marked indisposition to
interfere with them. I heard of one proprietor whose
attempt to take some of his honey ended in his pre-
cipitating himself into his garden pond. And this in
spite of veil, gloves, and smoker. It was plain to me
that the bees were very aggressive, and as I had no pro-
tecting armour, I left them religiously alone after my
first experience. I approached the alighting-board of
one frame-hive cautiously, keeping well to the side, but
when I was about four or five feet off a couple made for
my face and neck, — and I fled !
I was unable to get a sample of the honey, but in-
tended to bring you a few of the bees, which I proposed
to entrap cunningly, but as my journey homewards was
to be a long roundabout business I gave up the idea. I
shall hope, however, to visit Tangier again next
autumn, and will, if I have the opportunity, make good
the omission. Anyhow, the bees are regular ' demons,'
and I hope no one will improve (?) our home race by
crossing them with Moorish. They are very dark-
coloured bees, and I could see no bars on them. The
Moorish bee-hive is a hollow tube of cork-bark. It is
well to know this, lest one should sit upon or kick the
(apparent) log of wood, which is just put on the ground
at any convenient place.
On the high ground between Tangier and Cape
Spartel I saw bees working busily on the beautiful tall
78
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 9, 1888.
heath which was in bloom in November and December ;
but I also saw them working in indescribable numbers
and with feverish energy on the vile, sticky compounds
that the Moors devour as sweetmeats, and that are sold
in quantities in the market-places and streets of the
Moorish towns. As these sweets (?) are made with the
most rancid butter that can be procured (no other suiting
the Moorish palate) I confess I think some of the honey
must be of curious flavour. The trays of sweetmeats
were literally covered with bees, and the vendors did not
attempt to drive them off. Probably it was safer to
leave them alone, the Moorish costume leaving so much
of the person exposed to insect attack.
One queer thing I noticed as to their pollen-gathering,
the like of which I never saw at home. After breakfast,
the day after my arrival at Tangier, I saw a lot of bees
hovering round the Venetian shutters outside the
windows. These were painted a most vivid green, and
the bees, I soon saw, were working awa)' at the paint
and storing it on their legs as pollen. It was certainly
extraordinary to seethe big pellets of brightest emerald
green. They seemed to get it most easily on the edges
of the shutters and wherever the paint was at all lumpy,
and at all these places the marks of ' nibbling' were
very apparent. Of course I was not believed when I
made my report, and I was met with the popular fallacy
that ' bees hate paint ; ' but ' seeing is believing,' and
there was soon an end of scepticism on the subject. The
emerald-green was very patent on the bees' legs, and
every day they were to be seen at work. But what, in
the name of wonder, they were going to do with that
arsenical-looking powder in the pollen-cells, I am sure I
do not know.
I have been dutifully reading up the four months'
back numbers of the Journal that accumulated in my
absence. That box wasp-trap is, I am sure, a good
thing. Cushions with centre openings I have used for
three years, and find them most convenient. P'rom the
condition of the small amount of comb-honey I left in
stock in the house last autumn, I am convinced that light
should be carefully excluded if sections are to be kept
without ' weeping.' Some half-a-dozen 1 left in a very
close-fitting box with one side glass have oozed very
much, and are quite unsaleable, but a couple of dozen
that were in a less air-tight wooden box are in perfect
condition. The same idea struck me last winter when I
wrote to you about finding a hive, in which the bees
had died out from queenlessness, with all the bars full
of honey, and none of it granulated, though the weather
was extremely cold and frosty, and some of the honey
was from heather. The bars were all sealed of course,
but the hive was very cold.
So far, bees have wintered well here, but the open
weather will necessitate care in spring. Excuse this
long yarn, but I have been so long absent 1 felt I must
have ' my say ' to you. — F. W. O., The Mall House,
Lismore, Ireland.
COUXT\ BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS.
[1480.] There are two important considerations affect-
ing the work of Associations which the length of my
last communication prevented me from speaking of.
The first is the fact, patent to all engaged in active
management, that the wants of members are in a pro-
gressive and transient state, and therefore the programme
for one year will require modification for the next
season, and in two or three years time may be quite out
of date and unsatisfactory. The second is, that the
amount of work which can be undertaken is sharply
defined by the income by subscriptions, and that a
serious proportion of income is unavoidably swallowed
up by inevitable expenses (printing, postage, affiliation
fee, &.O.) which outsiders never reckon upon when esti-
mating how many benefits can be given to a member in
return for his subscription.
The difficulties of management are increased by
undue expectations raised by such reasoning as that
of the compiler of ' Useful Hints ' in your issue of
February 2, who remarks ' that eighteenpence per annum
should supply the monthly Journal, inclusive of the
halfpenny wrapper, to every cottage subscriber of 2s. 6d.
to his county Association, leaving Is. to the county
funds.' This assumes that there is no other Association
work to be considered, and, le.-s clearly, that subscribers
of 2s. 6d. are to be granted a boon denied to 5s. members.
The fact is, that the average amount received from,
and therefore the average amount which can be ex-
pended on, each member, including the 2s. 6d. cottages,
is about os. 9rf., and that the following expenses per
member are inevitable in an Association which already
undertakes the usual honey show and expert's visit : —
Printing, Is. 6d. per member; stamps, affiliation fee,
and sundries, Is. ; prizes at show, Is. 3d. ; spring tour,
Is. 6d. — total, 5s. 3d. It will be seen that it is difficult
to add the free gift of even a monthly Journal to work
already undertaken, but that the circulation of such a
journal may be practicable, say, one copy to four
members. My figures are based on our own balance-
sheet; they may of course be different under different
circumstances, such as a large increase of members.
Organization of Associations. — I will pass over the
ornamental officers, as president and vice-presidents,
without whose guineas it would be difficult to work. It
may have been noticed that I have assumed that the
average member joins the Association from selfish
motives for the advantage he may gain thereby, and
accordingly I have discussed the work of the Association
from this standpoint.
In speaking, however, of those who assist in the
management, I can safely assume that the average worker
is willing to help from love of the cause and willingness
to assist others ; being but human, however, he on the
one hand loses interest if he is not assigned some share
of actual work and responsibility — attending committees
to approve of others' work is not sufficient — and on the
other hand, if the main burden and responsibility of the
Association gradually falls upon him, and he has practi-
cally to manage a business for the benefit of others, a
time comes when he feels he can do so no longer, and
retires.
The Central System. — By this name I refer to the
older organization of most Associations, by which no
work was done except by the Central Committee ; and
as all work depends on personal energy, and no com-
mittee-man, however energetic, had power of action
except when the committee were called together by the
secretary, it naturally came to pass that everything
depended on the secretary, and the Association became
a business managed practically by him alone. It is on
account of this weak point that a change becomes ne-
cessary, and that in the direction of power of inde-
pendent action by workers in different parts of the county.
District, System. — Under this plan the county is
divided into districts, which should be defined by exisl ing
divisions — in our county the petty sessional divisions
were found the most suitable. Each district is given
into charge of a local seei-etary, who shall take charge of
the work of the Association in his district and receive
subscriptions. He should call a meeting of members in
his district once a-year, and in our case we have en-
trusted the election of the local secretary for the ensuing
year to this meeting. This meeting might l»e combined
with a short lecture or discussion on practical points of
bee-keeping1. It is doubtful whether local secretaries
or other unpaid officials should undertake much expert
work, for it too frequently happens that members who
receive such help begin to ask for it as something due to
them in return for their subscription. For this reason I
have doubts about the advisability of appointing local
advisers in districts, but I cannot speak from experience.
February 9, 1888.]
THE BRITISH SEE JOURNAL.
79
Hon. Secretary. — This post will be more easy to fill
under the divided responsibility of the District System,
but the success of the Association will still depend upon
the energy of the hon. secretary, who will in some
districts have to fill the place of non-existent or useless
local secretaries.
Treasurer.— On the one hand, it is well to have an in-
dependent treasurer, as it presses one more into active
interest in the work ; but, on the other hand, it creates
extra work and expense in postage and remittance, if
the treasurer should live at a distance from the ton.
secretary ; and I am inclined to think that if the hon.
secretary would also act as treasurer, it is not much in-
crease to his work, and enables him to keep an accurate
list of members, to apply for subscriptions at the time of
sending out other notices, and thus to get in money much
more quickly.
Committee. — The local secretaries, with other officers,
will constitute this body ; but as they live widely apart,
I think it is well to add the names of a few suitable
members living in or near the town where committee
meetings are usually held.
The rules of an Association should be as simple as
possible, and not designed to cover every possible con-
tingency. It is amusing to notice the space wasted in
many annual reports on the ' Objects of the Association,'
usually theoretical and not practical. — Alfrkd Wat-
kins, Herefordshire B. K. A.
COUNTY BEE-KEEPING ASSOCIATIONS.
[1481.] Letter 1451 in your issue of the 26th January,
1888, asks some questions of me, or I would not further
trouble you on the above subject.
In what way does Mr. Garratt want the Committee of
the B.13. K. A. to move ? Surely he might have given bis
views to his county representative that they might have
been discussed at the meeting of county representa-
tives. If the counties work together they will be an
assistance to the British, and at the same time the
counties, as a body, can point out many ways in which
the British can assist them, but if each county goes with
a separate proposal the Committee of the B.B.K. A. can-
not give the time to consider them.
Why should not duly qualified county representatives,
or County Honorary Secretaries, be ex-offiao members of
the B.B.K. A. Committee? I have written on, and
named, the subject for twelve months and never heard
any one speak but in approval of the suggestion. Why,
then, at the coming annual meeting cannot a rule
to meet the subject be proposed ? I cannot attend
the meeting, or I would have given notice of my
proposition.
Will Mr. Garratt pay me a visit? I will then prove to
him that no paid Secretary with ample funds at his
back could cover Lancashire and Cheshire for bee-work.
In the six years the Association has been in existence,
in place of paid, our Association has had unpaid Secre-
taries, who have also had to consider the funds at their
disposal.
My Committee have been advised by post-cards of the
date, &c, of the next meetings a week before they were
to be held, and the post-cards have stated the nature of
the business requiring their attendance, and at all these
meetings the accounts have been produced for signature
by the Chairman, and the position of the Association to
date been made known to the Committee. This is the
simple way in which the Committee, to whom I am
greatly indebted, have assisted me with their atten-
dances.
After six more years with unpaid Secretaries, I am
sure there will be new districts for an energetic Secretary
to look up in Lancashire and Cheshire. Fortunately
there is nothing uncertain or indefinite in our aims, and
stimulus we must find in new districts,
Mr. Garratt's long experience differs from my very
short one about the selection of officers in an Association;
and if all would resign when they do not fill the require-
ments of the position they would confer a great benefit
on bee-keepers in general, who prefer to let things drag
on rather than hurt the feelings of some one who will
neither act himself nor let any one else ; but on this
question of officers of an Association I could write more,
but I have already trespassed too much on your space. —
War. Lees McClube, The Lathams. Prescot, January
•17 th.
SECTIONS WITHOUT SEPARATORS.
[1482.] It might not be inappropriate, now that the
time of preparation for the coming bee-season is ap-
proaching, to review the question of the disuse of
separators as noticed in the B.B.J, and elsewhere
during the past year. We find many have tried working
without them, and results varied. The \h in. wide thus
worked has been a failure (see letters in B. B. J., Nos.
1371, 1372, and LJ80). The If in. not so. We may, in
fact, consider them to have been a great success. Our
first notice of this section is at the Hunts Agricultural
Show (B.B.J., August 11th, page 346). Mr. J. H.
Howard, junr., here took a first prize and B.B.K. A.
silver medal with his dividerless If in., and Mr. J. H.
Howard, of Holme Apiary, with the same takes first
place at the Cambridge and Isle of Ely Agricultural (same
page B.B.J.) and, I understand, the first prize in the
Cottagers' class was also awarded to the If in. sections.
Concerning these, Mr. Howard writes, ' Nothing can beat
dividerless If in. sections.'
Let us now turn to B.B.J., page 4G.5, letter 1321,
and we find that in Co. Leitrim, Ireland, the largest
recorded take of comb honey but one was taken by the
open-sided lj in. dividerless, viz., 100 sections. This one
larger, 104, by 'An Old Bee-master,' letter 1364, was
taken from a hire worked on the 'Simmins' principle,'
and as Mr. Simmins works this section without
separators these may have also been the same. We next
hear from the Isle of Man. Mr. Fryer writes (letter
1365), ' That his open-sided If in. worked without
separators placed alongside his 2 in. looked better and
weighed more, but that they were more easily injured in
handling.' This applies to all open-sided sections, and
will disappear when we become more accustomed to
them; the close-sided If in. are safer in this respect;
but in both we have a wide margin for unlucky knocks,
extracting, and home consumption in the greater
quantity of honey taken by them than by the 2 in.
We now come to America. We have it on the bes t
authority that this section is increasing in favour in
Canada, our friends there considering they take most
comb honey by its use ; but these sections were not quite
level last year, nor were they at the Colonial the year
previous. This can be explained by an indifferent and a
bad honey year. It requires a strong honey-flow, such
as we had for a short while this year here, to give quite
level sections without separators. The same good
authority says that in the States separators are in
general use. Perhaps, the cheapness of extracted com-
pared with comb honey, especially in the State of New
York, has something to say to tins ; it won't pay to
have to extract any section, and Brother Jonathan is
willing to sacrifice quantity to get evenness of finish at
all times. But we find Mr. Hutchinson at the Chicago
Convention stating that he secures quite sufficiently even
sections without separators (see B. B. J. about January
15th), and Mr. Heddon writes in the January Gleanings,
' That the best section for all purposes, whether with or
without separators, is the lf-in. wide;' and in answer
to a query from the Editor of Gleanings in the January
number as to ' Which is the best width of section to use
when separators are dispensed with ? ' only two of the
leading bee-keepers, in reply, actually oppose working
80
THE BRITISH BEE JOUR&AL.
[February 0, 1888.
without thern ; a third says unless you know you will
succeed, it is better to use separators, while the remain-
ing twelve, with one exception, give the If in., or seven
to the foot, as being the best width to use. This one
exception, Mr. C. C. Miller, says, 'Perhaps 1A in.'
Our review, so far, places the dividerless 1 J-in. section
in the first rank as to both appearance and quantity, and
shows it is increasing in the attention and favour of
bee-keepers.
The writer has nothing new to say of it from his own
experience. His hives these last two years have been
in a very exposed place, and he has enough to do to keep
his bees alive and eke out a little extracted, without
troubling for sections. Such a situation is the worst
possible for bees, but even there they can be made pay
their way, time and trouble not considered. However,
lie has sold some hundreds of sections for cottagers and
farmers worked without separators ; of these the 1| inch
wide were the best, the 2-iuch good, when the hives had
been kept level, rather overweight, but when not level,
proportionately crooked. But a venerable clerical friend
writes, ' I don't think bees like separators. This year
(18s~) I had 700 two and three-pound sections (till
lately our rev. friend made his own sections) worked
without separators, and among the lot there were not
twenty but were as level as a moulded brick.' Besides
this our friend had -5 cwt. extracted, and how much
more I know not.
How is that our clergy make such good bee-keepers ?
Must it not be from a closer acquaintance with the
Book to which so many references have lately appeared
in the B.B.J., and if the brother bee-keeper among us
who has not been as successful as he wished, but desires
to become more so, will only look up those references
he will derive very valuable information from them.
Statements there made, .'!000 years back, concerning
honey and food connected with it, and the reasons for
such, proved true by science only, now science and
modern discoveries but confirm Scripture. Learning on
bee matters is good, but it is the self-reliance and the
habit of looking up to a Higher Power for aid that
makes the successful bee-man.
We find necessary a strong honey flow for best results
with sections without separators; but, perhaps, Mr.
Simmins' method of crowding the bees into sections, as
practised by 'An Aged Bee-master' with such good
results, and as evidenced in his new anti-swarming hive,
might give the same good results other years that
there might not be such a vigorous honey flow while it
lasted as this.
Our ' Aged Bee-master' has been ahead of the best of
us in large returns of produce for these last seven years,
has completely eclipsed our American brethren in general
average, and his testimony should be valuable. — W. B.,
PatricksweU, Limerick.
FLOOR-BOAKDS.
[lis:!.] The sketch figured on page 06 is a repro-
duction of the drawing of my floor-board, published in
the English Mechanic, October 14th last year. If ' W.
Corkhill' is not satisfied with my arguments in that
journal, I shall be pleased to show him (and for that
matter any bee-keeper interested) the boards as they
have been in use since first invented. (The Editor has
my address.) The sketch I published shows the alighting-
board extending to front edge, and this is as it should
be. The board in ' W. C.'s' sketch is too far back. I
have stocks over these boards that have gone through
the late frosts without loss of a bee, in hives 24 inches
long inside. They have no dummies, and the air-space
in front of the frames is about 12 inches deep. The
clusters are at the back of the hive. I am also wintering
stocks over the flight-holes without any loss in bees;
these clusters are closed in with light dummies at the
back.
I consider dummies an abomination, and hope to do
without them altogether, as I understand Mr. Simmins
is doing.
I make my hives three inches thick all round,
packing the spaces with shavings. This leaves spaces
be3'ond the frame-ends, which are fitted with strips
same height as the frame-tops ; the quilt then extending
about, an inch beyond the frames makes an air-tight top.
— Silkb.
[We have compared Mr. Corkhill's sketch, and descrip-
tion thereof, with those in the English Mechanic, p. 100,
and find the sketch almost identical, and the description
nearly verbatim. The similaritv is remarkably striking.
-Ed.]
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot aliways be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended bo, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
J. B, Carrick-on-Suir. — 1. Building brace combs. — Bees
frequently build brace combs when the space exceeds
\ of an inch. We should place a slatted honey board
between the two hives to reduce the space. This can
be made of bars J inch wide and \ inch thick, framed
so that they will correspond with the tops of the
frames. The hive above is placed with the frames
across. 2. — Queen ascending to third store//. — If you
have any objection to the queen going up into the
third storey, place a piece of American cloth on the
tops of the frames 1 inch smaller all round than the
inside of the hive, so that the queen would not be able
to pass up the centre, but the workers could enter the
upper storey round the sides. We have found this
to answer in most cases. •'!. — New edition of Guide-
Book. — We thank you for your kind remarks. The
new edition which has been in a great measure re-
written to bring it up to the times, is in the printer's
hands, and we hope it will be ready very shortly.
l!oniN,|W. Woodlby, Sussex Cottahe Bee-keeper. —
It has been our earnest desire to bring the Bee Journal
within the reach of cottagers by reducing the price to
one penny, but after carefully considering the matter
we have found it impossible to do so if we keep it the
same size as at present and keep up its present standard.
We hope the monthly Journal will meet the require-
ments for the present, and we shall always be ready to
give replies by post to any of its regular subscribers,
between the dates of publication on any matters
requiring immediate advice, upon receipt of stamped-
directed envelope.
O. Whalley. — Our thanks are due to you for your
kind note of approbation of our conduct in the matter
referred to.
John Bainbbidge. — Third-class Examinations. — Place
yourself in communication with the Secretary of your
County Association ; who will give all necessary inform a-
tion as to time and place where examinations are to
be held. There is nothing formidable in the require-
ments of a third-class examination. You are not
required to write or speak on bee-keeping, only to
prove to the examiner that you have a fair knowledge
of the management of bees.
M. II. — Doubling. — A frame of hatching brood in the
centre of the upper hive, with frames of foundation
around it, will induce the bees to commence work
above, and if the colony is strong and the honey flow
abundant a second storey will soon be required. Your
failure probably arose from failure in the two points
mentioned.
February rJ, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
81
E. Seymour. — Bees in Peach-house. — Bees never succeed
when kept in conservatories. In the case you pro-
pound you would find great loss of bee-life from the
inability of the bees to escape from the house. If you
decide to move the bees, do it at once, but place your
hive outside the house. The observatory hive tuisrht
answer your purpose if well covered with woollen
quilting.
Novice. — We shall be pleased to hear further from you
on the subject of your letter.
W.J. — 1. Hice to Prevent Swarming. — We do not like
the sketch you enclose. You would certainly require
an eke, even if you work for sections only. 2. Large
•Sections for Extracting. — We should certainly hesitate
considerably before attempting to extract such large
sections. Are you aware that the size you propose
would, if the bees accede to your wishes as to filling
them, contain about 4i lbs. of honey ? If you really
wish for such large sections of heather honey, why
not get the combs ready built out before going to the
moors ? We do not admire your taste as regards the
fretwork flower over entrance.
W. L. Bird. — Carniolan Drones. — The bees sent are
Carniolan. It is impossible to say from your query
what is the exact state of your stock. Most likely it
is queenless. Some fine day, when the shade tem-
perature is 50", or over, examine the hive quickly but
gently, and notice if there is any brood, and, if so,
whether the cappings project considerably beyond tire
surrounding comb ; if so, it is drone brood, and your
queen is worthless, or you may have a fertile worker.
Let us know the result of your examination, and we
may possibly help you if you give full particulars.
C. Wade. — We have requested an expert to pay you a
visit.
W. M. — A reply will be given in our next issue.
Novice. — JS"ew Mode of Hanging Frames. — Your
description being unaccompanied by a sketch does not
enable us to judge of the merits of your method.
If you send sketch, we will be happy to give an
opinion.
T. IIewgill. — Moor Hone;/ Granulating. — Heather
honey is naturally much denser than, say, eloTer or
lime honey. Last season's honey had a tendency to
candy much more quickly than in ordinary seasons,
owing to the prolonged drought. Did you keep your
honey in a room at about 65° to 70 P
Cheshire. — Economy in Foundation without Swarming.
— Under the circumstances, we would recommend you
to try Simmins' non-swarming plan by putting a bodj--
box containing frames witli half-an-inch of foundation
only in as starters, under the brood-nest. \ ou would
still tier up as you suggest, giving full sheets above.
Ask any further information you may require.
«T. H.V reply to 'A. C p. 08.— 'I do not fasten the
pieces of wood for keeping the frames the proper distance
apart at the bottom, but quite loose.'
business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour* Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Boad, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour it Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey A- Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Boad, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. d; 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Kiily-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T„ Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Advertisements to The British bee journal.
[Feb. 9, 1886.
jgpecial prepaid jgLdvertisements.
Exchange Column. — Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Goods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms: Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
Situations, Publications, Bee Plants, die. — Twenty words
and under, One Shilling ; for every additional Three words,
One Penny.
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
Now Ready.
SIMMINS' NEW BOOK.— 'A MODERN BEE-FARM,
AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9d. Special Edition, stiff
covers, 7s. 6d., post free.
The Special Edition includes Photos of the Author's
Domestic Hive ; his Home Apiary, and another covered
Apiary ; also one of Queen and Workers on a Comb. Of
the Author, Rottingdean, Brighton ; Neighbour ifc Sons,
149 Regent Street, London ; and J. Huckle, Einga Langley,
Herts.
BEE-KEEPING, Plain and Practical : How to
Make it Pay. By A. Rcsbridoe, Is. 6<£, post free,
Is. 8d. Address J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts, a 1253
THE MANAGEMENT OF STRAW SKEPS. De-
signed to teach the Cottager how to obtain the best
results at the least possible cost. By attention to its teach-
ings, Cottagers will be enabled to make their Bees a more
profitable source of income than hitherto. Price One Penny.
Six copies and upwards, post free. J. Huckle, KingsLangley.
WANTED. — Copies of British Bee Journal for January
7th, 1886, and Nov. 1873. Full price given. Apply
J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
OFFERS Wanted for 6 dozen 1-lb. Sections of Clover
Honey. Address J. CbagoS, Gilling, Richmond,
Yorks. b 90
ADVERTISEMENTS for Derbyshire Bee-keepers' Asso-
ciation Report (10U0) received at W. T. Atkins, 6
North Street, Derby. 10s. per page.
HONEY, Extracted, very fine flavour, in 9-lb. tins,
about 2 cwt. What offers ? Address Addington,
Chawson, St. Neots, Hunts. B 94
PRIZE HONEY for Sale. 28-lb. Tins, 15s. each.
Screw-cap Jars, 9s. per dozen. Address J. R. Truss,
Bainton Heath, Stamford. b 98
OR SALE.—Vol. I. to X. British Bee Journal, bound
in Publisher's covers, with Advertisements and extra
blank pages. First-rate condition. Vol. II. minus Index,
otherwise complete. Price £4 17s. Hd. Cheap. Rare op-
portunity. Address T. Lowth, Brant Broughton, Newark.
b 97
LANTERN SLIDES on Bee-keeping, all photo-
graphed from Nature, sent on trial before purchasing.
Send Two Stamps for loan of Album of Subjects. Address
Alfred Watkins, Hereford. A 3431
A MODERN BEE FARM AND ITS ECO-
NOMIC MANAGEMENT. Limp Cloth Edition,
3s. 9f/., post free. Special Edition, handsomely bound in
cloth gilt, including four interesting Photos, 7s. 6d., post
free of the Author, S. SIMMINS, Rottingdean, Brighton.
OHO
Publications of the British Bee-keepers' Association,
BEE HOUSES AND HIVES. By Rev. George Ratnor.
Second Edition (enlarged), Price 6d.
rpHE CHEMISTRY OF THE HIVE. By Mr. Ottc
J_ Hehner, F.I.C., F.C.S. Price 3d.
ADULTERATION OF HONEY. By Otto Hehner,
Esq., F.C.S., F.I.C. Price 6rf.
J. HUCKLE, KINGS LANGLEY.
F
HAND-KNITTED SOCKS.— Six Pairs Warm
Heather Socks sent Post free on receipt of 10s. KM.
by Miss Fitz Gerald, Valencia Island Knitting Industry,
Ireland. Sample pair, 2s. a 3463
GUIDE-BOOK PAMPHX.ETS.-No. 1.
DOUBLING AND STORIFYING
FOR
Extracted and Comb Honey, and the
Prevention of Swarming.
By T. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.
Post Free, Threepence Halfpenny.
J. HTJCKLE, ICIHSTGS I. -A- UST G-X.E'X".
GUIDE-BOOK PAMPHZ.ETS.-iro. II.
HOW TO MAKE AN EXTRACTOR,
AND A BELLOWS SMOKER.
By T. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.
Post Free, Sixpence Halfpenny.
HUCKLE, KINGS I. -A. 3ST G- L E Y.
The oldest Weekly Bee Paper in the World.
THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL
Established in 1861.
Price 6s. 6d. per annum, post free.
T. G. Newman, 925 West Madison Street, Chicago, U.S.A.
London Agents: Messrs. GEO. NEIGHBOUR & SONS,
149 Regent Street, W.
The best Journal of its kind, edited and published by the
renowned C. F. H. Gravenhorst, Brunswick.
DEUTSCHE ILLUSTRIERTE BIENENZEITDNG.
Sample copies sent on request.
Also, ' DEB PRAKTISCHE IMKER.' Compendium of
Rational Bee-culture, by C. F. H. Gravenhorst. Fourth en-
larged and improved edition, with fifty-two new original
Pictures, and a frontispiece. Price 4 marks (4s.), stitched ;
well bound, 5 marks.
0. A. Schwetschke dt Son (M. Bruhn), Brunswick.
AMERICAN SECTIONS BY THE MILLION
The cut, taken from a photograph, represents our bee-hive
factory where wo annually turn out about 20,000 hives and
3,000,000 sections, besides enormous quantities of bee-supplies
of every description. Dealers before ordering" elsewhere
should correspond directly with us. We are prepared to quote
better prices on sections in quantities than we have ever
quoted before. We are also publishers of Oleanings in Bee
Culture, with a circulation of 7674 subscribers. A sample copy
Of our j ournal and our 40-page price list sent on application to
A. Z. BOOT, ffiSCoclinn, Ohio, XT. S. A.
J
=^ 4.tAA.@ THE
IffFlSH
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' STRANaEWAYs' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 295. Vol. XVI.]
FEBRUARY 16, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
<2Ebii0riaI, Itotias, tit.
COTTAGER'S MONTHLY JOURNAL.
We should feel obliged to County, Provincial, and
Local Secretaries, if they would kindly furnish our
publisher, Mr. J.Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts, with
the names and addresses of all cottagers and
artisans who take an interest in bee-keeping, so
that he may have the opportunity of forwarding
each a copy of the new Journal.
COMB-FOUNDATION MANUFACTURE ON A
LARGE SCALE.
During our travels in America, when we went to see
Messrs. Dadant & Son, we were very much interested in
their manufacture of comb-foundation, and we asked
them to give us fuller particulars than those we could
take away in our notes during our brief viait there.
What we saw there, and the hospitable manner in which
we were received, must be reserved for future record,
but as they have been kind enough to accede to our
request we are quite sure that our readers will be in-
terested in a description of the largest comb-foundation
manufactory in the world. We noticed the particular
care and precautions taken in the manufacture, and the
resulting uniformly good quality of the foundation.
This care in the manufacture has met with its reward,
seeing that they are at the present time the largest makers
of foundation in America, and we believe Mr. Ituot, of
Medina, comes next. We hope the description will prove
not only interesting, but also instructive. — Ed.
The building into which tho wax in bulk is brought,
and where it is also melted, is furnished, on its highest
or northern side, with a strong platform, against wdiich
the carriers push their carts, thereby facilitating the un-
loading. As the height of the platform corresponds with
that of the cart, the casks, cases, or sacks containing
the wax in bulk can easily be shifted on to the platform.
This platform extends to the interior of the structure,
with which it is connected by means of sliding double
doors running on rails. Inside, the platform acts also
as the base of a large weighing machine, the flat plate
of which is even with the floor. As soon as a package
is weighed its contents are sorted, the best coloured wax
being put aside to be afterwards used for the manufacture
of comb-foundation for sections.
The store-rooms consist of two compartments of un-
equal size, and are capable of holding from 10,000 to
12,000 lbs. of wax. Between these store-rooms and the
melting departments, there is a roomy corridor, allowing
for the storing of many thousand pounds of purified wax
in 40-lb. cakes.
The copper or boiler used for melting and purifying
the wax is in the shape of an oblong, made out of thin
sheet copper, and capable of bidding S00 lbs. of wax.
This copper is moveable, and is simply made to rest
upon the brick stove or furnace. Not being a fixture it
is easily cleaned. In front this boiler is furnished with
two taps, one of which is placed level with the bottom,
and the other about four inches above it.
Before the fire is lighted the attendant puts some
water in the boiler, say, four inches deep ; then the w.tx
is added.
As soon as the required heat is reached, the wax is
carefully skimmed, and then drawn from the upper tap
into tin moulds, into which about a couple of inches of
hot water had already been put, drawn from the lower
tap of the copper. These moulds are round, rather
wider at the top than at their base, are furnished with
two handles, and will hold about 40 lbs. of wax.
As soon as one of these moulds is filled it is taken
to a kind of double-walled cupboard. There are several
of these cupboards all round the melting department,
each of which can hold as many as nine of such moulds
placed one upon the top of the other, and arranged in
three tiers of three each. As soon as one of these cup-
boards is full it is locked up, so that the wax may
remain in a liquefied state at least twenty-four hours,
and deposit in the water any impurity it ma)' contain.
The melting operation is gone through three times
a-day, making up from 2200 to 2400 lbs. of wax.
'When the wax is cold the moulds are carried to the
back of the building, where they are turned over upon a
tub, the bottom of which has been replaced by two
small bars. In this position the water will run out ; the
mould is then lifted up, leaving the coke resting upon the
bavs. The attendant now scrapes off the cakes any
impurities that may be found adhering and puts these
into a tub where they are allowed to accumulate.
Thus cleared, the cakes are piled up in the corridors or
passages, pending their final removal either to the room
where comb-foundation is made or to the purified wax-
store. The latter is isolated from the other buildings
and has been constructed of iron as an additional pic-
caution against fire in the other buildings. As many as
1500 of these cakes can be stored in this building, repre-
senting an aggregate of about 00,000 lbs. of wax. The
present stock stored in it is estimated at -'i0,000 lbs.
The impurities, including such particles as may be found
in the washings, are drained and put out to dry in sixteen
large flat boxes, four inches deep and well exposed to the
rays of the sun.
In summer, as soon as they are well dried, they are
distributed among eight solar wax-extractors, three feet
long by two wide. The wax dripping from them is taken
to the coarse wax-store. What still remains about fths
of the original bulk is once more melted down by steam
84
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 1G, 1888.
in water, containing a small quantity of sulphuric acid.
It is then melted in a very large quantity of water in
order to remove every trace of acid and to prevent the
moulds from becoming oxidised.
Between the building which serves as store-room and
the one in which the comb-foundation is made there is a
large pump, by means of which water is pumped into two
large cisterns. Rain-water is better suited for all these
operations than spring and well water, and large quan-
tities of it are required. The room in which the wax is
worked into sheets of foundation is supplied with a small
steam boiler placed in one corner. From this boiler a
pipe conveys the steam into a cask, where it heats the
wax, to be afterwards worked into sheets of comb-
foundation. In the centre of the room is a copper vessel,
vase-shaped, twenty inches long by eight wide and fifteen
high. The liquefied wax is put into this. At one end a
small tub, two feet six inches wide, is placed, full of
water, this is always kept cool; at the other end there is
another of these square tubs, the latter contains tepid
water, into which the plates with which the wax-sheets
are made are dipped. Besides these there are two other
narrow vessels, covered with tin, and a sponge is placed
on the top of each.
Two men are seated opposite each other, with the
vessels containing the liquefied wax between them ;
they wear waterproof aprons to protect them from the
water and the wax, which drips off the plates during the
operation of dipping. One of them takes hold of one
of the boards, passes the sponge over it, and dips it three
or four times into the liquefied wax up to where he holds
it ; he then dips it into the cold-water tub, takes it by
this cooled end and dips the other end three or four times
more in the wax, finally he places it into the cold-water
tub, whence it is taken up by the other man, who, after
sponging it all over,repeats the dipping process and allows
it to get cold.
A third man, he who heats the wax and serves it out
to the other two, then takes the sheets more or less
cooled out of the tub, passes a knife along their edges,
strips them off the plates, and distributes thera on eight
or ten different piles, where they are allowed to get
quite cool, thus preventing them from sticking to each
other, which they would be sure to do if put up in one
pile only. Twice a-day,that is, at noon and in the evening,
these piles are weighed and taken down to the cellar,
where they are allowed to get thoroughly cold and attain
the necessary tenacity. Three men can dip as much as
B!00 lbs. of wax for thick foundation per day ; four men,
of whom two would be assistants, could do as much as
1500 lbs. for thiu foundation. The cellar is fitted with
wooden cupboards to protect the sheets from dust, and
in it as much as 10,000 lbs. of them can be stored.
The room where the rolling is done is next to the
dipping-room, and the same boiler warms the water
which is used for softening the sheets before they are
passed through the rollers. As many as fourteen sets
of these rolling machines are to be seen in this room,
although only four of them are worked simultaneously.
The others are kept there in readiness in case any of
those in use should require repairing, which is not a rare
thing, considering the softness of the metal of which
these rollers are made. There are four tables, their
longest side being inclined slightly forward, on part of
which stands a machine, fixed to a tin plate. These
tables have an extension sloping inwards, covered with
tin and soldered to the plates above mentioned, which
catches the water falling from the sheets and keeps the
workmen from getting wet. This water, as well as
any dropping from the machine, runs into a vessel placed
under the table.
Two men attend to each machine. One of them
stands by the handle, brushes the rollers with soap-
suds, whilst the other sitting in front of the machine,
takes a wax-sheet from the tepid water-tub standing on
hi? right-hand side, and places it in front of the rollers
to be drawn iu by them. The first man detaches the
end with a comb, and pressing it against the upper
cylinder, brings it within reach of the other, who takes
hold of it with a pair of spring pliers with wooden jaws
held in his left hand, whilst with his right hand he pre-
pares another sheet. If the sheet comes out perfect it
is piled up on the left-hand side of the table, but if it
should show the slightest imperfection, it is thrown into
a cask on the left-hand side of the workman, to be re-
turned to the boiler and melted again. The sheets are
afterwards cut to the proper sizes and then placed upon
shelves. A ticket attached to each pile indicates their
thickness.
Four times a-day, whilst this work is going on, a
few of the sheets are cut and weighed to ascertain if
they give the number of feet per pound which each of
the five sorts is expected to. These five sorts consist
of the following, viz., for brood-combs, thick, 5 feet ;
medium, C feet ; and thiu, S feet to the pound. For
sections, thin, 10 feet; extra thin, 11 to 12 feet per
pound. This checking of weights is necessary, because,
when the sheets come from the machines their weight is
not always uniform, but depends upon the heat of the
rollers, which increases as the work proceeds.
Many bee-keepers are of opinion that soap should not
be used for lubricating the rollers. Its use no doubt
would be detrimental if the sheets were not of a sufficient
thickness before they were passed through the rollers,
for, in that case, the wax would not reach the bottom
of the engraved lines on the rollers, and the sheets would
be wet with soapy water. But with sheets thick enough
to be doubled in length after passing through the rollers,
every particle of soapy water is driven out, and the
rolled sheets come out of even thickness through their
length and perfectly dry.
The machines used are the Vanderwort. The rollers
of those intended for thick foundation are from 12 to 18
in. long; those for section foundation are Gin. long only.
To prevent the sheets from sticking to one another,
tissue paper is placed between them. Those to be sent
away are weighed and sent down to the packing-room
by an inclined railway, where each lot is labelled with
the customer's name, and on the back of the label the
weight, quality, and size of foundation are given ; thus
all mistakes are prevented.
Comb-foundation-making requires a certain amount of
experience and practice, which cannot possibly be attained
without continuous practical work at the manufacture.
When the men resume their work after the winter is
over it often takes them several days before they c m
get into the knack acquired the previous season.
Comb-foundation-making requires, moreover, keen
observation and sound judgment, in order to profit by
every incident, however small, that may improve results,
both as regards saving of time, improving the quality,
and avoiding everything that may be detrimental.
Even the most experienced men sometimes find them-
selves confronted by difficulties, either in the wax-
cleansing or the rolling process, which they are unable
to solve satisfactorily, and these often lead to results
which make it necessary for them to recommence the
work afresh to try and do better. These facts bear out
what Mr. James Ileddon wrote lately in Gleanings,
Comb-foundation-making is a specialty of itself, and it
is no more possible for a man to make a perfect article
by working only a few weeks a-year at it, than it would
be to become a good workman at any other trade during
the same length of time.
It is because we have made comb-foundation a
specialty that we have succeeded in bringing up our sales
for this year, notwithstanding the poor honey season, to
nearly 58,000 lbs. (57,831 lbs.) These figures do not call
for comments on our part. — Ch. Dadant & Son,
Hamilton, November 12, 1887.
February 1C, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
85
USEFUL HINTS.
Weathkk. — Since our last the weather on the whole
lias been fine, but not sufficiently warm to entice forth
the bees to frequent flights, and this is all in their
favour. We have never known a good season to follow
an unusually warm and bright February. In such case,
increase by breeding and rapid consumption of stores
are carried on in advance of the season, and too often a
cold March and April follow, when spring dwindling,
v\ith other and even greater evils, speedily ensues. It
h a pleasant thought, however, that days are gradually
lengthening, that Nature is beginning to awake from her
winter sleep, and one that should arouse the bee-keeper
to make all possible preparation for the coming time of
action. Although our colonies remain quietly at rest, to
all outward appearance, yet within they are awaking to
a life of activity. Cells are cleared out, and literally
polished, for the reception of eggs; the brood-nest is
day by day laterally and longitudinally extended; all
cttbris is extruded from the hive ; honey and pollen are
conveyed from the outside combs to the immediate
vicinity of the brood-nest ; the young bees, on emerging
from the cells, are carefully tended, brushed down, fed,
and, on sunny days, enticed forth for their first flights
by the older bees. In strong colonies, under these
circumstances, stores rapidly disappear, and it behoves
the careful, provident bee-keeper to see that none perish
from starvation. For a month to come we allow no
disturbances in our apiary by manipulation for inter-
viewing queens, &c, but simply, by raising quilts, first
on one side and then on the other, ascertain whether all
is right within. If the scaled food has disappeared from
the upper part of the combs, cakes of Good's food, mixed
with a little pea-meal, are laid upon the frames and the
quilts replaced, generally with an additional felt or
woollen one, and the hives are closed for the next three
or four weeks. Since no fear of attacks from robbers
need at present lie entertained, our entrances are left at
full width. When such are anticipated, slides of per-
forated zinc are used for contracting, or a strip of glass
i if the full width of the entrance is placed on the
alighting-board, resting back upon the front of the hive,
so as to allow of exit for the bees at each end, and this
almost invariably prevents robbing. Stimulation by
syrup feeding should he eschewed for the present. The
middle of March we consider early enough for this in
our climate. It is well also to keep the bees confined to
a certain number of frames, and as spring advances and
colonies increase in numbers, to gradually increase the
breeding spaces by adding a frame of sealed food from
behind the division-board on either side, having first re-
moved or abraded the cell capping in the centre of the
comb on both sides and cut a passage through it. We are
no advocates for stimulating to early breeding, since the
early flights consequent thereon result in great loss to
such colonies. We emphatically say, therefore, ' Still
let. your bees rest.' Give additional warmth by extra
covering, but do not think of manipulation or disturbance
of any kind except in cases of dire necessity.
Encourage cleansing flights whenever the weather is
bright enough and warm enough, for nothing is more
conducive to health and cleanliness. A sheltered position,
a south aspect, and sufficiency of food, are conducive to
cleansing flights, and consequent healthiness. We might
have added to such requirements — young and vigorous
queens. In any ease these are a necessity to the highest
attainments in honey production, hut the very early
stimulation of even such queens will end disastrously,
and their laying powers will become temporarily sus-
pended at the time when they are most required. Should
there be any sigus of dampness in the covering quilts,
dry ones should take their place, and those removed
should be disinfected and thoroughly dried, when they,
in turn, may take the place of other damp ones requiring
to he changed. It i3 better not to disturb the floor-
hoards, unless they are foul with dead bees, excrement,
&c, in which case let them be removed and replaced by
clean dry ones, with as little shaking or disturbance as
possible.
Bee-keepers who are fond of flowers — and what bee-
keepers are not ?— will do well to provide wallflowers,
borage, and I/inrnanthes Douglusii, — the three best spring
bee-flowers with which we are acquainted. The pretty
little rock-plant, Aubrietia purpurea, is also a great
favourite, and in sheltered situations will bloom from
May until August. Those are fortunate whose apiaries
are within reach of fields of that beautiful crimson-
flowered clover, Trifolium incarnatum, in which bees
i greatly rejoice, and which is the first to bloom of all the
trifolia.
This, together with winter beans, form the mainstay
■ of many apiaries, until the white clover blooms, with
its abundant supplies of the finest honey producible,
arrives. The tiny little yellow bloom on the common
trefoil is also a great favourite witli our bees.
The cotoneasters (Macropkila et micropltila) and the
mezereon, with its early pink bloom, are fully appreciated
by the bees, as are all the willow tribes.
Artificial Pollen may be given towards the end
of the month by sprinkling pea or lentil meal upon the
blooms of crocuses during fine days when the bees are
in full work ; also in skeps or boxes filled with shavings,
and placed in a sheltered sunny spot. Some prefer
dredging the meal into empty combs, which are placed
beside the brood-nest and c untied by division-boards.
Surface Mixture.— Sawdust, sand, and ashes, or a
mixture of all three, placed around the hives, save much
bee-life at this season by forming a dry and warm
material on which heavily laden bees, on returning
wearied from the fields, may rest before entering the
hives.
S.vow and Birds may still demand attention, although
of the former we hope to see no more for a long time to
Conic. Should it again appear, however, it most not he
allowed to remain on the hives an hour, but should lie
carefully swept off at once. Our old friends the tomtits,
as also sparrows, must lie looked after, or our bees will
suffer much from their depredations, especially where
trees and evergreen hushes surround an apiary.
Water. — We believe that much brood perishes during
the early spring months from want of water, particularly
where upward ventilation through pervious quilts is
allowed. In small colonics, during cold weather, when
the bees have difficulty in keeping up the temperature of
the hive to brood-raising point, the larvre die from lack
of moisture, and, putrefying-, becomes a fertile source of
foul brood, while the colony dwindles, and finally becomes
extinct.
Circular earthen pans (milk-pans), which are often
used as roofs for skeps, form good water-troughs. They
should be supplied with a float of thin wood pierced with
holes, upon which the bees may rest as they sip the
water. They are best sunk in the ground, and the water
should be changed occasionally, and a little salt mixed
with it. Some prefer to fill these pans with stones, which
prevent the bees from drowning. A warm sheltered nook
should be selected, wdiere the sun shines with full force
upon the pans, and, when first established, a few pieces
of comb honey, or a plate of syrup, placed near them will
soon induce the bees to mark the locality.
Stands and Roofs should be overhauled and rendered
secure and weather-proof before the March winds and
snowstorms — to which we are still liable — play havoc in
the apiary. All chinks should be stopped, and a coat or
two of paint where required would improve appearances,
and render the hives impervious to moisture.
Price or Monthly Journal. — Mr. Watkins, secre-
tary of the Herefordshire B. K. A., in his letter (1480)
takes exception to the paragraph in our last ' Hints,' in
80
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 16, 1888.
which we expressed the hope that county secretaries
might find it practicable to supply the Monthly Journal
gratis to all cottage subscribers of 2s. Gd. per annum,
and charges us with raising undue expectation by the
expression of such hope. But is such a hope really
be3'ond the possibility of being realised ? We hope, and
think, not. Our county Associations, as well as their
parent, are based upon a philanthropic foundation, and
we think that the English counties, even in the midst of
this unparalleled depression, will be able to find sufficient
funds to supply so great a boon to the poor agricultural
labourer, to whom, in these hard times, every penny is
an object. To be able to call the Journal his own — to
have it at hand for reference in his doubts and difficulties
■ — and to be able to secure it by a rough binding at the
end of the year, would, in our opinion, do more towards
popularising bee-keeping amongst the very class we are
so desirous of reaching, than almost any other measure
which could be taken ; and we cannot give up the hope
of seeing it accomplished, sooner or later. Nothing could
be further from our wish than to ' increase the diffi-
culties of the management of county Associations,'
knowing how great already these are. Nor did we
' assume that there was no other Association work to be
considered,' nor ' that subscribers of 2s. Gd. were to be
granted a boon denied to 5a. members.' But we did sup-
pose that a subscriber of 6s. per annum and upwards
neither required nor would accept — even if offered to
him — the monthly Journal gratis. Depend upon it the
expert's visits and the monthly Journal will be found to
be the most effective weapons in the hands of the county
secretary for reaching the cottager and ' bettering his
condition'
Messes. Abbott's Skctiox. — We are indebted to
this old-established firm for a nice specimen of their
patent section, as illustrated and described in our last
issue, together with the wood separators and a triangular
piece of foundation. The invention is simplicity itself,
and so tight is the grip of the foundation, when inserted,
that there is no possibility of its escape. The celerity
with which the operation of insertion is performed leaves
nothing to be desired on that score, and the extra .cost of
Gd. per 100 for sections, fitted with patent split bar, is a
mere bagatelle.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Annual General Meeting was held on Wednesday,
February 8th, at 3.80 p.m., in the offices of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 10")
Jermyn Street, St. James's, under the presidency of the
Baroness Burdett-Coutts. The spacious Board-room was
filled with a crowded audience of ladies and gentlemen,
amongst whom were the Hon. and Rev. Henry and Mrs.
Bligh, the Revs. Br. Bartrum, J. L. Seager, F. T. Scott,
G. Raynor, F. S. Sclater, and W. E. Burkitt, Captain
Bush, R.N. , and Messrs. Graham, Bellairs, Martin, Blow,
Buller, Garratt, Andrews, Sambels, Booker, Baldwin,
Zehetmayr, Leigh, Groves-Watson, Henderson, and the
Misses Gayton and Brandard.
The Secretary (Mr. J. Buckle) read the minutes of
the last Annual General Meeting, which were confirmed.
The President : I have now to put a resolution before
you which as regards the wording of it might be con-
sidered merely a matter of form, but I am quite sure it
will evoke heartfelt emotion and sympathy in the minds
of all true friends of the Association. It relates to the
great loss which we and all bee-keepers have sustained
in the untimely decease of an esteemed friend, the Rev.
F. G. Jenyns. Last year we had a similar motion to
propose when it was our painful duty to express regret
on the death of Mr. Fox Kenworthy, and condole with
his aged mother. That gentleman was one of the most
active workers in our cause, and it was natural that he
should have excited our affectionate regard. Those who
only knew Mr. Jenyns as a supporter of this Association
will feel we have lost a coadjutor competent to judge of
all matters relating to bee-keeping, and one most anxious
for the success and well-being of the institution. But
his friends, among whom I may reckon myself, because
I have seen a good deal of him, and had the pleasure of
his company in relation with the Lytton family (Mr.
Burdett-Coutts and I spend some time of the year in one
of Colonel Bulwer's houses) can bear testimony to bis
many excellent qualities. I am able to say how greatly
his loss has been regretted at Heydon, and how severe a
blow his death was to those who knew him at home —
Kuebworth, We must all share this feeling, which our
friends who remember his genial, kindly face and manly
bearing, coupled with the highest intentions and upright-
ness of purpose, will the best understand and appreciate.
With regard to Mr. Jenyns' works on apiculture, I think
I am right in saying that they have not only been of
great service to the special cause they were written to
promote, but also to those kindred subjects of agriculture
and education about which Parliament will probably be
called on to specially legislate this year. I beg to move :—
' That the members of the B. B.K. A., in Annual General
Meeting assembled, desire to place on record their deep
sense of the loss sustained by the Association in the
death of the Rev. C. F. G. Jenyns, who for many years,
until the time of his decease, was an active member of
its General Committee, and in other ways rendered
excellent service to the cause of British apiculture,
especially by the publication of his well-known and
highly appreciated educational work, entitled A Book on
Bees. The meeting desires also to express its deep
sympathy with Mrs. Jenyns and her bereaved family in
the sudden and irreparable loss sustained by them.'
The Rev. J. L. Seager, in seconding the motion, said
he felt in danger of forgetting how much the bee-keeping
public owed to the late Mr. Jenyns, because he was too
much occupied with the thought of his own personal
loss in the decease of that estimable friend, whose home
was within three miles of bis own. He had grown to
look on that gentleman as one of the wisest of all his
acquaintance, a man to whom all of them might profit-
ably turn to for advice in any difficulty, a man who
possessed qualities comparatively rare in the world, for
he (Mr. Seager) had never known him harbour an unkind
thought against any one, or give expression to an
angry or even a severe word. He was one of those who
never sought popularity, and, as is nearly always a
natural consequence, achieved popularity with all who
came in contact with him. Every one who knew him
was drawn towards him with a feeling of irresistible
affection. He was ever ready to give advice, the best of
advice, to all who desired it. In conclusion, he (the
speaker) thought the meeting would heartily join with
him and the President in expressing their sorrow at the
loss of one of the most valuable members of the Associ-
ation, because he was a good bee-keeper, and in every
respect a sincerely good man.
The President moved, ' That the Report and balance-
sheet issued for the year 1887 be received and adopted,
with a vote of thanks to Mr. Kirchner, the auditor.
The Report was taken as read, and after the resolution
had been seconded, it was carried unanimously.
Mr. Garratt said he rose with feelings of great pleasure
to propose the motion which stood No. 4 on the agenda.
It was ' That this meeting tenders its hearty thanks to
the retiring officers and Committee for their valuable
services during the past year.' He felt sure that the
audience would heartily concur in that expression of
opinion, because they were all much indebted to the
gentlemen referred to for the excellent assistance rendered
by them to the bee-keeping world. The work of the past
year has been carried on with its usual efficiency, and the
interests of the Association had been carefully guarded
and advanced.
February 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
87
Mr. Martin seconded the resolution, and expressed his
opinion that the Committee deserved all the thanks
bee-keepers could bestow on them for their disinterested
labours.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
The Rev. G. Raynor proposed a vote of thanks to the
Council of the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals for the gratuitous use of their Board-
room for Committee and other meetings. He said the
obligations of the B.R.K.A. to the Royal Society had
accumulated for some years past, and the Committee
■were especially thankful to their President (the Baroness)
for having exerted her kind influence in this matter.
What they would do if deprived of the use of the
Society's room he could not say, but in any case serious
expenses would be inevitable, therefore they were deeply
indebted to the Society ; and lie trusted that, remembering
one good turn deserves another, they would use their
influence on behalf of the Society, which was doing
excellent work.
The Rev. F. S. Sclater, in seconding the motion, which
was unanimously adopted, said that ho could re-echo
eTery word uttered by Mr. Raynor concerning the Asso-
ciation's indebtedness to the Royal Society for the Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals.
The President returned thanks, and assured the
meeting that the R. S. P. C. A., of which she was
President of the Ladies' Committee, always felt great
pleasure in lending their Council Room to an institution
of a kindred character like the B.B.K.A., which was
was engaged in the promotion of objects similar to its
own.
The Rev. Br. Bartrum moved the election of the
President, Vice-Presidents, treasurer, auditor, analyst,
librarian, and secretary for the year 1888, in accordance
with Rule 8. As regarded the President no words of his
were needed to advocate her re-election. They all
recognised her as the good queen-bee, who never grew
old, and never needed to be replaced. lie could not bear
to think of the terrible loss the Association would suffer
if any circumstances were to cause her ladyship's with-
drawal from it. The speaker then paid a tribute of
admiration to each of the before-mentioned officers,
highly commending them for the valuable services ren-
dered by each to the cause of bee-culture, and concluded
by proposing their re-election.
Captain Bush, R.N., seconded the resolution, which
was unanimously passed.
The Secretary reported the names of the members
nominated for election on the Committee for the year
1888, which were as follows: — ■
The Rev. B. Bartrum, D.D.; the Hon. and Rev. II.
Bligh, Captain Bush, R.N. ; Captain Campbell, Mr.
Thomas W. Cowan, the Rev. E. Clay, the Rev. It.
Errington, Mr. J. M. Hooker, Mr. H. Jonas, the Rev.
F. G. Jenyns* the Rev. Geo. Oddie, the Rev. Geo.
Raynor, the Rev. P. S. Sclater, the Rev. J. L. Seager,
the Rev. F. T. Scott.
The Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh said that the motion
which he had to submit was simply intended to make
the Rules more intelligible, and carry out the proposal
decided on last year. In the place of Rule 8 he proposed
to substitute Rules 8 and 0 as follows -.—Rule 8. ' Ihe
Managing Committee shall be elected annually. Every
candidate for election on the committee ' must be
nominated by two members of the Association, upon a
printed nomination paper to be obtained by application
to the Secretary ; such nomination paper must bear tho
signatures of the members so nominating, together with
the signature of the nominee. Those so nominated shall
be the committee-men for the year unless the nomina-
tions exceed the number to be elected, in which event
the election shall be completed by voting papers, which
* Since died.
shall be sent to each member of the Association. The
names of the members nominated, together with the
names of the nominators, shall be stated on the voting
paper. Any vacancy that may occur during the year
shall be filled up by the remaining members of the Com-
mittee.'
Rule 9. ' Au Annual General Meeting of the mem-
bers shall be held in each year as early as possible. The
President, Vice-Presidents, trustees, treasurer, auditor,
and secretary, shall be elected at this meeting, and
questions of the government and management of the
Association (of which at least fourteen days' notice has
been given) shall be discussed and resolved upon.'
The Rev. F. T. Scott seconded the motion.
Mr. T. B. Blow moved the following amendment : —
' That in case of any vacancy occurring in the committee,
such vacancy be filled by election with voting papers in
the ordinary way.'
Mr. Webster seconded the amendment, which was
also supported by Mr. Baldwin.
The Rev. G. Raynor saw no cause for adopting Mr.
Blow's suggestion, and deprecated the frequent altera-
tion of rules, which in the present instance were working
well. Mr. Bligh 's proposal involved only verbal changes
for the purpose of making the rules more perspicuous.
The Rev. Br. Bartrum opposed the amendment, one of
his objections being, that an election of the kind advo-
cated by Mr. Blow would cost between :',l. and -II., which
would be an unnecessary strain on the funds of the
Association.
The discussion was continued by the President, Mr.
Blow, the Rev. J. L. Seager, Mr. Garratt, Mr. Sambels,
Mr. Webster, and Mr. Groves- Watson, after which the
amendment was put to the meeting and lost by six
votes, six being in favour and twelve against it.
The original motion was then put to the vote, and
carried by a majority of twelve.
Mr. T. B. Blow moved : 'That the voting power of
each member be limited to one vote, irrespective of
amount of subscription.' He thought that proposal only
just to the working classes, a large number of whom wen-
only able to pay 5a. per annum. In their case that small
subscription showed a genuine interest in the Associa-
tion, and, in his opinion, represented far more than the
guinea of the rich man, to whom money was no object.
Besides, one man one vote was the general rule. The
committee, who numbered fifteen, could command sixty
votes, which almost enabled them to elect whomever
they chose.
Mr. G. J. Buller, as a working man, and one who
knew the feelings of the working classes on the questi m,
seconded the motion.
The Rev. G. Raynor read an extract from a letter
written to him by Mr. T. W. Cowan (Chairman), who,
unfortunately, was not able to be present. Alluding to
Mr. Blow's proposition, Mr. Cowan said: 'With regard
to Resolution 0 I am quite sure this will be a wrong step
to take, and would make it infinitely more diflicult to
get subscriptions than now. As longas I have anything
to do with this Association, it must retain its philan-
thropic character. As soon as it becomes anything
different I shall be obliged to leave it; it must be a
society for promoting bee-keeping and nothing else.'
He (Mr. Raynor) fully endorsed these opinions, which
also represented the views of the late Mr. Peel, and
should, therefore, strenuously oppose the motion.
Mr. Baldwin supported the resolution, and the Rev.
Br. Bartrum opposed it as being likely to chill charity,
because many persons would be induced under the cir-
cumstances to lower their subscriptions, to the financial
disadvantage of the Association.
The Rev. F. T. Scott and the Rev. J. L. Seager dis-
puted the statement that the custom of one man one
vote was now universal, the former quoting the case of
orphan and other asylums, in which subscribers were
88
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 16, 1888.
allowed votes in proportion to the amount of subscription
paid by them ; and the latter stating that under the
Public Health Act the number of votes was regulated
according to the amount of rates paid. It was only fair
that those who subscribed mo-it largely should have the
largest share in deciding how the money should be spent.
After a few words from Messrs. Blow and liuller, the
motion was put to the meeting and negatived by twenty
votes to ten.
Mr. W. M. Graham moved: 'That the rules be so
altered that any subscriber of five shillings per annum
shall be eligible for election to serve on the Committee.'
He had no ambition to serve on the Committee, and
was acting entirely from disinterested motives ; but he
thought the members of Committee should consist of all
classes.
Mr. Baldwin seconded the motion, which was sup-
ported by Mr. Blow, who considered, without desiring to
be offensive, that the Committee consisted too much of
one class.
The Rev. G. Hay nor said that the qualification was
lowered last year from 1/. to 10*. on his proposition. He
thought they had not yet given the present system a
sufficiently fair trial to justify any alteration thereof.
Any gentleman who could afford the time and expense
of attending Committee meetings was able to pay 10s.
yearly in support of the Association.
After a few words from Mr. Graham, Mr. Blow,
Captain Bush, and the President, a vote was taken on
the resolution, which was lost by a majority of five, the
numbers being eight in favour and thirteen against.
Item No. 11 on the agenda, to be proposed by Mr.
Graham as follows: — 'That the Committee be enlarged
from fifteen to twenty, and that the five new seats thus
created be filled up by the votes of the County Repre-
sentatives and the County Secretaries,' was withdrawn
by permission.
Mr. T. B. Blow proposed : ' That any person who has
sold or assigned the right of manufacture, or sale of any
appliance designed or invented by the said person, shall
not be qualified to act in the capacity of judge.' He
brought no charge* against anyone, but he thought it
desirable that the Association should have a rule like
the one he suggested, so that even an appearance of
favouritism might be avoided.
Mr. Buller seconded the motion.
The Rev. G. Raynor said the rule, if passed, would
disqualify Mr. Cowan and himself from acting as judges,
as well as several of the best-known authorities in api-
culture.
Mr. Garratt objected to the far-reaching character of
the proposed rule, which would exclude some of the
best judges, those who had been in the van of bee-keeping
for many years.
The President considered that the interests involved
in the motion were so great that a more careful and
prolonged study of them was necessary before a decision
should be arrived at, and she, therefore, suggested that
the subject should be postponed for the present. She
had never invented or assigned an appliance, and was,
therefore, quite disinterested. (Laughter.)
A short conversation ensued, and eventually Mr. Blow
consented to withdraw his motion.
Item No. 13, thus : ' That attention be called to a
petition sent to the Committee (receipt of which was
acknowledged on November 17th), and to the subsequent
action of Mr. J. M. Hooker with regard to the said
petition,' was withdrawn from the agenda on the applica-
tion of Mr. Blow and Mr. Baldwin.
The Hon. and Rev. II. Bligh and the Rev. G. Raynor
moved and seconded a hearty vote of thanks to the
Baroness for her kindness in presiding.
The President expressed her best thanks to the mem-
bers for their kindness in re-electing her, she also appre-
ciated the complimentary title of queen-bee. It was an
immense pleasure for her to come to the meetings, and
help, however slightly, in the development of a growing
and important industry. She had lately spent a con-
siderable time in the country, and was glad to note that
the interest in bee-culture, far from abating, was growing
rapidly. Perhaps that could be accounted for to some
extent by the fact that everybody felt intere.--ted in that
which gave them profit. No doubt people living in the
country, particularly farmers, labourers, as well as
persons of small means, had found they could add to
their income by bee-keeping; such individuals were
naturally anxious to dispose of their hone}', and she
thought the B. B. K. A. would do well to consider how
they could best make known far and wide where a ready
market could be found for such produce. But apart
from monetary considerations, bee-keeping was looked
upon to a great extent as a wholesome recreation — one of
those innocent pleasures, of which the world was very
full, if one only sought after them. It was a source of
amusement and instruction, giving relief to mind and
body after the day's work was over. No one could deny
that the bees taught many lessons to those who watched
their curious habits, order, system of government, all of
which they inherited by nature and instinct. She could
only hope that the efforts of their philanthropic Asso-
ciation would be rewarded with a higher measure of
success, and that the exports and imports of honey would
increase. She could heartily congratulate them on the
excellent work already accomplished, for it could not be
doubted that they had largely educated the working
classes in regard to the science and utility of bee-keeping,
one result of which was that the old custom of smother-
ing the bees had been abolished. Her Ladyship then
referred to some Bills which would be brought before
Parliament during the present session, notably one by
Mr. Jesse Oollings, M.P., for the better adaptation of
education in the country to agricultural purposes; and
she hoped some i ffort would be made by means of that
measure to advance the bee industry amongst a class who
were suffering greatly from depression at the present
time. Her Ladyship also alluded to the fact that a
schoolmaster near Faversham, taking advantage of the
Elementary Education Act, which permitted the teaching
of extra subjects, had selected bee-keeping as one of
these. The Inspector sanctioned this, but the Board
had afterwards objected thereto. She had consequently
undertaken to see Lord Cross on that matter, and en-
deavour to influence him in favour of introducing the
subject into reading lessons. The Baroness concluded
by wishing the members a prosperous new year (loud
cheers).
(tarcspoitijciicc.
The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com'
manications, and correspondents arc requested to write on one side of
the jripcr only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed only to «Tue Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Mesars. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, tV.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
•** In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
COUNTY BKE-KEEPEUS' ASSOCIATIONS.
[14S4.] On the subject of benefits conferred by the
County Bee-keeping Associations on their members, I
would like to add a testimony from my own experience
as local Secretary. 'The Herefordshire Secretary '(14.)"))
speaks of the ' waste of energy in attempts to help the
cottager.' Scores of such instances may be brought
forward, some most ludicrous in their results, while
February 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
89
others are so depressing as to deter any further attempts.
]!ut 1 hope to show that there is too often a fundamental
mi-take in the aim and object offered to the cottager.
They have hardships enough to struggle against without
deluding them into false hopes of immediate gain, &c.
Living in an agricultural district as I do, I find that
this new teaching of the art of bee-keeping has been a
God-send to the class, which has the most natural right
to understand it and profit, by it, though hitherto
debarred from the means of studying it as a science until
1 he B.B. Association was formed and spread its ramifi-
cations all over England. It is like a revelation to them.
It has opened up a new trade and a new handicraft to
them. It lias developed their powers of observation and
excited their ingenuity in the very tastes most congenial
to their habits of life.
Organizations are the spirit of the age, and I know of
none more calculated to strike deep into the hearts of the
labouring class of all agricultural districts of England
than the British Bee-keepers' Association, or more worthy
of being powerfully supported for the good of all. As
far as we local secretaries can help to improve the
organization, let us take hold of this as a motive for
willing co-operation, remembering that the cry of distress
and depression of the farming trade is still painfully felt
in our districts, and let us feel it an honour to be chosen
as advocates of such a beneficial association.
The gratitude of most of our members to the British
Bee-keepers' Association for having introduced them to
such an interesting as well as a profitable occupation
wins over new converts year by year. There may be
small advance numerically in the yearly list of members,
but I do not look on that as a mark of deterioration,
because only those who entered the lists carelessly and
with no real object have dropped out of the ranks,
whereas the keenly interested stay on and become firm
supporters of improvements and suggestions from head-
quarters, and draw in others who gradually see the ad-
vantage of these improved methods. To obtain the like
advantages and to enjoy the social meetings, lectures,
&c, these new ones willingly consent to join the Asso-
ciation. The spirit of emulation becomes stronger, the
desire for competition in any form is easily excited, and
when rewarded by an honourable mention (as has hap-
pened in our case) in your popular Journal as well as in
our county's report, in the latter of which these italicised
words are used referring to our Apiary Competition
having ' indirectly strengthened the hold of the Asso-
ciation on its rural members. Besides this, the advan-
tage was secured of bringing into prominence, in a con-
crete form, the benefits of applied science.' I think it
may fairly be said that the bond fide cottager of the present
day is not so ungetatable or uneducated aa he is said to be.
The stimulus to good and interesting reading is a re-
markable feature in the work of the Association, and is
another proof of the zeal among the same class. A few
of our members prefer subscribing among themselves for
the British Bee Journal, finding its expense none too
great in compaiison with the amount of useful hints con-
tained. Another copy, given as a present by a friend
for members' use only, is circulated weekly, and eagerly
read ; and it was particularly noticed that the apiaries
which were most praised last year for neatness and order
belonged to cottagers who were regular readers of your
excellent Journal. Surely the Herefordshire Secretary (in
1480) has misunderstood the ' 2s. Gd. subscriber ! ' The
cottagers' annual subscription to the Association is only
is., and if he only adds 1*. Grf. to that, he will then be-
come entitled to the new monthly journal, sent post free.
Any other subscriber by paying this additional sum will
reap the same advantage. I have left much unsaid for
fear of trespassing on your space, especially as regards
the gratitude I owe to our County Secretary for his for-
bearance with my inexperience of the duties of a Secre-
tary the first two years. — F. II., Local Secretary.
CONSANGUINITY.
[1485.] I have read with very much interest the
articles that have appeared in the Journal referring to the
breeding of bees. I have long since seen the advisability
— I might say the necessity — for infusion of fresh blood;
and to prevent, as far as possible, in-and-in breeding, fresh
blood is annually introduced into my apiary by means of
purchased swarms in summer or driven bees in the
autumn. Consequently my apiary of thirty stocks con-
sists of bees from at least a dozen different places, where-
by the chances of consanguinity are considerably reduced
although of course not entirely obviated. I have many
times wished that some simple uncomplicated method
could be devised which would enable us to cross our bees
as readily as we can our poultry or other live stock, but
I fear that happy day has not jet arrived.
If it is true, as we have good reasons to suppose, that
the progeny of a given queen inherit the characteristics
of the drone with which the queen was mated rather than
those of the queen herself, it is evident that the selection
of drones must, as is so ably pointed out at page 68, last
week's Journal, receive special and very careful attent ion.
The writer of the article referred to suggests that the
bee-keeper should purchase a Ligurian, or some other
foreign queen, from which drones should be raised for the
purpose of mating with black queens. Drone-breeding
from the rest of the stocks in the apiary is to be sup-
preased, and any drones that may chance to come into
existence, in spite of the precautions taken by the bee-
keeper, are to be trapped.
I am not going to say that such cannot bo done;
possibly it can by those who are able to devote the whole
of their time to bee-culture. But we who have our daily
duties to attend to, consisting of from twelve to fourteen
hours per day, in addition to the garden, poultry-yard,
and necessarj- work in the apiary, which at the time
referred to is of a very primary nature, would be very
reluctant to undertake the task of keeping twenty-nine
out of thirty stocks entirely free from drones. But even
if one could thus control drone -breeding in his own
apiary, the chances of failure would be very great indeed
unless the bee-keeper happened to live in a district where
no other bees but his own are kept; an occurrence which,
I should say, is very rare indeed. We ordinary bee-
keepers will therefore have to await the invention of a
more simple method before we improve the breed of our
bees by the introduction of Ligurian or other expensive
queens.
In his able and most interesting article (1434) Mr.
Webster advocates the purchasing of virgin queens to be
fertilised in the owner's apiary ; but if we follow such a
course and the queens purchased be of any of the foreign
races, we shall, according to the article on ' The Coming
Bee,' page 68, be propagating the very evils which we
are most anxious should not exist. The only solution
then of this important, interesting, but difficult problem,
would appear to be the establishing of isolated apiaries
containing only one kind of bee to which our virgin
queens could be taken to be fertilised. But then the diffi-
cult question arises, Where are these isolated spots to be
found ? Query — Is it absolutely necessary that the
drones and queens that we wish to mate should be kept
at least two miles from any other bees?
I have an allotment which is at least three-quarters of
a mile from my apiary, and my own bees are the nearest
of any to the spot named. I should like to set there a
stock of foreign bees and raise from the same as many
drones as possible, and then raise queens from the best
stock in my apiary and take them to the allotment to be
fertilised. Will some one who has had experience in the
matter be good enough to tell me if I should be likely to
succeed ? Up to the present I have had nothing to do
with foreign bees on account of the unfavourable opinions
expressed by those who have paid very dear for their ex-
90
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 16, 1888.
perience. But of course judicious versus indiscriminate
crossing may make all the difference between improving
and deteriorating a race of bees. — A. Sharp.
CONSANGUINITY.
[1480.] The article of Mr. Webster on above subject
seems to me to be rather strained taking it on the whole.
He says our despised blacks could be renovated by the
means he points out, and proceeds to call attention to
the successful crossing with aliens as increasing the
honey yield at once. I contend that our bees (English, I
mean) do not require renovating, they are the result, and
a good living specimen they are, cf the doctrine of the
' survival of the fittest,' and no recent or living writer
has been able to prove that they have deteriorated in
any point of excellence which they may have inherited
from their ancestors. Would Mr. Webster, or any other
writer, assert that the introduction of foreign blood by
the inter-marriage of his or their offspring with the
natives of Italy or the swarthy nomads of Eastern lands
would improve the species either socially or intellectually?
Where and among what people do we find in the world's
history greater acts of prowess, more heroic acts of en-
durance than in the annals of our own native land ? Who
would, I ask, except Englishmen, hold out in a besieged
fortress until the uppers of their boots were consumed to
satisfy craving hunger ? And as the continual reiteration
of the superior (?) qualities of foreign bees over the
native race is made principally in the interest of dealers,
I should like to ask if those queen-breeders in Palestine,
Cyprus, Liguria, and other places, ever dream of sending
for a supply of good, hardy English queens to improve
their strain of bees? — I pause for an answer.
Mr. Webster takes birds first (page 62) to prove the
baneful effects of in-and-in breeding, probably his de-
duction may be correct re the Barbary dove, but looking
at the results achieved, was not theeffect the result of
design in the man to test the recreative powers in the
dove? Where ia Nature in the matter? simply perverted,
I might say non est. I maintain if those dores had been
in their natural state, and not forced by man to mate
in confinement, probably without any billing and cooing,
that they would not have died out in the fourth genera-
tion. _ And if friend Webster, or any one else, intends
studying physiology, let him undertake it in the wide
realms of nature, and not in the circumscribed area of a
birdcage or the revolving wire drum of tho imprisoned
squirrel, neither in a confined space occupied by a pair
of while mice or foreign rats.
May I ask Mr. Webster whence he gets his deductions
that man begins to succumb to the baleful effects of
consanguinity in the Becond generation? I think the
present rather large population of the earth will refute
him in his assertion, unless he can prove there was
other inhabitants besides father Adam. If there was,
or had been, even the possibility of mankind dying out
by close consanguinity, would not the Allwise Creator
have provided some other way or means of peopling the
earth than the command to our first parents — ' Go forth
and multiply ? ' That was one of the first commands,
and, judging by results, has evidently been the command
most obeyed by the genus homo.
Then, in next paragraph, Mr. Webster speaks so con-
fidently of the consequences to an apiary by the neglect
of an owner in not introducing new blood, referring
especially to the depreciation, then deterioration, and
finally annihilation ; though I give him credit for the
admission that Xhejinale will or may not occur till—
shall 1 say— the crack of doom. Then he concludes his
article by reference to location, compelling in-and-in
breeding and the evil results arising therefrom, winding
up with examples. So far so good, but -when those
examples can be refuted in toto by other examples in
direct contradiction, I think bee-keepers will not be so
ready to be frightened by a bogey.
I give two cases that I have investigated this past
week in the interests of bee-keepers, and I feel sure that,
knowing both the parties personally and supplying the
information first hand, that in-and-in breeding does not
deteriorate the race of English bees as regards their size,
working qualities or prolificness, though it should run on
decade after decade and generation after generation of
owners. In the first instance I walked several miles to
see an old bee-keeper, who lives about seven miles from
everywhere, or rather from an}- town or railway station.
When I say old I do not mean that he is an octogenarian.
Though probably he has seen sixty swarming seasons, I
found him in full vigour of health plying his vocation as
gardener and handyman on the farm. Our first greeting
over our conversation naturally turned to bees, and after
a few mutual inquiries I said to him, ' How long have
you kept bees here ? ' ' All my lifetime, and my father
before me, and my grandfather before him ; they both
lived in the same cottage and the bees always have stood
in the same place, and I can tell you how my grandfather
first had them. His master died at the farm, and when
the sale took place his mistress (the farmer's widow)
gave him a smart (a second swarm), and we have had
them ever since.' ' Have you ever lost them by disease,
or otherwise ?' ' No, never. Those you now see are the
same strain of bees my old grandfather started with.'
' How many do you generally leave to stand the winter?'
' Five.' ' Do you find them profitable ? ' ' Well,' he says,
with a si}' twinkle in his eye, ' I shouldn't tell every one,
but I have made 0/. this year and twenty gallons of drink
for the winter; but you see,' he added, ' I make all my
hives, stools, and hackles, so that I have no expense with
them.'
Now, here we have an instance of bees breeding in-
and-in for three generations because of the isolation of
the apiary. Yet here they are as prolific aud as profit-
able as if the owner had spent every penny of his profits
year after year in foreign or other queens, and where are
the dire effects propounded by Mr. W.? — W, Woodley.
[To be continued.)
NEW METHOD OF FIXING FOUNDATION IN
SECTIONS.
[14*7.] In the last issue of tho B.B.J. I notice a
claim by Messrs. Abbott Bros, as the inventors of a
new method of fixing comb foundation in sections, by
means of an angular cut through the top (?) of the
section. I beg to state that I have for some consider-
able time used and sold sections cut in a very similar
manner, the only difference being in the shape of the cut
itself ; that shown on page 72, No. 294, volume xvi.,
being larger at the top than at tho bottom, whereas the
cut used by me is the same all through.
I used to make a vertical cut, and that answered very
well with sections in pieces, as a lateral pressure could
be put on the unfixed half, so as to give a firm grip to
the foundation before nailing ; but when I endeavoured
to fix foundation by means of a vertical cut in the one-
piece sections, I experienced difficulties, because if the
divided parts were pulled apart sufficient to admit the
foundation, they often broke at the V joint, and if not
so opened, when putting the unfolded half into position
there was a constant tendency to displace the foundation
by downward pressure.
To remedy these evils I made many experiments, and
ultimately found that by cutting through the section at
an angle of about 4-5° and the use of a wooden block
similar to the block used when nailing sections, the
sheets of foundations could be put in position and
securely fixed, more expeditiously than by any other
plan.
February 16, 1888. J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
91
I may here mention that I have written Messrs.
Abbott Bros, informing them of the similarity in the
methods used by them now and that used by myself
for a long time. I do not wisli in any way to impute
that my plan has been copied. It is, however, a lesson
worth remembering. — S. J. Baldwin.
'NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.' — FIXING
COMB-FOUNDATION.
[1433.] I see Messrs. Abbott are about to patent an
invention I have worked out and improved long ago.
The proof page of my 1883 Catalogue (yet in printer's
hands) concerning angular cut rail, and foundation groove
to sections, will show that I have a right to make and
sell sections so treated.
I enclose you drawings nine months old ( which
please return ) showing the said application to one-
piece sections, and also to bar-frames. Is further testi-
mony wanted? I will give names and addresses of
those now far from Holme Apiary to whom I showed
the invention.
The cut to top rail of section, at an angle of 45°, is all
sufficient for holding the foundation, but side and bottom
grooves are necessary to keep full sheets from buckling,
and so treated the one-piece section is ahead in founda-
tion-fixing of any section yet introduced. Yet this I
have superseded, and have a method which will not only
give fixing of foundation to sections and frames, but
also securely against displacement of the honey and
comb when filled, even should it so happen ' the Man in
the Moon ' (P) had an accident in his apiary and dropped
a crate of well-filled and finished sections to Mother
Earth. From what I know concerning inventions in
useful bee appliances, I judge none would hold an argu-
ment supporting a patent, neither should there be if
all the philanthropy given forth in the direction of
bee-keeping is taken into consideration. Iohn II.
Howard, The Model Apiary, Holme, Peterborough.
[We have inspected the drawings Mr. Howard has
kindly forwarded to us, and have been struck by the
manj' ingenious contrivances he has discovered for the
greater ease in apiculture. Among others there is the
top rail of a section cut through at an angle of 45°.
Messrs. Abbott's section has the angle rather wider at
the top, affording a stronger grip.
We have received a communication from Mr. Bonner
Chambers to the same effect as Mr. Howard's letter.
He further says, ' From exceedingly careful experiments
I have come to the conclusion that perfectly filled sections
cannot be obtained without the aid of full sheets of foun-
dation : this, I find, is a fact that has been recognised
only for about the past two years, and is a point little
known at present ; hence the few arrangements that have
been made, or even suggested, for fixing full sheets— the
sort of foundation manufactured also not allowing full
sheets being used until recently.
Mr. C. J. II. Fitch, of Sible Hedingham, and others,
inform us that they have for the last two years had the
identical plan of Messrs. Abbott in operation, and have
sent out a vast number of sections filled with the guides
so fixed.
Messrs. Abbott Bros, inform us that they have re-
ceived numerous applications from all parts of the
country from persons claiming to have previously in-
vented their new mode of fixing comb foundation in
sections; but after inquiry, every statement has proved
incorrect, and the cut alluded to being in overy instance
the simple straight cut that was invented about the same
time as one-piece sections. One would hardly expect a
bee-keeper making such an important discovery would
omit to let his fellow bee-keepers remain long unin-
forme 1. — Er>.]
THE PREVENTION OF INCREASE.
Number Three.
[148!i.] In working for extracted honey, the pre-
vention of increase is easily accomplished by a judicious
management in tiering up and extracting. But when we
come to the production of comb-honey, no system of man-
agement has as yet succeeded in absolutely preventing
increase. There are, however, different methods of
manipulation that tend to decrease swarming ; but why
try to entirely prevent swarming ? Prevent it as far as
is consistent with the largest amount of nice comb-
honey, and then make use of the swarms ii la Hutchin-
son, and double up in the fall.
Of the different methods tending to prevent swarming,
I will offer the following as being with me the most
successful.
I use Heddon's sectional hive, but my system of man-
agement can be varied to suit the workings of any hive.
We will imagine white clover in full bloom and a good
colony of bees occupying two sections of the Heddon
hive, with honey-board and one section case on, the
latter being about half full of honey : now lift off the
section-case and one of the brood-cases, and from the
case now remaining take four of the frames having the
least amount of brood, crowding two to each side of the
hive of the four remaining, and in the centre place four
frames having a foundation starter half an inch wide,
readjust your hive, and in about three days they will be
ready for another case of sections, and as soon as the
four frames below become filled with comb cut it out
with the exception of half an inch for a starter, and re-
place them, making use of the comb removed to fill your
sections. Thus by a judicious tiering of section-eases
and the removal of the comb in the four above-
meutioned frames when about three-fourths full, not
more than twelve per cent will swarm.
The four frames of brood and honey first removed can
bo tiered up on a few colonies and will be filled with
nice stores for winter.— C. Solveson, Nashatah, Wis.
(The American Apictlltlirist.)
THE COMING BEE.
[1400.] 1 seldom read anything with greater pleasure
than that which I felt on reading your article on 'The
Coming Bee,' on page 58. I have long held the opinion
that the present system of introducing foreign queens
was radically wrong, and four years ago I destroyed my
own and re-queened with blacks, and since that time
have done my best to keep them pure, not because I
believe them to be the best bee to be obtained eventually,
but because I believe that the present system, or want of
system, in importing all and every kind of queens that
are advertised will eventually leave us with a race of
mongrels, perhaps good, but according to my experience
more probably bad. With cattle and poultry, &c, the
crossing of the various breeds is easily controlled ; with
bees it is not so, and the ordinary bee-keeper with a few
hives seldom exercises any control over the mating of
his queens and drones. He purchases a queen because it
is the fashion, introduces her to his best stock, makes
swarms and gets a lot of hybrids. This is all very well
so far, but the next year his hybrids go and hybridise his
neighbours' bees, and very soon the neighbourhood is
filled with vicious wretches, and bee-keeping loses part
of its charm for want of a systematic method of trying
to improve the race in place of the indiscriminate hap-
hazard fashion now in vogue.
Our cousins at the Antipodes have set us a good
example in keeping an island entirely for one race of
bees, and I hopo that some systematic plan will be
adopted in England for raising the best possible race ;
and I think ' specialisation ' in queen-rearing ought to be
supported by bee-keepers. Surely it will be better to
92
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 16, 1888.
purchase home-bred queens which are thoroughly accli-
matised from ' specialists,' providing- they can supply
bees of a reliable standard of excellence, than sending
money abroad, draining the pockets for the benefit of
foreigners. Our Bee-keepers' Associations are formed
for the purpose of teaching people how to keep money at
home instead of sending it abroad for foreign honey :
therefore, why send half the profit to the foreigner for
his queens ? I am not satisfied with my blacks alto-
gether, but they are a better all-round bee than some of
the mongrels I have come in contact with; and as I have
not much time for attempting to improve by introducing
foreign blood I shall keep them as pure as I can, aud
hope that the specialist will be able to offer us a better
inthe not very distant future. — W. Coxon, Ambaston,
near Derby.
HOW TO DESTROY WASPS. — (1432 and 1459.')
[1401.] Your correspondent F. Goodrich says that
with his pickle-bottle he entrapped as many bees as
wasps. I think I can teach him, and perhaps some
others, ' a more excellent way.' Bees will scarcely evei
go to the back uf the hive to feed ! If, therefore, the
pickle-bottle be placed there, it will speedily be filled
with wasps without a bee ! If, however, the bee-hives
are placed in rows, one before the others, of course the
back one becomes the front of the other and the plan
will not work so well, but even in this case by placing
the bottle quite in the middle of the back of the hive the
bees will very rarely interfere with the pleasure of the
wasps. — C. C. P., Volentia, Co. Kerry.
HIS FIP.ST FRAME HIVE.
[1402.] About the middle of May, 1886,1 was at a
place about six miles from Kipon. While there, I called
to see a bee-keeper, living in a neat cottage with a nice
garden in front, in which he kept his bees; there were
about six hives in all. He was pleased to see me, as he
wanted some one to tell him how to put a swarm into a
frame-hive he had managed to get. So he took me to see
the hive, and explain to him how to put his first swarm
into it. It was a pattern of the Cowan hive, rather
clumsy, but still a serviceable hive.. 'I've got it ready
" baited,'" says he, as he pointed to the strip of founda-
tion in each frame, ' now tell me what to do.' I explained
to him how to hive the swarm in the usual way : put it
on the stand the new hive had to occupy, then in the
evening to shake them on a board in front of the hive
and let them run in. lie promised he would do just as I
had told him. About the end of July I was there again,
so I called to see how he had got on with his bees.
He had had several swarms — the first he had put in his
frame-hive. He asked me to look at it, and took off the
top. Oh, what a sight ! — the quilt not right on, frames
on the top of each other, some with the metal ends off,
the combs were built all ways. Now this is how it had
been done. The swarm settled on a bush just the height
of the garden wall, so he took the hive body and put it
un the wall wrong side up to let the swarm run in ; the
frames in that way being all upset. I could do nothing
with them as I had no veil. I can assure you I turned
away from that garden, wishing it, at least, had never
possessed a frame-hive. I was not surprised when I
heard that this bee-keeper had said, later on, that he
liked skeps better than the new hives. — Jghx Wiiahton,
Iluney Cott, Howes, Yorkshire.
\ queens at the head of our colonies, we have, or nearly so,
overlooked the fact that good kings are equally to be
had in reverence.
Would it not be interesting, perhaps profitable, if
some of our more advanced brethren would discuss,
through the Journal, not only what drones are the best,
after careful crossing and recrossing, but unravel for us,
who are merely babes yet, the other duties of the drone
bees, which, according to some people's ideas, are many,
to others few, to others none? One can hardly be per-
suaded to believe that they are brought into existence as
the swarmiug season approaches solely for the purpose
of mating with the young princesses. If this wero
their only use, then, as some tell us, a smaller quantity
of better quality would, perhaps, answer the purpose.
But is it so? I suppose those colonies that are the most
forward in the spring are the first to raise and send out
drones. Is this the standard rule between strong and
weak stocks, or is there some other reason ? For bees,
like most human beings, have a reason ; ought I to sa}',
on the part of the bee, instinct, f
Are we doing exactly the right kind of thing in a hive
of say ten frames when we use ten sheets, or nearly so,
of worker foundation ? Might it not be discovered some
day that a little drone foundation given to each hive
is helpful instead of baneful, even if it did help to fill the
hive with the worthless, honey-eating, lazy drone ! I
have one hive — No. 4 — which has been, and 1 am expect-
ing will be again this year, the best of my nine. It was
the largest swarm I ever saw, when it came into my pos-
session on the 31st May, three or four years ago, and
gave good account of itself ; same year I sent out a
swarm as well. This last season it gave me about 100 lbs.
of splendid honey (extracted) on the tiering-up system ;
and had there been any yield from the limes, I did hopo
to have got 30 lbs. more, but they failed on account of
the drought. I noticed in this hive, particularly, the
large number of drones it sent out, or rather went in and
out of it ; no doubt that hive was their right home ; and
also, although they might be seeu Hying by hundreds on
a fine day, there still seemed anxiety on the part of the
bees to raise more, for, as the supers went on, drone-
comb was built in nearly every bit of space where
worker foundation did not intrude itself. Of course, I
allow no breeding above-deck. As there is queen-and-
drone prevention for all my hives, with bee-space above
anil below, 1 do not find the bees object to it, nor has
there a queen ever got through to my knowledge.
• >ther hives that only yielded, say about 30 lbs. of honey,
were nearly destitute of drones. I give this for what it
is worth ; perhaps some one else may have something to
say on the subject more experienced than myself. — J. W.
BlANELBT, Denton, Lincolnshire.
DRONES.
[1403.] I am glad to see an article in your Journal
setting forth some of the excellences of the drone bee,
for, although a bee-keeper of ouly four or five years'
standing, I have arrived at the conclusion, rightly or
wrongly I know not, that in our anxiety to have good
BEE-KEEPING IN MALTA.
[1404.] You ask me in your number of 5th January for
any particulars of bee-keeping in Malta. At present I
believe I am the only frame-hive owner in the island,
unless the llev. Fathers at the Jesuit College have them.
The natives keep bees largely in earthenware pots, about
a foot in diameter and 1| long, shaped like a stump-
necked bottle, the mouth being filled by a stone bung
with four channels for the bees to pass through ; but
this they invariably refuse to do, and prefer to use the
big end, which is simply covered loosely with a board,
the pot being on its side, and generally on the ground, and
under a tree. Consequently you can imagine the assort-
ment of creatures to be found inside. They take the
honey and wax once a-year, and leave little or no stores,
and are astonished at the loss in numbers during the
autumn.
My brother started three or four frame-hives late
last year. One, the first, is in very good order; the
February 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
93
other very weak, but breeding fast, and they are getting
iu pollen in greater quantities already. I have made
myself two hives, but on account of the great heat in
summer and the temperate winter, I have not stuck to
the English form quite.
My hive proper i-s single-walled, J in. stuff, and this I
place iu a large box on legs, giving quite 3-in. room all
round, with roof to lift or hinge, raintight but not air-
tight. To allow of a current of air in the summer, I
intend boring holes in the outer case low down, and
covering with perforated zinc, and leaving the tops
slightly open during the day ; and if I find the sun's rays
too powerful, propose having a hood like a child's
perambulator to draw over to shade the south side.
The natives simply cover with grass mats, but these I
do not fancy, as the ants and insects are in legions, and
will harbour in them. Ants are a pest, but they are
get-at-able. Hornets, however, are the enemies. Last
year nearly 400 were killed round the hives. I am
trying to devise a plan to lessen the evil, and offer a
reward for each nest, or for each dozen of dead hornets.
I do not like the Palestine dodge of smoke,
The bees themselves appear to be docile, but I am told
that at certain seasons they get vicious. I fancy orange
blossom and karob bloom affect them. They have, as
far as my inexperience goes, all the appearance of Cyprian
bees, yellow bands, &c, and fly in any weather almost.
I sent some dead ones to Mr. Baldwin lately to look at,
and if I visit England in the summer, shall try and
bring a hive with me for examination by experts. The
natives, as usual, are superstitious, and object, as a rule,
to their hives being looked at, and I have difficulty in
getting information. They laugh at my hives, and the
trouble I take, and also the feeding, but I hope by the
time the Agricultural .Show takes place to have some
frames and sections to show, and some extracted honey,
and perhaps a hive; but wax as yet beats me, I cannot
get it clean. Certainly I have only smelted down old
black combs and scraps hitherto, and if any one could
give me a few hints 1 should be grateful.
There is no question about it being a splendid place for
a bee-farm. The winter is so mild that no wintering,
other than feeding, and perhaps a stopping-up of draughts,
is necessary, and already the honey is being gathered,
white broom, mignonette, and other flowers being out.
Later on the sulfa, or crimson clover, will give a harvest,
and orange and other plants until the end of August.
From September I expect to have to feed a little, and
during the heat water is the difficulty.
I am so afraid that the heat will cause heavy combs
to drop that in fixing foundation I make the sides of
top-bars moveable, then fix the sheet with glue on both
sides, and screw the moveable piece back. Some I have
tried without glue, and am waiting for results. I find
screws are necessary, as the wood is so liable to warp
that nails and tacks do not hold.
I have planted white clover and limnanthes,but I do not
think they will do. In some parts of the island wild
thyme grows freely, and some keepers move their bees
to this, which comes much later.
Should I find out anything interesting or queer as I
get along I will let you know.— Malta.
A USEFUL SUGGESTION.
[1495.] Let me suggest to some one with leisure to
draw up some striking handbills, which in the present
time of cheap printing are produced at marvellously low
prices. Most of the matter could be culled from the
many useful hints which appear in the Journal; for
instance, 'The Cure of Bronchitis,' from your corre-
spondent last week. These could be distributed through
the local secretaries, or the plan might be extended to
print at foot the name of the retailer or the bee-keeper
at a slight extra cost. In large quantities a bill 7 in.
by 5 in. could be produced at about Is. per thousand; or
if a bitter bill is necessary estimates could be asked for
and the result published for the benefit of all interested
ill the sale of honey.
I am not writing without some knowledge of how
honey can be sold, as my turn-oat approached nearly
two toils in the last nine months. If the suggestion is worth
anything I shall be glad to send ray idea of a bill, aud
perhaps others will follow suit. — II. J. B.
THE TIME TEST.
[1496.] Last autumn I made my first — and last —
attempt to obtain the third-class expert's certificate.
Much to my disgust, owing to the time test, I failed,
being considerably longer than the stipulated time in
finding her majesty. Now, whether or not my examiner
could have found her earlier I know not. This I do know,
that if he could honestly have passed me under the pre-
sent rules he would have done so ; but, though most
flattering were his expressions as to my general fitness,
he was bound by the watch. I cannot say I was less
annoyed when 1 remembered that at the previous ex-
amination held here, a gentleman who was examined in
my presenCJ passed who did not find the queen at alt —
but it was under another examin-'r. On the day of my
inglorious attempt, one of the best, if not the best,
manipulators I know actually drove and found in twice
the time I occupied; but he was not up for examination,
Like all bee-keepers who have done much driving, I
have had good and bad drives, but from the experience
thus gained, anything so uncertain as a time test is most
unfair when a style test would settle the matter at once.
—II. J. B., Southrjate.
QUEEN-BREEDING.
[1497.1 I think the best plan to remedy the ill effects
of in-and-in breeding is that given by Mr. Edey, page 111
of the present volume, in which he says, ' that frames of
wired comb containing egg.-i have been invariably success-
ful when subjected to proper treatment after arrival.'
Bee-keepers could with advantage, and very little
expense or labour, exchange eggs to raise queens from,
and thus prevent in-and-in breeding by the following
plan, which I think would be successful if proper care be
taken.
Take your best stock which you wish to breed from,
and insert in the middle of brood-nest a frame of li inches
sections containing new comb, and as soon as filled with
ego-s remove with the adherent bees, taking care not to
take the queen with them, and put in "Woodley's tin sec-
tion case, making a hole or two with a pricker for
ventilation. Tie a cord round to secure the lid and
forward by rail at once. The contents being visible they
will be handled with great care and the attendant bees
will prevent the eggs from being chilled. My opinion is
that eggs sent without attendant bees will not raise such
strong queens as those which have had sufficient bees to
keep them on even temperature. As small a number of
sections containing eggs may be obtained as desired by
filling the frame up with sections having |- inch starters
only where you do not want the queen to lay, which
may be removed to other hives worked for comb honey
when you remove the section of comb containing eggs.
In one section there would be sufficient eggs to raise at
least thirty queens on Mr. Alley's plan, as given in his
book on Queen-reariny and as practised by Mr. l'ometta
in Italy (-4 Bee-keeper s Experience in the East).
In conclusion I would recommend those that exchange
eggs to inform those to whom they are sendiug them
when they are about to forward them, so that all may
be in readiness to insert the eggs in the hive immediately
after arrival, and be careful to accept no eggs from a
district in which there is foul brood. — A. Woodhead,
Goole.
94
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 16, 1888.
&z\m fram % jjxfres.
Twi/nholm, Kirkcudbrightshire, Feb. 6th. — Seeing it is a
long time since you had' a ' bit ' of jotting from me, I
thought it would not be entirely out of place— at this, the
beginning of another bee-season— to inform you how ' our
pets ' have survived the past winter in this corner of the i
kingdom. The ' deaths,' as far as I can learn, are at.
present very few ; and I have only lost one out of eight
hives, and that through utter starvation, it being a driven
colony that refused to take the food supplied and there-
fore had to pay the penalty. Saturday, Feb. 4th, was
very mild, and warm gleams of sunshine tempted the
bees forth for a cleansing flight and in search of pollen,
of which I saw some collected from the snowdrops, and
which is a fortnight earlier than the first I noticed last
year. Bar-frame hives are gaining ground here now,
since I got an ' Abbott's Combination,' and old-fashioned
notions are getting rooted out ; thanks to the B. B. J.
I am ' given down ' by some people here to be ' daft
aboot bees; ' and one old woman had the ' cheek ' to tell
me, 'if my ghost was seen onywhaur it wad be amang
thae bee hooses ' (that's always some consolation for the
future at any rate) ; but when the honey-taking season
comes on, and anti-bee-keepers get a ' taste ' of the
precious nectar, ' thae blessed bees ' are transformed into
'wonderfu' wee craturs.' Hoping you will excuse me for
spinning such a long yarn, yours, Bonnie Scotland.
Homy Cott, Hawes, North Yorkshire, February 9th.
— To-day with us has been a beautiful day. The bees
have had a good cleansing flight. All my stocks
so far have passed the winter safely. The snow-
drops have commenced to bloom, and I noticed to-day
that several bees were gathering loads of pollen from
them. This is earlier than any other season I can
remember for them to begin pollen-gathering in this cold
and backward climate. Last year they took in the first
grain on the 19th February, iii 1886 on the 25th March,
in 1885 on the 13th March. After such an early start
may all bee-keepers have a prosperous year is the wish
of— John Wharton.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
' Aspibo.'— 1. Heather Honey.— Heather blooming after
nearly all other honey-producing flowers have ceased,
renders it very easy to keep the former distinct from
the latter, therefore you should 'run' your colonies
for clover at the commencement of the season, and
and after prepare for the heather-flow. This is done
by most advanced bee-keepers in the north. When
sojourning in North England and South Scotland we
paid particular attention to this subject, and found
that the best results were obtained in the following
manner : The hives were provided with section-racks
at the commencement of the clover-flow, and just
before the heather bloomed as many of the sections
that had been filled with clover honey as were required
for the heather harvest extracted. These empty combs
were then placed in the racks; as a result heather
honey only was stored by the bees in those sections.
Before filling the racks with the empty combs, the
hive should be contracted to eight frames. There is
little fear so late in the season of the queen ' going
up' in the sections. Do not super at the back of
the hive, but ' tier up.' 2. Queen Excluder— No
doubt the excluder-zinc was the cause of the bees
not ' going up.' 3. Superseding Queens. — With your
present experience you ought to be able to find and
catch the queen. It is a very simple operation. It is
of little use uniting with a cast, as perhaps the young-
queen would be killed. 4. Scentmg Bees.— Sprinkle
the bees with a small bunch of feathers, do not on any
account 'drench' them. 5. Candy Making.— See The
British Bes-keepers Guide-book for recipes for candy-
making. 6. Moving Bees. — Move the bees after a
spell of bad weather, and as soon as possible. The
skeps can be transferred to bar-frame hives. 7.
Entrances. — Entrances should be kept wide open even
in your latitude.
C. Wade. — We have received the bee forwarded by yon
by post. But it arrived so smashed and flattened that
being without shape or form it was impossible to say
with any precision whether it was a queen or a
worker bee. It was equally impossible to pass an}'
opinion as to its race. We are, however, inclined to
the opinion that the bee was not the queen, but a
worker, and that it was a black bee.
Arthur S. Hughes. — Hoge's Horehound Honey. — We
are not unfamiliar with Mr. W. M. Hoge's pamphlet
on the virtues of horehound and ' prepared ' table
honey. As a pamphlet it is interesting, and we should
be pleased if a somewhat similar one were distributed
by the Honey Company through the length and
breadth of the kingdom showing the excellences of
British honey. The first we heard of Mr. Hoge was
at the Royal Agricultural Show held at Kilburn in
1879. As the agent of Messrs. Thurber, of America,
he exhibited about two tons of honey in sections ; and
the clean, compact, and perfect appearance of the
honey furnished very valuable lessons in marketing
honey to the British bee-keeper. The ' prepared' honey
of Mr. Hoge, of later years, would not, however, stand
the test of the analyst. Several samples of Hoge's
honey were forwarded to Mr. Otto Hehner for analysis,
and he pronounced them, with great 'certainty,' to bo
adulterated. He said : — ' They are products of the
action of sulphuric acid upon starch, and consist in
part of corn syrup, or of a mixture of the same with
more or less of honey.' Mr. Hoge called himself
' purveyor to Her Majesty the Queen,' but on inquiry
the title could not be sustained. Hoge's 'prepared'
honey was not allowed to be exhibited in proximity to
the department arranged by the Council of the Inter-
national Health Exhibition to the B. B. K. A. at South
Kensington in 1884. We believe that Mr. Hoge
got up a Honey Company, but we have not heard
much of it for some time.
11. L. Richardson. — Crate for Lee's Sections. — 1. Lee's
sections as at present adapted do not fit ordinary crates,
but we understand that Mr. Lee has an arrangement
in prospect by which this desideratum will lie
managed. 2. Water for bees. — AVe do not consider the
plan of giving the bees water inside the hive with a
bottle desirable. Consult the 'Useful Hints' in this
issue, under the heading ' Water,' p 85, for a better
manner of giving bees water.
A. L. C. — You state in your communication that a
recent letter signed 'W. B. Webster' is 'nothing more
or less than a series of fallacies and misapprehensions,'
but that ' you have neither time nor inclination to go
into the matter in detail.' It becomes us, therefore,
not to give ear to an unproven or unsupported asser-
tion, or to come to any hasty conclusion respecting
the trustworthiness of so old and reliable a corre-
spondent as Mr. Webster has always proved himself to
be.
A. F. Parish. — We are obliged to you for the copy of
the English Mechanic: we dealt with the matter in
our last number. 2. The foundation being of last
year's manufacture will not be a drawback to its
being worked by the bees. If found to be dry let it
be exposed to a gentle heat, or it may be immersed in
water slightly warm.
Ernest Wood. — Bee Farming and Appliance ~l..a-
) act uring— This is a question which is now engaging
the attention of apiculturists (-see ' Simmins Bee
Company' in issue of February 9th, 1888). Like all
February 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
95
other bnsinesses some have floated, others have sunk.
To an ' outsider,' as holding no position in the ' bee
world/ the manufacture of appliances would most
likely prove a failure.
J. S. — North Devon. — We should not rely on such drones
for fertilisation. We should not breed drones from
the queen referred to. The drones sent appear to be
hybrids.
OOTSWOLD. — Moving Bees. — Yes, now at once ; if done
on a ccld day when no bees are flying.
11. Chapman. — Bees in Sleeps Starling. — You must not
attempt uniting till a warm day in April. If the
skeps have feed -holes strew moist cane sugar over
hole, say a pound, cover up nice and warm. If there
is no hole put a quantity under skep on floor-board.
Marcus J. Astle. — Preserving Frozen Queen. — The
queen could be kept alive on one frame of comb with
honey, and, say, a quarter to half-pint of bees if you
had a single frame observatory hive and kept same
at a comfortable temperature of 45°. Or fewer bees in
a small box, ventilated, but kept warm. This is pre-
suming you can get at your bees. As a last resource
put her in a cage and insert same in feed-hole, some-
times bees will feed a queen so caged even when not
queenless. Kindly let us know later on what plan you
adopted and how you succeed. It has been noticed
that queens exposed to- great cold sometimes breed
nothing but drones afterwards.
W. M. — Heavy Death Bute. — Without seeing any of the
dead bees referred to we should say it is the old bees
dying off and not being removed by their comrades,
who have apparently quite enough to do to attend
to their brood, judging from your report. Experience
similar to yours is not unknown, though not very
frequent. We would recommend you to introduce
some new blood by means of a queen from a distance,
and then raise queens from her eggs, and so re-queen
your stocks. You might send us a few bees for
examination.
Far North. — 1. Obtaining Comb-honey from a Stock
that swarms. — 1'lace the swarm on the stand, till then
occupied by the stock from which it proceeded, put
the super from the stock — including any bees that
may happen to be in it — on the swarm. Use queen-
excluder over frames which should contain only inch
starters of foundation. When the super is three parts
finished, place another between it and the frames.
2. liaising Queens. — See ' Practical Work in the
Apiary,' now running in this Journal, and the many
references to this subject already given.
business directory.
Eeceived per post from Mr. G. Stothard, Welwyn, Herts,
one dozen top bars lij inches, these are handy for inter-
changing with metal end frames ; a Gray's covered feeder, of
an improved pattern, and a Klimitz queen-catcher and cage,
easily made by a novice ; a very clever contrivance for
capturing a queen, which we hope to illustrate in a future
issue.
Mr. Stothard writes : ' I tried a new foundation-holder
last year which I found excellent, and, I think, is my idea.
It consists of a metal clip to slip over a top bar and has
two little screws to tighten on the foundation. Three are
necessary to each bar ; all three can be fi xed on in two
minutes. When the foundation is built out they can be
easily removed, and used over and over again for years.
The little screws do not press directly on foundation, but
on two little strips of wood d\ thick, J wide, and 14 long),
which can easily be stuck on foundation by the fingers, one
on each side of foundation. I have also schemed a strong
steel spring for same purpose ; the only fault these have,
however, is that they tear away a small piece of comb when
they are removed if left long.'
*„* On account of the extent of the Report of the annual
meeting of the B. B. A". A. we have been obliged to postpone
the appearance of the reports of several Associations.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 25Ga Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchmvh St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edet & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfiekl, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 2G Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchureh St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H, Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. it 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour ROOT, Medinn, Ohio, XJ. S. ^V.*>
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 296. Vol. XVI.]
FEBRUARY 23, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(^tutorial, Maims, #c.
COTTAGER'S MONTHLY JOURNAL.
We should feci obliged to County, Provincial, and
Local Secretaries, if they would kindly furnish our
publisher, Mr. J.Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts, with
the names and addresses of all cottagers and
artisans who take an interest in bee-keeping, so
that he may have the opportunity of forwarding
each a copy of the new Journal. Numerous names
have been forwarded, and we beg to thank those
who have taken this trouble.
PRACTICAL WORK IX THE APIARY.
The bee-keeper most likely to succeed will be the
one who is always ready to lake advantage of every
favourable circumstance. During the summer months
he finds plenty of employment, and many think there is
nothing to do in the winter. Tins is certainly a more
leisure season, but it can be very profitably employed by
the bee-keeper in malum;' preparations for the coming
season. Bees require little or no attention, but he must
not neglect to attend to hives, crates, and any other
appliances he may require. If be is of a mechanical
turn of mind he will make a great many things himself,
and (aily purchase such articles as frames and sections,
winch are required in large quantities, and require special
machinery to turn them out accurately at cheap rates.
Those who depend on purchased articles must bear in
mind that hives and appliances are too bulky to be made
in quantity by the manufacturers and stored, therefore
what he is likely to require be should order without delay,
so as to give the dealer sufficient time to complete them.
Orders are frequently left until the swarming season, and
then there is such a rush that many have to wait
some time before their orders can be completed, and
often do not get their things until too late in the season
when they are no longer wanted.
We do not recommend one manufacturer in preference
to another, and our readers are invited to choose from
our advertisement columns, where they will find wdiat
they require. There are now a large number of manu-
facturers in England, and our columns are, and always
have been, open freely to all to describe and illustrate any
new and interesting inventions, and to advertise them, if
they think fit to do so ; and if they do not take advan-
tage of this they have only themselves to blame if they
are not remembered when orders have to be given. We
urge upon our readers the advisability of giving their
orders at once.
All old hives and appliances which were used last
season should be thoroughly examined and put into good
working order. The hives should be well scalded, and
put out to dry, after which they shoidd be painted over
with a solution of salicylic or carbolic acid.
In view of the prevalence of foul brood in many
districts this precaution is doubly necessary. We would
strongly advise no bee-keeper to purchase any second-
hand hives or appliances without having them first
properly scalded and disinfected, even if he is certain
they come from a district where foul brood is not known.
Our own hives are in several pieces and are easily
cleaned, and we prefer them to those on fixed legs,
which ■ also have their inner and outer casings fixed for-
tius very reason. In fact it was a very costly ex-
perience with foul brood that determined us to have our
hive so constructed that it could be easily taken to
pieces and scalded. We have a copper holding about
fifty gallons, and as t'le water boils the hive is dipped
into it and scrubbed over with a whitewasher's brush.
The bristles of tins must be bound with copper, or they are
lik 1\ tn dime out when the glue holding them becomes
melted. Every part of t lie hive in this way becomes
thoroughly cleaned, the wax and propolis coatingthewood
and forming a kind of varnish, which assists in protecting
the w 1 and answers the purpose of a coating of paint.
\\ e only paint our outer cases and those parts ex-
posed to the weather. The bee-keeper should do all
the repairing necessary, and then give all painted w.ork
a couple of good coats of oil-paint. The painting ought
not to cost much, as good paint already mixed and of
any tint required can be purchased in tins at sixpence a
pound, and a very little practice will enable any one to
turn out a creditable job. Look over frames of combs
stored away, and if they show signs of damp, such as
becoming mouldy, put them into a warm place and spray
them with carbolic acid solution.
Now is also the best time to order what foundation is
likely to be wanted as well as sections. AVe are fre-
quently asked what sort of foundation should be used.
For brood-frames we recommend that from four to six
square feet, and if the frames are wired it can be even
lighter, some using it eight feet to the pound. Those
who are going in for extracted honey should wire their
frames and they would not run any chance of combs
98
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 23, 1888.
breaking. For sections the thinnest foundation should
be used, twelve feet to the pound. As to ordering sec-
tions, the bee-keeper must decide upon the size of these
according to his market, hut those 4| x 4J- are just now
mostly in favour. For every hive it is intended to use
for comb honey we should lay iu a stock of 80 to 100
sections and three section-racks. The racks should be
made to hold from twenty-one to twenty-seven sections
and should be provided with dividers. The dividers
used last season should be scalded and then hammered
flat, so as to fit properly in their places. If he is going to
work for extracted honey he must see that he has plenty
of spare body-boxes so as to be able to raise his hives to
three or even four storeys. A proportionate number of
frames will also be required. Make-shift hives are
always useful in an apiary for hiving unexpected
swarms and many other purposes, and can be made by
almost any bee-keeper or purchased for a few shillings.
We cannot insist too strongly on making all these
preparations now, so as to be ready when the honey
season comes round again. The planting of trees and
shrubs should also engage the attention of the bee-keeper
now. The willow is one of our earliest pollen-bearing
plants, grows freely anywhere, and is easily propagated
by cutting3. Larger trees transplanted would yield a
supply of pollen this season even. Plant also raspberry-
suckers, as well as currant and gooseberry-bushes. Some
of the finest flavoured honey we have tasted was obtained
from raspberries, and these continue in bloom for a con-
siderable time. Almost all trees and shrubs useful for
bee pasturage may be transplanted now, but the trans-
planting should only be done on days when the weather
is fine and the ground in a fit condition.
THE 'WILEY LIE' IN ENGLAND.
Under the above heading in the American Bee Journal
for January 25, the Editor gives a part ion of an article
which appeared on page 568 of British Bee Journal for
December 28. We are sorry the whole was not repro-
duced, but pending an inquiry into the truth of the in-
formation supplied, we reprint Mr. Newman's reproof as
it appears in the American Bee Journal. lie says : —
' As usual in such cases, a clergyman is brought into it, so
as to give some appearance of truth to the story — for he
"visited many of the adulterating bee-farms," says the
article. It is a base slander — a nefarious lie ; neither the
clergyman in question, nor " any other man," ever visited
any such " adulderating bee-farms I " They do not exist!!
It is nothing more nor less than a scandalous falsehood —
the production of a sensational reporter's brain, written for
spice, but lacking even the flimsiest " thread " of truth !
Its only possible excuse is the infamous " scientific pleas-
antry " written "for the fun of the thing," by Professor
Wiley — who is so unprincipled as to let it " fly " on electric
wires to " the uttermost parts of the earth," without a
word of regret, or denial! When cornered by the American
Bee Journal he admitted that he wrote it as a scientific
pleasantry, never dreaming that any one would imagine
it to be a sober fact. Now the British Bee Journal repub-
lishes it under the heading of " Facts." It is astonishing,
to say the least ! We have repeatedly offered large sums of
money to persons (one of them a clergyman, too) who had
repeated this story as a. fact, to take us to the place where
these " artificial combs" are made, or where the " adultera-
ting bee-farms " may be found, but no one can take us to
them ! No such places can be found ! Mr. A. I. Root,
editor of Gleanings in Bee-Culture, has for two years had a
standing offer of $1500 to any one who will point out such
places to him — yet there are none who can do it. They do
not exist ! Now when honey is scarce and prices high, it is
just the time for putting this " artificial comb honey" on
the market at good prices, for our British contemporary
says that it is " so much like the genuine article that only
experts can detect the difference." But what are the
facts? Not even a single pound of the " artificial honey "
can be produced! Not even a single "adulterating bee-
farm" can be shown ! ! Send your "clergyman" over here,
Mr. Scribbler, to point out such farms. It will pay him to
do so ! '
ASSOCIATIONS.
SOMERSET BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting was held on the 26th January at
the committee-room of the S.P.C.K., Union Street, Bath,
only one member, besides the Hon. Secretary (Rev. O. G.
Anderson), putting in an appearance. No business was
transacted. The position of the Association is as fol-
lows:— Members of the Association,."!); Taunton Branch,
28 ; Bedminster Branch, 10 ; total, 77. Receipts of the
Association, 24/. 18s. 6d.; expenditure, 861. 2s. lid, ;
balance against the Association, 11/. 4s. 5d. Taunton
Branch receipts, t»/. 10s. Qd. ; expenditure, 0/. Us. Orf. ;
Bedminster Branch receipts, 1/. 12s. 6d. ; expenditure,
1/. 6s. 3d. The work of the Association has been crippled
both from want of funds and energy among the mem-
bers. Shows were held at Bath, Bedminster, Taunton,
Dunster, North Betberton, Stoke Courcy, Nunney, &c.
The Rev. Charles G. Anderson, having resigned the Hon.
Secretary and Treasurerships, will no longer be respon-
sible for the Association in any way. No business being
transacted at the meeting, both offices are vacant ; and
no plan for carrying on the Association was proposed,
though a letter was read from Mr. Hamilton Palairet,
offering to assist in paying off the debt due to the
treasurer.
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The Lancashire and Cheshire Bee-keeepers' Association
held their annual meeting at the Bear's Paw, Lord
Street, Liverpool, at 4 p.m., on Wednesday, the 8th
February, li?88. Amongst those present were Revs.
J. F. Buckler, Sheffield, Hardinge, and Thos. Slevan;
Colonel Heme, Mrs. Milner, and Miss Rowe ; Messrs.
W. B. Carr, Geo. Roberts, Litherley, Williams, Scotson,
Sadler, Procter, Bally, Bather, Caldwell, Wade, Lyon,
Deane, Milner, &c. The Report and accounts were taken
as read.
The Chairman (the Rev. F. Buckler) informed the
meeting of a letter he had received from Lord La-
thom, the President, regretting his inability to be
present, as he was called to London for the opening of
Parliament.
A vote of thanks to the officers of the Association
for the year 1887 having been proposed, seconded, and
carried unanimously, the re-election of officers for 1888
was proceeded with. To the list of patrons the Duke of
Westminster had kindly consented to his name being
added. The President, Lord Lathom, was unanimously
re-elected amidst expressions of general thanks for his
kind letter. The other officers of the Association were
mostly re-elected, additions being made to fill vacancies,
subject to the parties appointed consenting to act.
Rule 6 of the Association was altered so as to make
subscriptions become due the day of the annual meeting
and after the balance-sheet of the previous year had
been published, and the Seciretary was asked to write to
those members who had not paid prior to the expert
making his visit that the expert would be prepared to
receive their subscriptions.
Tea was provided for the lady members, and there
was a short discussion on the relative qualities of three
samples of honey brought before the meeting by the
February 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
99
Hon. Secretary, when the meeting was brought to a close.
Several of the members dined together and discussed
the work of the Association for the year, all agreeing
that every effort should be put to make the bee and
honey department of the Royal Manchester, Liverpool,
and North Lancashire Agricultural Society, to be held
at Lancaster this year, a great success by offering a very
full and valuable list of prizes.
It augurs well for the Association that already several
new members have joined since the commencement of
1888.
HEREFORDSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The annual general meeting of this Association was
held on Thursday, February 2, in the Woolhope Club-
room at the Free Library, under the presidency of Mr.
James Rankin, M.P., there being also present — the Rev.
James Oakley, Dr. T. A. Chapman, the Misses Marillier,
Mr. W. Toinkius (Burghill), Mr. George (Abbevdore),
Mr. H. Lovesav (Ilolmer), Mr. W. Smith (Thinghill),
Mr. M. Meadham (Burghill), Mr. J. R. Hole (Tar-
rington), Rev. F. S. Stooke-Vaughan (lion, treasurer),
Mr. Alfred Watkins (lion, secretary), &c.
From the annual balance-sheet, which was read by
the Secretary, it appeared that during the past year the
expenditure (including 151. 7*. 6d. offered in prizes) had
been 4-V. Ills, '.hi., and there was a balance in hand
amounting to 1/. 19s. Id. Mr. Watkins added that
although the amount of subscriptions had fallen off K.
during the year, their expenditure had been less, andthe
Association was in a no worse position than last year.
The Secretary remarked that at a committee meeting,
held on January 8th, it was proposed that the county be
divided into districts corresponding with the petty
sessional districts, each district to be in charge of a local
secretary. On the motion of Mr. Watkins, the recom-
mendations of the committee were confirmed and em-
bodied in the following minutes : —
1. The county is divided into districts corresponding with
the petty sessional divisions, each district to be in charge
of a local secretary, who shall, after the first holder of the
office, be elected by the members of the district.
2. Each local secretary to have charge of the work of the
Association in his district, and to be empowered to receive
and give receipts for subscriptions ; such subscriptions to
be remitted to the Treasurer at the end of each quarter,
any expenses incurred for postage, etc., being deducted
from the amount remitted.
3. Each local secretary to call an annual meeting of all
members in his district during the month of January
(before the 20th) for the purpose of electing the local secre-
tary for the ensuing year, discussing the work of the year,
and any other matter of interest. He may also call such
additional meeting as he may think fit.
The election of officers was then proceeded with. In
reference to the hon. secretaryship, Mr. Watkins said he
had come to the conclusion to resign, but would be pre-
pared to act as local secretary for the Hereford district.
The Chairman, in appreciative terms, proposed that
the best, thanks of the Association be given to Mr.
Watkins for his most useful services as general hon.
secretary in the past, and for his offer of continued
service as secretary of the Hereford district for the
future.
The Rev. F. S. Stooke-Vaughan seconded, and it was
unanimously passed.
Mr. Watkins replied, stating that it had been to him
a labour of love, and he hoped still to be able to do some
good work fir the sam>' good cause.
The Chairman then proposed that the Rev. James
Oakley, Hereford, be elected general hon. secretary, re-
marking that that gentleman was fond of the work, and
had consented to take up the post. Dr. Chapman
seconded the proposal, and it was carried unanimously.
Sir Joseph Bailey, the member for the city, was
elected president for the ensuing year. Local secretaries
for the various districts were appointed as follows: —
Abbeydore, Captain Freke Lewis ; Bredwardine, Miss
Kearsey Thomas, Winforton ; Bromyard, Mr. E. L.
Cave ; Harewood End, Rev. G. Herbert, Llangarren ;
Hereford, Mr. Alfred Watkins; Kington, Mr. J. W.
Lloyd; Ledbury, Mr. T. Charles; Leominster, Mr. A.
Bannister, Docklow ; Ross, Mr. A. P. Small ; Wigmore,
Mrs. Cartwright, Leintwardiue ; Weobley, Mr. John
Griffiths. The committee was also elected. The Rev,
F. S. Stooke-Vaughan was re-appointed treasurer. The
following were appointed experts: — Mr. J. R. Hole
(Tarrington), Mr. M. Meadham (Huntington), and Mr.
Thomas Pritchard (Bucknell) ; and as representatives to
the British Bee-keepers' Association, the Rev. James
( lakley and Mr. A. Watkins were re-elected.
Mr. Watkins then read the annual Report, which re-
capitulated the work done by the Association during the
year, including private demonstrations, arrangements,
and lectures, the bee tent, and the Hereford Honey Fair.
Referring to the position of the Association, the Report
stated : — ' About fifty names have been taken off the
list of members during the year, but a number of these
had ceased paying their subscriptions for several seasons.
On the other hand, seventeen new members have joined.'
It will be noticed that the income by subscriptions is SI.
less than last season, but that liabilities remain at about
the same amount. The report was adopted, and a vote of
thanks was heartily accorded to Mr. Rankin for
presiding.
N< tKTHAMPTOXSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of members of this Association
was held on Saturday afternoon, January 28th, at All
Saints' Schools, Northampton. Mr. A. T. Adams (Crick)
presided/and there were also present — the Rev. J . Phillips
(Weston Favel), Mr. Francis (Northampton, treasurer),
Mr. Collins (Berrv Wood), Mr. Adams and Mr. Kimbell
(Spratton), Mr. R. Hefford and Mr. O. C. Hollis
(Boughton), Mr. W. L. Bird (Ilorton Hall), and Mr. F.
D. Douglas (Wootton).
Mr. Francis said the first business of the meeting was
to consider whether the Society should be continued or
dissolved. It would, perhaps, be advisable before they
took the matter into their consideration to have a state-
ment of the receipts and expenditure for the past year,
and of the financial position of the Association submitted
to them.
From the statement it appeared that, excluding the
bee-tent, which was the property of the Association, tho
Society was upwards of 0/. in debt.
In answer to a question, Mr. Francis said the members
of the Association numbered about seventy. Four or
five years ago, when he became treasurer, the Society
was encumbered with a debt of between 40/. and 50/.
After some conversation he added that the Society could
not work the county properly with its present income.
If the bee-tent, with an expert, were sent to the different
agricultural shows, a large outlay would be entailed, and
this the funds of the Society would not permit.
Eventually Mr. Collins proposed, Mr. Bird seconded
and it was carried without one dissentient, that the
Association be not dissolved.
It was decided to ask Lady Knightley to kindly be-
come President of the Society for the ensuing year, in
place of the Hon. C. R. Spencer, the retiring president.
The following gentlemen were then elected as the
Committee : — The Rev. J. Phillips, and Messrs. W. E.
Stimpson, R. Hefford, W.Adams, J. Rooke, W. L. Bird,
and E. Adams. Mr. Hefford, at the wish of the meet-
ing, undertook the secretaryship, and Mr. Francis, the
treasurership.
100
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 23, 1888.
The thanks of the Society were given to the Hon. C.
E. Spencer, to the Committee, and to the Treasurer, for
their services during the past year, and with a similar
compliment to Mr. Adams, for presiding, the meeting
came to a close.
ESSEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of the Association was held at
Chelmsford, at 6..'!0 p.m. on Friday, January 26th. Mr.
Reg. W. Christy presided; and there were also present
Messrs. Ed. Durrant, W. E. Bovill, C. R. Finch, W. R.
Gibbens, F. W. Brenes (Brentwood), F. H. Mpggy,
honorary secretary, and W. Debnam, expert and assistant
secretary.
The Report stated that county shows had been held
successfully on June 7th, in connexion with the Essex
Agricultural Society, and November 16th in connexion
with the Chelmsford and Essex Horticultural Society.
At the tirst-named there was the best exhibition of hives
and appliances which has been seen in the county, and
at the latter the largest and best display of honev. At
one or other the B.B.K.A. silver and bronze medals and
certificates were awarded, and for the first time in Essex
candidates were examined for the B.B.K.A. third-class
certificate for proficiency in bee-keeping. Mr. Debnam
received the silver medal for comb-honey and the bronze
medal for run-honey, Mr. Runcieman the certificate for
run-honey, and Mr. Cheek the certificate for proficiency.
The offer of the Association to give lectures in winter,
or send the bee-tent in summer, wherever the cost in-
curred is guaranteed, was taken advantage of at West
Hanningfield for a lecture, and at Rayleigh, on the
occasion of the rural fete, for the bee-tent demonstra-
tions and lectures. The bee-tent is found to be a welcome
addition wherever it is engaged; and the attractive
lecture, illustrated by lantern and slides, prepared by
Mr. Ed. Durrant, is appreciated wherever heard.
The Committee attach so much importance to lectures
in the winter season as a means of spreading the know-
ledge of economic bee-keeping, that they have recently
decided to pay half the cost of at least one lecture in
each year, to be delivered at some centre where they are
not well represented. If the funds allowed they would
gladly apply 10/. a-year in a similar way, which would
enable them to hold many more village lectures.
The division of the county into districts has not, in
many cases, borne great results; but the thanks of the
Association are, nevertheless, due to all who have acted
as district secretaries and local advisers, some for help
given during the past year, and others for assistance
hoped for in the future. A very slight effort on the
part of each District Secretary, planted as they are all
over the county, should bring 'such an addition to the
funds as would enable the Committee at least to carry
out the scheme for lectures advocated above. Thanks
are tendered to all others who have helped forward the
work of the Association during the year, and among
them to Mr. Debnam, who has waived all claim for
recompense for the many hours he has given to the work
of assistant secretary.
In reply to a question put by Mr. Durrant, the Secre-
tary pointed out that centres for the sale of honey had
been formed in the ordinary course of trade. Honey
was sold at a dozen places in Chelmsford only, and it
was staged by nearly every grocer. If some sold inferior,
foreign, or manufactured stuff, the public were quickh
learning to demand what was good, well-flavoured
English honey. Mr. Durrant admitted if people did not
sell it was generally because they wanted the high
prices of times now passed. The prices offered by the
honey companies were so low that only those could make
a profit who had learned the lessons of the last few years
and could make their bees produce double the quantity of
honey. Of course they should sell near home if they
could. Per-onally, he could sell almost any quantity.
Mr. Brenes, who took second prize for the best cot-
tagers' apiary last year, corroborated, and stated, after
the meeting, that he had sold nearly a hundredweight
of honey near home without taking much trouble.
The following are the elected Committee: — Messrs.
W. E. BoviU, Reg. W. Christy, II. S. Coleman, Ed.
Durrant, C. R. Finch, W. R. Gibbens.
Among the notices issued by the Secretary with the
annual Report is an intimation that the Essex Agri-
cultural Society will hold their show this year at Ilford,
June 28th and 2'Hh, when it is intended to offer prizes
similar to those offered in the past year. There will be
a class for the best collection of last season's honey.
The terms in which the Secretary announces the
cottagers' apiary competition, for which Mr. Ed. Durrant
offered a prize, are ' for the best kept cottager's apiary
giving largest returns, in comparison with the number
of hives. The expert to judge on his rounds. Com-
petitors to be allowed the right of protesting by letter
to the Committee.'
NOTTS BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual general meeting of the Nottinghamshire
Bee-keepers' Association was held on Saturday at the
People's Hall, Heathcote Street, Nottingham. Mr. T.
J. Gosling was elected to preside, and amongst those
present were — Mrs. Wootton, Messrs. P. Scattergood,
Jan., It. Turner, S.Godfrey, D. Burnham, II. J. Raven,
S. Marriott, and F. H. K. Fisher.
Mr. Fisher (hon. secretary) presented the annual report
for the year 1887, which stated that they had every
reason to be satisfied with the results of the year. The
committee had met six times, and had done all they
could towards promoting bee-keeping and assisting bee-
keepers. Last year's expenses had been met, although
the membership had fallen off. With an increase of
members there was every prospect of the Association
paying off its bad debts. The great difficulty with
members seemed to be the sale of their honey, and to
assist them the committee arranged to hold a honey fair
on the 16th and 17th December last at Nottingham.
.Messrs. Morris and Place kindly placed their mart at
their disposal, and the amount of honey staged was a
little over a ton, besides a small quantity of wax. The
sales were, however, slow, only six or seven hundred-
weight being sold. At this fair the medals of the
British Bee-keepers' Association and their certificate
were offered for competition. There were numerous
competitors, including most of the leading bee-keepers in
the county. The silver medal was won by Mr. W.
Silver, of Retford ; the bronze medal by the Rev. R. A.
McKee, of Farnsfield; and the certificate by .Mr. G. E.
Caporn, of Newton. The honey fair was a loss of 8/. to
the Association. The committee would be glad to
arrange for lectures in different parts of the county if
desired. Mr. C. E. Walton, of North Muskham, had
resigned the office of expert in consequence of press of
business. The balance-sheet for the year 1887 showed
that the income had been 'I'M. lis. -\d., and the expen-
diture -HI. 1«. <»/.
Votes of thanks were then accorded to the retiring
office bearers.
The office-bearers for the ensuing year were then
elected.
The annual drawing for bee-keeping appliances, which
had been presented by various manufacturers, was next
proceeded with, and a vote of thanks to the chairman
brought the meeting to a close.
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Committee met on the 7th inst. Present — Mr.
Millner (in the chair), Rev. P. Kavanagh, Mr. Sproule,
Mr. Gillies, Mr. Read, and the hon secretary.
The Annual General Meeting of members was fixed
February 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
101
for Thursday, 5th April, one of the days of the Royal
Dublin Society's Spring Show. Mr. Sproule brought up
the report of the Hive Sub-Committee, which was
adopted. This report recommended the addition
of further details to the description of the Asso-
ciation's Standard hive, which appeared in the
Bee Journal for October 20th, 1887. The full descrip-
tion, with the addition of these details, is as follows: —
The length of top bar to be 16 in. out to out; width,
g in. ; thickness, f in. ; sides, \ x jj in. ; bottom, g x J in. ;
outside measurement of frame, 8i x 14 in. The top bar
of the frame to be what is known as open-ended, with
screw-distance-keepers 1 in. in length, and f\ in. across the
eye, outside measurements, the eye screws to be inserted
immediately over side bars. The runners to be of hard
wood, as narrow as possible, and in every way calculated
to reduce propolisation to a minimum, for which pur-
pose also the top bars should be bevelled almost to a
chisel edge. The hive to be 22 in. long, 14A in. wide,
and. 9S in deep from the top of frame to floor-hoard
inside. The walls, if single, to be of J in. wood, and
10A in. deep, with a strip of wood at the top to
cover the ends of the frames; the strip to be
s in. full when finished. With double walls these
details may be varied when necessary. The floor
to be of 1 in. timber, planed on both sides'
nailed to rabbet in the sides, and, if joined, to be
tongued and grooved. A super cover to be provided of
same dimensions inside as outside of hive, so as to cover
the latter without plinths, a strip being tacked inside
each end to keep it in position ; the cover to be of suf-
ficient depth to hold a doubling-box, with frames exactly
similar to the brood-frames. The flight-hole to be
nine inches wide.
The following fittings to be supplied with the hive : —
Convenient entrance slides, an effective porch, one close-
fitting division-board; quilts, consisting of one layer of
canvas, two layers of jute carpeting, and two of flannel
or their equivalent ; each quilt, to cover the frames fully
with an excess of a quarter of an inch all round. Legs,
butting on slip along top of slides, raising the hive
bottom nine to twelve inches from the ground ; the legs
to be screwed on and numbered, to facilitate replace-
ment on unpacking ; the screws to be well spread, and
not less than three in number for each leg.
(forcspflirtrcitte.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
ly his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jtc, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Sfessrs. Strange ways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, A'iuys Langlcy, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*m* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, xchen speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as v ell as the paye on which it appears.
CONSANGUINITY.
[1498.] To the account of an isolated apiary I gave last
week, without any of the dire effects one would expect
to see developed if there is any deterioration by in-and-in
breeding amongst the insecta, as promulgated by Mr.
Webster (and which I doubt), I will add another striking
instance of long continued and still continuing success in
another isolated apiary, situated, like the old lady's men-
tioned by Mr. W., in a valley, and surrounded at an easy
distance by woods, and interspersed with arable land
adapted to the growth of sanfoin, of which a good
breadth is generally grown. Now for sixty years this
isolated cottage, with only a small farmyard adjoining,
was tenanted by a labourer and his wife. Here they
spent their wedding, and here, fifty years later, they
celebrated their jubilee or golden wedding, and during
that number of years they kept bees, and a good-s'zed
apiary, too. The old lady told me they started with
three stocks, and increased up to ten, which number they
kept for several years, and, finding them profitable, they
decided on keeping twenty stocks spring count, except
from any winter loss, and which, she said, amounted to
barely one per }'ear on an average. They never had any
disease among them — in fact, the old lady wa3 incredu-
lous as to bees being subject to disease. A point in this
case on which I lay stress, and can vouch for from my
own personal knowledge and memory, was this, that the
W — s bees always swarmed very early in the season;
and years ago when I was a lad I well remember hearing
year after year of the earliest swarms of the season, by
two or three weeks, falling to the share of the people in
question.
I would add I kept bees then and remember staying at
home to watch my bees instead of going to Newbury to
the celebration and rejoicings on the conclusion of the
war and restoration of peace with Russia in 1866. Now
if these bees swarmed the last week in April and early
in May, or say a fortnight earlier than any other neigh-
bours' bees, and the nearest neighbour was nearly two
miles in a bee-line, it follows that if ever a case of in-
and-in breeding year after year by bees in one apian,' was
known, or could be proved, surely it is this one; yet
here, on the testimony of sixty years' experience, we find
that their losses were barely five per cent. Here we have
queens mating with drones, probably brother and sister
(according to our affinity), or with first cousins, without
tlie possibility of meeting with any new blood, even in a
long flight — the earliness of the season being an insuper-
able barrier from the very fact that in other apiaries the
drones had not made their appearance.
The old couple have passed away to the home beyond,
and their name with them, as they left no offspring ; but
the bees still continue to thrive, aye, and swarm early,
and other apiaries have sprung from them within a mile
of the original ! The man who lives at the cottage now,
a carpenter, called on me this week for instructions how
to make a bar-frame hive, and a pattern of a frame. He
told me his bees are strong and that the withies (palm)
would soon be out in sheltered situations.
In conclusion, I submit these two cases of continued
apiarian prosperity during a lengthened period are entirely
at variance with the notions enunciated by Mr. \Y. in
his recent article on consanguinity; and when the weather
is warmer I shall be pleased to send Mr. W. or any
other gentleman a sample of the bees (subject to the
owner's approval) so that he or they may see for them-
selves the results of long-continued consanguinity. As
regards ' The Old Lady of the Valley,' mentioned by Mr.
W., he must seek some other reason or cause, I think; to
solve the question of failure rather than consanguinity
extending to only the sixth season in face of the two
cases cited above, one continuing through as many
decades and the other to nearly as many generations (of
mankind, not bees). Probably the secluded apiary in
the pine -woods languished and died out by spring-
dwindling for want of sufficient food to carry them
through till the heather came into bloom, as we know
the undergrowth in pine-woods — or fir-plantations, as we
call them here — is practically nil as regards honey-
producing plants, and I should be much more inclined to
say they died from slow starvation from sheer inability
to gather a living for an increasing population in the
spring than from in-and-in breeding, and the debility
mentioned would be the natural result of a bare sub-
sistence. Instances of this are everywhere apparent in
all and every form of life. Creatures not receiving
proper nourishment must be debilitated — W. Woodley
102
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 23, 1888.
COUNTY BEE-KEEPING ASSOCIATIONS.
1 1499.] I regret that I was prevented from noticing
at the proper time Mr. McClure's further observations,
and replying to the inquiries contained in his letter
published on the 9th inst. He therein asks, ' In what
way do I want the Committee of the B.B.K.A. to
move ? ' To this I would answer that thev should
institute an inquiry into the condition of each county
Association with a view to ascertaining how far they
have fulfilled, or are fulfilling the primary objects for
which they were formed ; and then further consider and
advise upon the objects which they should set before
them. In this county of Kent the missionary work of
spreading the knowledge of improved bee-keeping has
been proceeding for ten years, and it is not unreasonable
to suppose that its task has been largely accomplished.
This being so, the question arises, how can we retain that
interest and support which hitherto has been liberally
given ? Is it to be supposed that county bee-keeping
Associations will find it possible to maintain a permanent
position, depending only upon their benevolent purposes ?
Or has the time come to any of them when, benevolence
having done its part, they shall begin to transform
themselves into societies or clubs with defined practical
and commercial aims ? In asking this I do not wish it
to be assumed that I am assenting to it, but the con-
sideration of it may, at least, be of some use in eluci-
dating the main question of the continued vitality
of the affiliated Associations. In the remarks, which
may be taken as the starting-point of the discussion
which has now been running on for several weeks,
attention was drawn to the now neglected condition of
some of the counties which had made a fair start. What
has happened to these may happen to others. In passing,
I would observe that it is to be regretted that the
counties thus implicated have not found a voice where-
with to deplore their condition or to support the sug-
gestion for an inquiry.
To Mr. McClure's observation that I did not bring the
subject under the notice of the meeting of county
representatives last month, I would say that had I been
able to attend I should have endeavoured to have done
so, but not knowing beforehand whether an attack of
illness from which I was suffering would allow of my
doing so, the opportunity was, for the time, lost. I was
even prevented from conferring with my colleague on
the matter.
For Mr. McClure's kind invitation to pay him a visit
I am much obliged, and would assure him how much I
should enjoy an inspection of the field over which his
Association holds sway, but for the purpose which we
have in view I hardly think it is necessary. Generally
speaking, our work appears to proceed upon very similar
lines, but the result, so far as attendance at committees
is concerned, differs in a marked degree. With a large
infusion of new blood this year into the working body
of this Association, I trust the close of the year may
show a great improvement on the past. — Jesse Garratt,
Hon. Sec. Kent Bee-keepers' Association, February 18.
1888.
PARALLEL OR, RECTANGULAR FRAMES.—
YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION.
[1500.] The ' parallel or rectangular frames ' controversy
still continues in the B. B. Journal, and I read it with interest.
Having a preference for the former, I was confirmed in it
by seeing your advocacy of the parallel in a late number
of the B. B. J., and glad to have the support of your more
scientific experience. My first frame-hive was obtained in
1875, a Cheshire of that date with rectangular arrangement.
When Mr. Abbott subsequently proposed parallel frames I
thought I saw many advantages in them, and had hives
made by the village carpenter, combining them witli Ches-
hire's hinged cover and chain to support it when open, and
legs eighteen inches high. It is hinged on the front and
opens from the back so that I am shut out from the sight
of the bees as they return to the hive, when I operate. I
have myself made several hives on that plan and see no
reason to alter it, and shall be glad if you can still continue
to be a ' parallelist.'
And now I am going to rather find fault with you.
Severe strictures on the want of energy of the Yorkshire
Bee-keepers' Association and its secretary appeared in the
B. B. J. at the end of 1886 which eventually resulted in
your being appointed co-secretary with Dr. Rickards. 1
was glad to see this announced and said, Now with two
secretaries we shall have more movement and energy, and
a vigorous promotion of the district associations at numerous
centres in the very large county of York, which you yourself
advocated. But excepting the one at Horsforth, where you
reside, I have not seen that any other has been set on foot.
So I am much disappointed. You may naturally enough
say, Why do not you yourself get up a York Association ?
I might if I was younger, but being obliged to resign my
vicarage from age in 1883, to say nothing of very serious
illnesses in '85 and '86, and being now in my eighty-first
year, I am quite unequal to the task. Even the writing of
this letter is a perfect labour. If you reply to it, and can
suggest anything, I shall be glad to hear from you, and
should you at any time be in York, still more pleased if
you would give me a call. Believe me, clear sir, yours
truly, Jno. Hodgkinson.
N.B. — I still keep on three stocks.
Copy of Reply.
January Slst, 1888.
Dear Sir, — I cannot express to you the delight I
experienced in receiving a letter from so venerable a bee-
keeper as yourself, and I thank you for the trouble you
have taken in writing to me.
I consider your letter quite in the light of a slight (and
perhaps salutary) personal parental castigation, qualified
by sufficient honeyed drops of praise respecting ' parallel-
ism ' to make your correction rather agreeable than
otherwise.
Parallel Frames. — I can see nothing but the greatest
advantages connected with this system, and if you will
permit me to publish your letter, I will publish a reply,
showing how I explain my apparent inaction since
(twelve months ago) being appointed co-Secretary with
Mr. Rickards. It niay be useful in two ways : as
showing how an old bee-keeper prefers the parallel
frames, and how a young one explains his mysterious
and seemingly inconsistent conduct to others who may
feel the same as yourself.
I was a bee-keeper living about six miles from the
Hon. Secretary Y.B.K.A., and could hear nothing of
the Y.B.K.A., although I wrote, you know how
strongly, in the Journal. Yet 1 was not going to
personally unearth them by a visit to Dr. Rickards. A
friend, however, showed him a B.B.J, containing my
latest exhortation for information. He thereupon wrote
me a letter saying the annual meeting would be held in
;i tVw days, and he would propose me as co-Secretary.
I did not want this, for my leisure (very little it is) is
filled up with physiological inquiries into bee-life — that
is my hobby. In spite of my protest I was elected, and
1 promised to assist in anything Dr. Rickards would let
me do. Upon this, my first acquaintance with him, I
found him a very courteous, aged gentleman, who would
gladly have sung Nunc dimittis (so far as regards bee-
keeping) with joy. He was tired of the Hon. Secretary-
ship, and tendered his resignation, which we begged him
to withdraw. I believe he is about your own age, and
had been personally acquainted with my grandfather, I
found.
I think he did not treat me properly, for, being co-
Secretary with him, I judged he would ask me to look
at the Secretary's books, list of members, and so on, but
nut so. He did not ask me to his house, and I could not
ask an old man to wait upon me with the books, so I
was co-Secretary in nothing but name, and in finding
February 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
103
out for myself what I could do. I could no longer
harass one I found so far advanced in years, and 1 also
partly regretted ruy past vigorous action. I was to
wait. I answered very many letters of inquiry for
information, acceded to every invitation to lecture during
this my first year of office, without the least remuneration
(or payment of expenses) from any one.
We issued a circular to every bee-keeper of the
Y.B.K.A. advocating the formation of branch Associ-
ation, and so on ; formed one at Horsforth, and a ver}*
flourishing one at Skipton (they had a nice show of their
own last year, and the Skiptonites are funning two new
branches in their district this year). I wrote a reply to
Mr. C. Atkinson, Toekwitb, near York, begging him to
call the York bee-keepers together : to Mr. \V. Goodall,
Bligliouse, and to the others in the same strain. So,
if they won't ' help themselves,' how can we expect
to get on? We cannot with an 11/. annual income
send a secretary round Yorkshire. Well, on Saturday
last Dr. Rickards finally resigned, and I am left with
' the dog to hold.' I intend to try twelve months, and
if I cannot do something / will resign. I should have
told you that I was determined to resign on Saturday,
owing to my peculiar position as 'Secretary yet no
secretary,' but Dr. R. opened the meeting by resignation.
I was therefore compelled to keep office (at a general
annual meeting consisting of five members) or create a
panic for a few seconds. You will see by our report
how we stand, and I hope you will acquit me of seeming
inertness or idleness.
We have been governed by people who did not keep
bees, by committee-men who did not attend meetings,
and supported by members who never attended any, and
through it all my mouth was closed out of respect for
estimable old age. I was pledged to action, yet couldn't
act for fear of wounding, and I had not sufficient leisure
myself to undertake the whole duties.
Will you then permit me to send to the B. B. J. your
very just and kindly worded complaint, and my explana-
tion? The two letters ma37stir up a few lethargic souls.
I sincerely trust you may be spared many years yet
of calm delighting twilight, in which the hum of home-
returning bees will linger in the mind as the sweetest
music Dame Nature can supply after the sun of your
more active life has set. Such an evening of life as
yours (if free from suffering) is a happy dream to such
as I — a dream rarely realised. — I am, yours respectfully,
R. A. H. Grimshaw, Hon. See. Yorkshire B. K. A.
THE FORMATION OF DISTRICTS.
[1501] The idea was recently suggested to me by
Mr. A. W. Henderson (a prominent bee-keeper in this
district) that an excellent way of enlisting the sympathy
and efforts of bee-keepers in the forming of branch or
district associations, would be to write for your columns
an appeal to all bee-keepers (and others interested in bee-
keeping) in the county, asking for their individual help
in forming desirable offshoots of the county Association
in their immediate neighbourhood. The II. B.J. for
the particular week containing such an appeal should
then be bought, and a copy sent to every subscriber to
the county Association. The suggestion seems so excel-
lent that I hasten to comply with it, and I will, at an
early meeting, ask our committee to authorise this extra
outlay, for; taking the worst possible view of the matter,
we shall be disseminating modern ideas on bee-keeping
affairs, and probably increasing the circulation of (shall
I say ?) our B.B.J. One objection to this plan may turn
out an advantage, e.g., it will happen that copies of the
Journal will be sent to those who are already subscribers
to it. In this case I will ask them to give the matter
their own attention, and to be kind enough to forward
the surplus copy to some other enthusiastic bee-keeper.
My remarks shall be confined to the position of my
own county, but, perhaps, they may apply to others; any-
way it is only to Yorkshiremen I am now writing.
The Y.B.K.A. was founded in 1^82 with "4 members
subscribing I'll. 10*. ; 1838 showed 95 members sub-
scribing 17/. 13s. Gd. ; 1884, 86 members subscribing
161. 13s.; 1885, 74 members subscribing 161.5s.; 1886,
4-'! members subscribing 10/. 18«. 6rf.; 1887, 47 mem-
bers subscribing 10/. 14s. So that, from these figures,
it seems there was a wave of enthusiasm when the
Association was formed, which, had it continued at
the initial rate, would have led to our being a body
having somewhat magnificent proportions. Instead of
this, however, we seem to have slowly but surely
dwindled to half our numbers and nearly half our
funds, until (if this descent into A vermis be continued)
we shall soon be
' (Jiving to an airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.'
Thanks though to the firm, regular support given
through these six years by many estimable ladies and
gentlemen, amongst whom I am pleased to record tlie
usual srrand preponderance of our clorgy (the mainstay
of British bee-keeping), support, ungrulgingly given,
with a sturdiness characteristic of the county; given,
too, without any return beiug made other than the
annual report, and such help and counsel as the worthy
late Hon. Sec. could give, we still exist.
We want you, the re.ider, to take up the question of
forming a district B. K. A. in your own neighbourhood.
We wish you to srive it ' a local habitation and a name,'
and by meeting and working together with your brother
bee-keepers to prevent your Association becoming ' an
airy nothing.' A few postcards sent to the known bee-
keepers in your district, or a short advertisement in the
local newspaper asking those interested in bee-keeping
to meet at a given date, hour, and pluce in order to dis-
cuss the matter, will surely rally round you sufficient to
form a ' nucleus.' You will at once appoint a lion,
secretary and treasurer, and if your number be few,
form the remainder into a committee. Next, by in-
forming the county hon. secretary and enclosing as. (the
annual subscription) you become a branch of the
B. B. K. A. You will ask what advantage you derive
from subscribing to the county. I reply that you may
have for your local show the use of the bee tent, lecture
diagrams, driving irons, &c. Your lion, secretary and
another member also become members of the County
Committee ; they are admitted to the annual show of
the Association, to the bae tent there, and at all the
village flower and cottage garden shows. Your members
may also compete for the prizes.
It maybe urged that in forming districts we are robbing
ourselves of members. This may be so, and we may be
practising the song of the dyingswan. I trust, however,
that the greater spirit and verve (a sort of developing
energy like that of generating steam) imported into our
County Association by your action will, in quite the
opposite way, enable us to grow. lie this as it may, it is
our duty to get you established locally; and if the know-
ledge of humane and scientific bee-keeping be by this
action further spread abroad we may say to the young
District Association ' Morituri te militant J'
I, for one, believe it is only necessary to bring such an
important question as the benefits conferred on the
farmer by the bee before our landed gentry and our
county families, to enlist and ensure their interest,
following which their support to the County Association
would guarantee its position and usefulness. If I can
obtain their ear I do not hesitate to say to the nobility
and gentry of this, the vastest county in England, that
it is a disgrace to them, and to every one who can
support County Bee Associations, and do not, that a
body of voluntary workers should lack help when the
owners of farms and pasturage are those who benefit
most by the labours of the bee they represent.
104
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 23, 1888.
Many 'benefits are indirectly conferred, but they are
none the less distinct ; the farmer little thinks that but
for the gentle breeze which undulates his sea-like corn-
fields, his harvest would be mostly one of straw instead
of grain. Let my lord's steward ride amongst his
tenants' farms and reflect that a moderately strong hive
of bees will present the farmer with something like
280,000,000 clover seeds and 40 lbs. of surplus honey in
one season.
These seeds all weigh (and heavily too) in the forage,
and convey the bulk of nitrogenous flesh-forming matter ;
to say nothing of providing seed for another year. It is
surely late in the day to reiterate the fact that if bees
(honey and humble) were exterminated, we should have
to import all our clover seed every year at an immense
national loss! Must we again say that a bee-keeper is
practically making a present of a great part of the annual
fruit harvest to his neighbours, for fruit trees, beans, peas,
&c, are all carefully attended to by his bees? The
village doctor and the chemist, however, cannot look
upon our bee as an assistant (excepting as it enables him
to prescribe and dispense mel boracis), for bronchitis,
asthma, dyspepsia, and many other ills, are dissipated by
the use of honey.
Our well-to-do people, I am sure, are not apathetic on
this point ; they simply do not see a direct benefit, and
consequently do not take a direct interest in it.
' It is more from want of thought
Than from any want of feeling ! '
Every village in Yorkshire should have a district
Association, even if they only mustered the parson, the
clerk, and the gravedigger. The kindly word and bit of
mutual help would go a great way in rubbing off
'cutting edges' — the one by a bit of scientific advice,
and the other by a bit of hive-making. These would
not appeal in vain for support to 'the squire and the
ladies at the Hall,' I know. Ah ! if only the half-
crowns rubbing pockets through, and the half-sovereigns
trying to hide away in purse corners, were only sentient !
Would they not cry witli Sterne's starling, 'I can't get
out,' or I would come over and help you ?
Reader, we must go round with the hat sometimes,
but then this is not so much a necessity as is the will
required by bee-keepers to ' help themselves.' Hon.
Secretaries would personally wait upon them, and stir
up the dry bones, but who is to pay the piper? We
want you to make a little music for yourselves. There
are many bee-keepers who would dearly like a district
Association, but who wouldn't like any work ; besides,
they want to see how much they arc going to (jet back.
Such at present are not in our view ; we will leave them
to put the question to the churchwarden when he goes
round with the hat. — R. A. H. Grimsha'W, Hon, Sec,
Y.B.K.A., llorsforth, near Leeds.
BEE-TENTS.
[l^Oi'.] The time will soon be round when Associations
will be making their arrangements for the bee-tent to
be present at agricultural and horticultural shows, and
I think it will be well before the season begins to
carefully consider how we can make the best use of
the prominent positions usually assigned to the tents at
such exhibitions. In almost every county the bee-tent
is now well known, and every time I have witnessed
the manipulations they have been practically the same,
consisting of simply driving a skep and trying the almost
impossible task of explaining to the public how by this
means they can avert killing their bees to get the honey.
Provided a cottager learns to successfully drive his skeps
the bees are valueless to him in the autumn, unless he
adopts the bar-frame hive. The instructions on the
management of modern frame-hives are usually very
scantily touched upon, the utmost that I have seen done
in this respect being to have an untenanted frame-hive
and extractor in the tent with which the lecturer en-
deavours to explain the best system of working.
To my mind much more useful lessons could be given
by having a frame-hive in the tent with three frames
of foundation and three combs partly filled with honey.
I would then suggest that the lecturer should bring into
the tent a skep containing no combs, but only a swarm
of driven bees. These he would hive in the ordinary
manner, and afterwards show how easily frames may
be added or removed, and also how to super the hive,
how to feed, and how to pack for winter, &c. It may
be urged that after once hiving the bees the lecturer
could not go through that part of the proceedings a
second time without having a fresh lot of bees and new
hive, but I think he could easily explain exactly how
he had done it and thus convey more instruction than by
merely driving a skep. With the exception of hiving the
bees the lecturer could go through the other details
named as often as required.
In the present day, with foundation so cheap, no one
counsels a beginner to transfer his combs and bees from
a skep, but rather to purchase a new hive and to place
in it his first swarm. If my suggested plan were carried
out such a beginner would have performed before him
the operation which we advise him to carry out. Many
cottagers have asked me how they are to hive their
swarms in a modern frame-hive, ' because if we turn the
hive upside down the frames will fall out.'
Instead of hiving the bees in the tent it might be
better to obtain a full working bar-frame hive from
some neighbouring bee-keeper so as to ensure having no
difficulty in repeatedly opening a hive containing a swarm
just inserted, and for the lecturer to fully explain how to
tenant such a hive.
I do not wish to find fault with what has been done
in the past, for 1 am aware of much good having been
done by bee-tents, but I think we may well consider
now that ' driving' is so well known whether we cannut.
make the bee-tent more useful and at the same time
more attractive than it has proved of late. — Edwd.
J. Gibbins, Neath, Feb. 14///.
QUEEN-RAISING.
[1503.] I was very pleased to see Mr. Edey's letter
(1443) in a recent Journal, and also the writer of ' Useful
Hints' in Journal of February 2, where he says, ' We
should limit it to eggs only.' Well, I guess Mr. Edey
intended it to be only eggs, and not brood or queen cells.
A frame of eggs is easy to be got in, say, the months
of June or July, Jjy placing a frame of comb in the
centre of a strong working colony of either variety
which is wanted, and taken out at the end of thirty-six
hours. Such a comb would contain a large number of
eggs. Placed between two thin boards and a sheet of
paper, sent off to the purchaser by the evening's parcel
post, there is no harm coming to such eggs up to forty-
eight hours or longer in a June or July temperature.
I have no doubt that many would avail themselves of
this mode of getting new blood, but this is the question
which will be asked (and I have already been asked),
What will such a comb cost ? This is the point. What
will Mr. Edey, or some other queen-breeder, supply such
a comb for (in June or July) when eggs are plentiful?
If such a comb will cost as much as a fertile queen in
the early autumn, it would be wiser for the amateur of
only a few hives to get a queen, or queens, ready to put
into his hives, and so do away with all the trouble of
raising them, and maybe losing them when out to meet
the drones, because there is a great risk with young
queens. I am well aware such a comb supplied to a
practical queen-raiser would be a success ; he would raise
a good number of queens, and so pay cost of original
comb and all his trouble bestowed upon them ; but not so
February 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
105
with him who only wants two or three just for a trial,
or to see what they are like. — A Cottage Amateur,
Barton, St. Maryehurch, Torquay.
PAINTING THE INSIDE OF HIVES.
[1-504.] This heing the time of year when the in-
dustrious bee-keeper is busy preparing new hives, &c,
for the approaching spring, I wish to give a word of
warning to any one who is intending to paint the inside
of his hives.
I can only give the same advice as was given by Punch
'To those "about to marry,' 'Don't!' The year before
last I painted the floor-boards, inner wall, and dummies
of several hives, and covered the bees which I placed in
them with waterproof quilts, intending to give the plan
a thorough trial (it appearing to follow the instinct of
the bees). The frames were placed at the back of the
hives, with a dummy back ami front, and parallel with
the front of hives.
All apparently went on well until one warm day in
February after a long spell of cold, when I noticed the
bees were not Hying nearly so freely from the painted
hives as from those which were only painted outside.
On examining the former to discover the reason, on
looking down into the space between the dummy and
front of the hives, I found the floor-boards more or less
covered with water, and a great number of _ dead bees
floating in it.
One of these hives (with a sunk floor-hoard) contained
more than a pint of water, so thai the bees could not
leave the combs without being drowned, the w ater nearly
covering the exit in the front dummy. I was obliged to
change the bees into a dry unpainted hive, and cover
them with porous quilts.
As the season advanced, and breeding was going on,
the bees in the hives painted inside did better, and no
difference was perceptible during the summer from those
unpainted. I find this season the same excessive dampness
in the hives which have the inner walls painted, many
bees being lost from getting casl on their backs and
usable to light themselves owing to the wet floor-board.
I shall therefore remove (as soon as possible) the paint
from the inside of the hives, as, instead of lie- moisture
soaking into the wood and gradually evaporating, when
the walls are painted it runs down and forms a pool
upon the floor-board, so that the bees dare not leave the
frame.
1 shall take good care not to winter any stocks in
hives whicli have been painted inside in the future.
Wintering. — I find that my bees winter better (the
porous quilts remaining dryer) if the lift or second storey
is left on the hive, there being then a large air-space
above the frames in which the air circulates. Moisture
is not so likely to condense on the inside of the roof or
cover, and run down and wet the quilts, as is the case
if the roof is close down over the frames. The extra
weight will compensate for the greater surface exposed
to strong winds, which might blow over the hive if in an
exposed position. — Hahold Adcock, MidcUeton, North-
ampton.
§cb ictus.
The Bee-kekci:i:s' Review. — This is the title of a
new bee paper edited by Mr. W. Z. Hutchinson, and is
published at Flint, -Michigan, U.S.A. The first number
is on our table, and is, as its name indicates, a Review
of the current literature on bee-keeping. In it the
Editor says, 'Errors and fallacious ideas will be faith-
fully but courteously pointed out, while nothing valuable
will be allowed to pass unnoticed.' Instead of copying
articles in full, thev will be condensed giving the ideas,
and these will be gathered from every available source,
The task the editor imposes upon himself is great, for
few people have an idea of the amount of labour there is
in condensing long articles so as to make them readable,
while they contain only just the pith of the matter. To
give a column of 'Gleanings' in our own Bee Journal
costs us considerably more time and labour than writing
half-a-dozen columns of other matter, SO we can sym-
pathise with .Mr. Hutchinson in the work he has im-
posed upon himself. lie has long been known as a con-
tributor to the leading American periodicals, being also
author of The Pi'oduction of Comb Honey, which we
have had occasion to allude to in the Bee Journal. It is
intended to make each number as much as possible a
' special' one. The one before us treats more especially
on the • i (isturbance of Bees in Winter,' and extracts from
the writings of different bee-keepers giving their views
on this subject. As a practical bee-keeper of many
years' standing, the experience of the editor will add to
the usefulness of the journal, and we wish the enterprise
every .success.
The Bee-Keepers' Magazine, which has been
published for some time past by Messrs. Aspinwall &
Tie dwell, is now entirely in the hands of Mr. John
Aspinwall. The partnership between the above gentle-
men has I n dissolved, and Mr. Aspinwall has given up
the manufacturing business, and intends to devote the
whole of his energies to the editing of the Magazine and
make it an independent expositor of bee-keeping pro-
gress. The January number is already an improvement
on its predecessors. Saving spent a moat enjoyable
time with Mr. Aspinwall last summer, we know his
earnest desire is to adva ice bee-keeping and raise it to a
higher level than making it merely a means for obtaining
money. Being free from the trammels of a manufac-
turing business, we have no doubt the improvement in
the last number will lie maintained.
'I'm: Canadian Honby-Pboduceb. — We have re-
ceived the first eleven numbers of the above, which is
published, as stated, for the advancement of honey-
producers exclusively. This journal gives the news of
all that goes on in the bee-keeping world in Canada, as
well as extracts from the leading British, German, and
French papers. Also the American papers are extracted
of anything of interest to Canadian bee-keepers. It is
edited by our special correspondent, Mr. 1'. U. llolter-
lnann, whose pleasing articles in the British Bee Journal
are well known to our readers. 'The Canadian Honey-
Producer is published by Messrs. Goold & Co.,Brantford,
who are manufacturers and dealers iu appliances.
Conduits (In 11" h,-r, ou CalendrUr de VApiculteur
mobilist, avee In description de trois types He Ruches et
la recette pour VHydromel, par FA. Bert rand, Nyon,
Suisse. This book, as its name implies, is a guide to the
management of an apiary and a calendar of operati ins
for the moveable frame "hi vist. It is entirely devoted to
practical bee-keepiug in moveable comb hives, and is not
tilled, as is too often the case, with descriptions of
obsolete appliances or exploded theories, which take up
too much space in many books, increasing the size and
cost without adding to their value, and which more
often tend to distract than to instruct. Contrary to
the usual style, the plan adopted by the author enables
the bee-keeper to see at a glance what he has to do at
any particular season. For instance, if the bee-keeper
wishes to know what to do, say, in June, he has only to
turn to that month on page 70, where he will find in-
structions under different headings, such as 'When to
remove Honey,' ' Honey House,' ' Extracting Honey,'
' Comb Honey,' ' Wax Purification,' ' Precautions to be
taken after the Harvest,' ' Transporting Hives,' &c.
Descriptions of all these operations are very minute, and
appliances brought into requisition are also fully described.
To know something about the inhabitants of the hive,
he must refer to March, and here he will find a long and
106
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 23, 1888.
interesting chapter. Not only is the natural history of
the bee entered into, not too exhaustively so as to weary,
but also the method of handling bees at this season is
described. M. Bertrand, who stands in the foremost rank
amongst Continental bee-keepers, is the President of the
Societe Romande d" Apiculture and editor of the leading
bee-paper in the French language devoted to modern
bee-keeping, the Revue Internationale d Apiculture. He
is not only a practical master of bee-keeping, but he has
also the gift of imparting knowledge in a pleasant and
attractive style, explicit without being verbose.
Having had many years' practice in the management of
four apiaries and having tried many styles of hives and
different systems, he has been able without bias to com-
pare them and to advocate the best from practical ex-
perience. The first part of the book is devoted to
practical operations and the second part to illustrations
and descriptions of hives and appliances. Engravings of
several large apiaries are also given and at the end two
folding plates contain working drawings with dimensions
of three typical hives, the ' Dadant,' the ' Layens,' and
the ' Burki-Jeker,' the hives mostly in use in Switzer-
land. We are glad to rind our friend at one with us on
so many important points connected with the manage-
ment of bees and that the methods differ so slightly.
The hives in use differ little from ours, but are some-
what larger, for extracted honey is the object of Con-
tinental bee-keepers rather than comb, although some
advance has been made in this respect of late, which we
are convinced is entirely owing to the teaching of the
Revue Internationale, and we hope the author may be
long spared to see the good results of his teaching. On
every page will be found good sound instruction, and a
copious index makes reference easy. We have much
pleasure in recommending this book to those of our
readers who understand the French language, and we
are sure that it will be welcomed as a useful addition to
the literature of progressive bee-keeping.
Jtaip.
FRANCE.
French bee-keepers are informed that among others
the following local shows will take place in the course of
the present year, viz., Auch and Nimes — this will open
on 21st of April and close on the 20th ; Laon — this will
open on 19th of May and close on the 27th ; Chiiteauroux
— this will open on 23rd of May and close on the 3rd
June ; Autun — this will open on 3rd of June and close
on the 10th ; Epinal — this will open on 9th of June and
close on the 16th ; Alencon — this will open on Kith of
June and close on the 24th. Applications for exhibiting
in these shows must be sent in at least one month before
their opening date.
Among the subjects set down for discussion during
the sittings of the Society of French agriculturists,
which will take place in the course of this month, there
will be two affecting apiculture, viz., the utility of
floating apiaries and the teaching of bee-keeping in rural
and normal schools. Both these subjects will be dis-
cussed in the eighth or entomology section. In com-
menting upon these two subjects the Apiculteur of Paris
gives it as its opinion that the want or utility of floating
apiaries is not felt in France as in some other countries.
Our canals, adds our contemporary, are comparatively
small, and run, generally speaking, along narrow and
swampy valleys. It is very different in such countries
as are crossed by large rivers like the Nile and the
Danube, running across immense tracts of clayey and
sandy soils, producing plenty of honey-yielding plants.
They might probably be introduced also with advantage
in some parts of Holland aud China, some of whose
plains are a net of canals.
ITALY.
The Apicoltnre reports that Signor Francesco Paolo
Nervegna, of Ortona-a-Mare, has decided upon intro-
ducing bee-keeping into his scholastic establishment,
and, according to his present arrangements, whilst this
tuition will be limited to theory in winter, it is to take
the form of practical instruction at his apiary in the
spring and summer. The Apiculture praises Signor
Nervegna for taking this important step in the interest
of apiculture, and expresses the hope that others will
follow his example.
Through the energy and influence of Signori Gabriele
Passeri and Yincenzo Dei Michetti, a new Bee-keepers'
Association has been started at Osirao. One of its
objects that it has in view is the establishing of a model
apiary where lectures and practical instruction will be
given.
Signor Luigi Sartori, of Milan, has undertaken the sale
in Italy of Prof. J. C. Bessler's collection of the photo-
graphs of 230 bee-masters of all countries. This work
takes the form of a large sheet, forty-two centimetres
by thirty-four, and will be sent to any address for
frs. 5,50, or, say, 4s. 6d.
Generally speaking, the cold has hitherto been rather
severe throughout the country, and bees have, so far,
been prevented from making occasional flights.
CANADA.
Annual Meeting of the Ontario Bee-keepers'
Association.
The annual meeting of the above Association was held
at Woodstock, Ontario, January 10th and 11th. There
were present at the opening session about forty-five,
the number increasing considerably the second day.
The President, S. T. Pettit, Belmont, Ont., occupied .
the chair throughout the meeting. The production of
extracted honey was the first topic for consideration,
and was opened by a paper by F. Malcolm, Innerkip,
Ontario. Almost all were, in favour of extracting only
from the upper storey, and not from the brood-chamber,
as many had done in the past. Also that honey should
be well ripened, and the honey capped over by the bees
before extracting. All were in favour of this, and
objected to advancing the idea that honey extracted
when unripe and evaporated by artificial means would
be as good as that finished by the bees.
The storifying system was apparently the one in use
by all but one, and in a good flow two storeys should be
used besides the brood-chamber.
J. B. Hall, Woodstock, Ont., gave a paper, 'The Best
Method to 1 roduce Comb Honey,' as follows : —
1st, Bee pasturage in abundance, of not more than two
miles radius from apiary. 2nd, That said pasturage should
not be over-stocked, but rather that it should not have
enough bees on it to gather all the honey-flow. 3rd, That
there be in charge of said bees an apiarist adapted by
Nature, assisted by study and practice, to manage the
same (but the Nature part I consider the most important).
4th, It is essential that a hive with moveable combs having
a large top surface be used. 5th, That the bee-keeper be a
specialist, or, as the phrase is, have all the eggs in one
basket. In that case they can be jealously watched and
guarded, and used to the best advantage ; not so if said
eggs are mixed in many baskets with other things.
If the bees have passed the winter and spring well, and
are strong in bees and brood at the commencement of the
surplus honey-flow, a good crop of comb-honey can be
secured by putting on the hive a shallow super of sections
primed with comb or foundation (I say sections, because if
not in nice sections it cannot be sold to advantage). Open
the entrance of hive to its full size, and when work is well
commenced in the super, raise it up, and put an empty
super between it and the hive. Continue thus until your
judgment or experience tells you they have enough space
to contain the surplus honey that will be secured. Other
things being right, you will rejoice in a good crop of comb
honey.
February 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
iof
A long discussion followed as to the use of dummies
for contracting- the brood-chamber, and if swarms should
he hived on starter-foundation, full sheets of foundation,
or old combs.
The general verdict appeared to be that swarms should
not be hived on dummies and a few combs, unless the
bee-keeper was prepared to destroy the colony after the
honey season was over. That starters would give nicer
comb in the sections, but the combs built in the brood
chambers -were useless on account of so much drone-
comb. With a young and vigorous queen such objection-
able comb would be much less.
The President, in his address which followed, pointed
out during his term of office (two years) the Association
had secured incorporation, an annual grant of -lOO dols.
The exhibit had been made at the Colonial and Indian
Exhibition. The prize lists of our leading exhibitions
are under our control, and the laying of the foundation
of an Association library. The first work having been
contributed by Mr. T, W. Cowan of England. The
President spoke of the necessity of measures being taken
to keep down and stamp out foul-brood in the provinces,
and the advisability of an affiliation scheme with county
Associations. In closing, the President desired to have
it placed on record that he considered the British honey
markets had been practically lost to us at paying prices.
The temperature favoured for cellar wintering was from
48° to 56°.
Mr. Allen Pringle, Selby, Ont., gave a paper upon
' Ought everybody to Keep Bees ? ' Mr. Pringle thought,
after leaving out those who kept them for health, pas-
time, or entomological knowledge, no one would want to
keep them unless it paid. Mr. Pringle appeared to take
a moderate view of the question, and thought many
could keep bees to advantage, yet, at the same time, there
were many who had lost and would lose money on
them. He thought if the Ontario Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion could take a lesson from the British Bee-keepers'
Association, they at least would not discourage others
from keeping bees.
Mr. Jas. Ileddon, Dowagiac, Mich., gave a very able
paper on overstocking; and Doctor C.C. Miller, Meringo,
Ills., on the question of the capability of specialists pro-
ducing more and better honey than others. The doctor
favoured the specialist, and the majority of speakers
following took his side. Some, however,strongly dissented.
The committee of statistics reported that the Bureau
of Industries was about to issue a schedule, which would
enable the province to ascertain the extent of the industry
in the province.
R. McKnight gave a paper on 'Our Honey Markets,
and how to Cultivate them.' Mr. McKnight stated our
best market was our home market, and he knew of no better
paying market, and we must seek to cultivate it. The
paper was very favourably received by the Association.
Messrs. Thomas Win, Cowan, England, and Ivar S.
Young, Norway, were elected honorary members of the
Association.
A constitution and bye-laws were adopted, by means
of which county associations can affiliate with the
Ontario to advantage. Each member for 1887 will
receive the revised copy of the Rev. L. L. Langstroth's
work on The Honey Bee.
The officers for the ensuing year were duly elected.
Owen Sound will be the next place of meeting. — R. F.
Holtermann, Brantford, Canada.
j^clcctco (ljucru
[1.] — In establishing an apiary, which would be the
better situation, a low position sheltered from wind-
storms, but rather damp, or one on high ground free from
damp, with no shelter from winds?
Neither position being desirable, I see little use in
discussing the question, but, if compelled to accept
either forthwith, I should prefer the dry situation, if
not too ' high.' and should at once set about creating
shelter. On the other hand, what is meant by ' rather
damp ?' If an undrainable pit or bog, ankle-deep in
mud and sludge, I would give it a wide berth ; other-
wise, the natural shelter supposed, is not to be despised,
and thorough drainage might make the position tenable
and advantageous. ' High ' and ' low ' might mean the
top of a mountain and the bottom of a valley, the former
without water and the latter with too much of it.
Aspect, too, would weigh with me considerably. — C. N.
Abbott, SouthaU.
Dampness is one of the worst enemies with which bees
have to contend, but I should prefer the low situation
until the higher one had been provided with shelter for
the hives by planting hardy evergreen shrubs of quick
growth, such as the Portugal laurel, &c. — George
Raynor.
With covers painted annually, and sound hives painted
every second season, I would prefer the sheltered and
rather damp position. — John II. Howard, Holme,
Peterborough.
I should prefer the low situation. — John Walton.
Of the two I should recommend that the low,
sheltered position be chosen in spite of its being damp.
— J. Garratt.
There are objections to both the positions mentioned
which should, if possible, be avoided in establishing a
new apiary, and thus avoid, rather than contend with
the evils of both dampness and exposure. A sheltered
position lias many and very important advantages over
an exposed one, and as by judicious arrangements the
beea may be made perfectly secure from dampness, I
should give the preference to the low, sheltered position.
— S. J. Baldwin.
If I could plant or arrange some shelter, 1 should
prefer a high and dry situation for an apiary, as I think
bees do better in such a position, but I consider some
shelter from the storms in spring and some shade in
summer most important for the welfare of bees. — M. L.
Gayton, Much Hadham.
Neither position is desirable. A low, sheltered situation
on dry soil is the right place. — Sam. Simmins.
I should choose the sheltered position, other things
being equal, as it is so much easier to build up stocks in
spring ready for the honey-flow in a sheltered situation
than in an exposed one, owing to the great loss of bee-
life (both young and old), so many perishing with the
cold winds after being allured out by the fitful sunshine.
— W. WOODLEY.
I should prefer a sheltered position with S.E. aspect,
even though low, to one on high ground without shelter
from winds. — John M. Hooker.
HOW TO COMMENCE BEE-KEEPING.
If a start in bee-keeping you're anxious to make,
The following hints may be useful to take,
That from the pursuit may arise satisfaction
Instead of disgust with your stocks, and distraction ;
For bees when mismanaged are sources of danger,
And spare with their sting neither owner nor stranger.
Get a good strong frame-hive iu the spring, for this
reason,
The paint can get dry, and the wood can well season ;
And in view of your harvest you'll have less vexation
If vou have standard frames filled with good comb
foundation.
The first hive you buy should be from a good maker,
Abbott, Neighbour, Blow, Baldwin, Edey, Howard, or
Baker,
108
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[February 23, 188$.
Or any good firm whom you see advertise
Will be glad to supply a good hive and advise.
Then with veil, gloves, and smoker, you need have no
fear of
The first four pound swarm you have fortune to hear of;
To get this in May will repay extra trouble,
Compared with July it is fully worth double.
And if possible try by all means to contrive it
To have it brought home the same day that they hive
it,
Say an hour before dusk ; place your hive on the ground,
Prop it open an inch, then a sheet must be found ;
Draw this well up the floor-board, place quilts on and
feeder,
Throw the bees on the sheet and they follow their
leader.
To see them march in is most truly delightful :
If vicious, your smoker will make them less spiteful.
They soon hasten in ; close the hive about dark,
Lift the bees to their stand and they're ready for work.
They draw the foundation, and very slight feeding
Will stimulate better for working and breeding.
And now if the weather be clear, warm, and sunny,
Your hive will soon fill with the purest of honey.
If further advice of the best you would seek,
Consult the Bee Journal that comes once a-week :
And there _you will certainly find the true key
To pleasure and profit from our honey bee.
— Samuel Kiukuy, Beeston, Notts, 16 Feb.
A Reminiscence of the Rev. F. G. Jenyns. — I
remember the first time I ever saw Mr. Jenyns acting as
judge. The labour was heavy, the day hot. The class
was one of ' Amateur Hives made by cottagers,' the time
was up for to admit the public. I was shut in with the
judges, but there were many eyes peering through the
loops in the canvas. Presently a lad in knickerbockers
broke through and rushed up to our friend, and, clutching
hold of his coat -sleeve, said : ' If you please, sir, you did not
half look at my hive, you did not notice my new idea in
it : this is the one ; ' and leading him back pointed out a
neatly painted hive that looked nothing out of the
ordinary from the others. I see him now being led by
that lad of thirteen, who had worked his heart into his
hive. Officialism, in tin' person of the secretary of the
show, was for putting him out of the tent, remarking ' the
judges could not be interfered with in the execution of
their duty.' But no, the lad had got hold of one who
had something of the spirit of his Divine Master. He
looked well at the hive, allowed the boy to explain his
idea, asked him to retire from the tent, fetched back his
four colleagues, and persuaded them to award an 'extra.'
That lad is now a young man, and is still a bee-keeper,
and that judge is in the presence of Him who shall judge
righteously. — Amateur Expert.
<2£rjj0jcs from % Hibcs.
Honey ('nit, Weston, Learning) mi, Feb. \-\lh, 1888.—
Here we are right into the middle of February, and what
changeable weather it has been : severe frosts for two or
three days, then very mild, which the bees have taken
advantage of. Last week they were out trying the snow-
drops and fetching water, while the air seemed all alive
with them ; a few seemed to be on the look-out to
plunder one another if there was a possible chance. On
the whole, I think they have wintered exceedingly well
so far ; and as the days are getting longer there will not
be much fear to the contrary. Hoping we may all have
another good season. — John Walton.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
T. Nixon. — 1. Simmins' Non- swarming System. — Mr.
Simmins has given his ' Non-swarming System ' in his
new book, A Modern Bee-farm, fully illustrated. 2.
Sections. — The 4{ x 4^- xlf sections "without dividers
hold one pound. Mr. Simmins uses full sheets of
foundation, firmly fixed in centre, and he says that no
separators are required.
A Novice in Modern Bee-keeping. — Hemming
Vagrant Colony from Chimney. — This is usually a
most unsatisfactory job, especially for a novice, but
from your description the combs are easily reached.
In the first place, make up your mind to receive a fair
allowance of stings; then remove the chimney-pot,
and while so doing keep the bees in subjection by
smoke. This can be done by burning some brown
paper in the drawing-room or bedroom grates, as there
must be a communication if the bees come down into
these rooms. When the bees have become intimidated
remove each comb and brush the bees off into a straw
skep. Serve each comb in a like manner, and if they
are got out in good condition tie those containing
brood into the frames of a bar-frame hive. After
take this hive to the ground and turn most of the bees
from the straw skep into it with the brood combs.
When all the combs have been removed from the
chimney, dust some carbolic acid powder around the
flue where they were attached and place an empty
skep over the flue, propping it up on one side. Early
next morning remove the skep, when most of the bees
will be found clustered in the inside. They can then
be placed with the others in the bar-frame hive. If
you cannot smoke the bees from the fireplace a smoker
or fumigator must be used from the top, but you
would have to remove the chinmey-pot first, in doing
which the bees will be disturbed, unless it could be
done the night before. These directions might be
modified if we were in a position to view their posi-
tion. Advice in all such cases is very speculative.
W. J. Sueppard. — We should prefer to give good, cleau
foundation.
Tiios. — Cowan's Extractor. — This extractor can be
turned at any rate desirable, so that you were wrongly
informed. All honey extractors will throw out or
damage the combs if turned too quickly. Wired
foundation is much better for extracting purposes, as
then combs of the current season can be extracted
from, whereas without wiring they are most likely to
be damaged.
Horace. — Old Combs. — With our present opportunities
of procuring foundation, we do not consider it advis-
able to use combs longer than four or five years. The
successive batches of brood, through the bees not re-
moving the exuviae, reduce the size of the brood-cells,
and consequently the bees reared therefrom will be
smaller in size.
Ehwd. J. Gibbins. — 1. Cottager's Bee Journal. — The
greater portion of the matter that will appear in tin-
new Journal will be taken from the pages of the
British Bee Journal ; but we do not bind ourselves
that it shall be so absolutely. 2. Mouldy Combs. — We
advise you to melt the combs. Damp, mouldy combs if
given to the bees would be hurtful, and if kept until the
summer, would be of less advantage than whole sheets
of foundation, since the mouldy, dried-up pollen would
be useless as food, and would be cast out. of the hive,
and the combs having become tender, brittle, and dis-
coloured, would cause to the bees far more trouble and
loss of time than to build new ones from foundation.
J. S. Wood. — Movim) Swarm. — Very few of the bees
from the swarm will return to their original stand if
they are removed the same evening. You may thus
place them at a distance of 300 yards with safety.
February 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
109
E. S. R. — 1. Making Good Candy. — Castor sugar will
do nicely if pure cane sugar. The proportion of sugar
depends on the consistency of the honey. Try a
small quantity first, adding honey or sugar as may be
necessary. 2. Placing Good Candy in Frames. — Your
plan will do excellently well. •">. Sadiring a Stock. —
The proposed sheet of queen excluder between the two
hives would greatly impede the bees, besides they have
a decided opinion against storing- honey below the brood
nest. No honey pressed out is equal to extracted, in
our opinion. 4. Placing Sleeps on Frame Hires. — The
obtuse cottager could lift his skeps, but he could not
extract much, if any, honey from the frames, because
his bees are sufficiently obtuse to generally refuse to
store below their brood. We should strongly recom-
mend you to try to get supers. We recently saw a
sleep that had been treated as you suggest. The
brood nest had been carried down into the frame-
hive, as evidenced by the colour of the comb, but no
honey.
Thomas Colton. — Bee-home. — 1. A circular hole,
three or four inches in diameter, in the upper part of
each gable is desirable for ventilation. 2. The bees
are prevented from gaining access to the interior of
the house, by inside packing of strips of wood around
the entrances, which should correspond exactly with
those of the hives, and should not be less than eight
inches in width — better the whole width of the hive —
with perforated zinc slides, fixed on the outer entrances
for enlarging or contracting them. 8. There is no
necessity for a pivot window if the ventilating holes
are covered by slides of perforated zinc, which can be
drawn aside to allow of the exit of bees. There is little
difficulty about the escape of bees, since manipulations
are carried on while the doors are open. 4. Salicylic
Acid in Candy. — After the candy has been removed
from the fire thoroughly stir in one scruple of the solu-
tion. 5. Colony with Dysentery.— Do not use artificial
heat unless the colony is removed from the hive before
so doing. Cannot you place them temporarily in a box
while the hive is being dried ? If so, take the frames
out en bloc in a warm room. If you cannot remove the
bees from the hive provide them with clean, dry warm
quilts.
Honey Flow. — Obtaining limey. — You have un-
doubtedly two advantages like others, and if orchards
are so abundant in your district, you ought in favour-
able weather to get some honey. In this case you
should commence stimulative feeding about the middle
of March, by uncapping some of the honey-cells from
time to time, and afterwards giving liquid food in small
quantities very regularly, until the bees can collect
more than they require for their own sustenance. Of
course the clover will be the main crop on which you
will have to depend, although in some districts a con-
siderable quantity of honey is obtained from fruit
blossom.
1). M. — We are not of the opinion that candied or granu-
lated honey is injurious to bees.
C. T— Mr. J. Camaschella, 10 Derby Villas, Forest Hill,
will assist you.
C. W, — Inquiries will be made.
^Business ^Directory.
Wc have received from Mr. H. Dobbie, Hcthersett, Nor-
wich, one of our first-class experts, a packet of seeds con-
taining twelve popular annuals, twelve choice vegetables,
and six of the best bee-flowers, namely, mignonette, cyanus
minor, motherwort, limnaithes douglasii, borage, mixed
wallflowers, with directions when and how they are to be
sown.
*,* A number of Reports of Annual Meetings of County
Associations are still waiting insertion.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey iSj Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
SniMiNs, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newam,
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrlngton, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., BrickhaU, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 14« Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading,
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Feb. 23, i88g.
Special prepaid .advertisements.
Exchange Column. — Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Ooods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms : Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
Situations, Publications, Bee Plants, dx. — Twenty words
and under, One Shilling ; for every additional Three words,
One Penny,
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
Now Ready.
SIMMINS' NEW BOOK.— 'A MODERN BEE-FARM,
AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9c(crtctr (£ucra.
[2.] — 717// honey stored in combs from which the honey
wat removed in the autumn, and the sections with comb
kept through the winter, be as good-looking and as saleable
when completed as those finished the same season that they
are begun?
Not as a rule. — S. Simmins.
Yes, if the comb remains unsoiled. — C. N. Abbott.
Extracted honey taken from stored combs of not more
than a year old and free from pollen will be equal in
quality to that extracted from any other comb, ceteris
paribus ; but sections of comb, even if carefully stored,
when refilled and capped in the second season, are neither
equal in appearance nor quality to those which are quickly
worked and. completed in one season. Sections of the
first quality are always those which have been quickly
worked during an unbroken honey-flow. — George
Raynor.
No. As all new goods bear their own impress, even
so is newly-built, stored and sealed comb honey its own
witness. In all our comb-honey productions, none but
the entirely new were ever selected for competition,
and the awards given us have justified the selection
made. Old comb-work, freshly stored and sealed, is
more opaque than the newly-wrought ; hence, when
held to view under a strong light, no judge would select
the former for a premier place. Good saleable honey
114
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 1, 1888.
we have had in many a last year's comb, hut from ex-
perience I am convinced it is unwise to gather sectional
honey in old comb-work. Also the cells of combs for
storifying and extracting should be well cut down ere
used. When so treated we have found the work of
storing and sealing more progressive throughout. — John
H. Howard, Holme, near Peterborough.
I frequently have many sections left over at the end
of the season, which I extract and place in crates on top
of hives for bees to clean up ; then I get the propolis
cleaned off, and store them away in the crates, and use
a few of them in each crate when first putting them on
the hives, and can see no appreciable difference in the
colour of the honey ; the wood does not look quite so
nice, but the presence of worked-out combs makes the
bees take to them sooner. — John Walton.
Yes.* — J. Garratt.
It frequently happens that the combs built in sections
after the latter end of the honey-harvest are, as well as
the honey in them, darker than those built in the early
season, and such combs may retain their colour, and
consequently will somewhat depreciate their value when
filled the following year. If, however, the section
combs are of a light colour, properly treated in the
autumn and carefully preserved through the winter,
their value to the bee-keeper is almost inestimable, as
the bees may he tempted to commence active operations
in supers furnished, or partly furnished, with such more
readily than if foundation only be in the first place
given, and they will be as good-looking and as saleable
when completed as those commenced and finished the
game season. — S. J. Baldwin.
If the combs, whether in frames or in sections, are not
discoloured, and are put away perfectly dry and clean,
and kept during the winter in a warm, dry room, care-
fully protected from dust and insects, I have never found
any difference in appearance between them and others
newly-worked from foundation when both are filled and
sealed. — M. L. Gayton, Much Hadham.
Certainly not. —John M. Hooker.
ASSOCIATIONS.
MIDDLESEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of this Association took place on
Friday the 10th nit., at 5.80 p.m., in the Council-room
at the offices of the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals. The Baroness Burdett-Coutts
( President ) occupied the Chair, and was supported by the
Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh, Mr. Jonas, Mr. Harveyson,
Mr. Rose, Dr. Rayner, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Vye English,
Mr. Willan, Mr. Mason, Mr. Wm. Gardiner, Mr. W. M.
Graham, and other ladies and gentlemen.
The Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh read the minutes of
the last annual meeting, which were confirmed.
The President moved that the report and balance-sheet
for the year 1887 be adopted, with a vote of thanks to
Mr. Arthur Kenworthy the auditor.
Mr. Rose read the balance-sheet, after which the reso-
lution was carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the retiring officers and committee
for their services during the past year was moved and
seconded, and carried nem. con.
Mr. Jonas proposed a vote of thanks to the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for
kindly granting the Association the use of their Board-
room ; Mr. Pye English seconded the resolution, which
was carried.
The President, who is also President of the Ladies'
* I understand the question thus : The honey was ex-
tracted from combs and sections in the autumn, and in th«
spring given to the bees in an empty state to fill.
Committee of the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animais, expressed her thanks on behalf of
that Society.
Mr. Harris moved the re-election of the President and
Vice-Presidents of the Association. He thought it would
be superfluous for him to say anything in advocacy of the
resolution. The Baroness's name was a household word,
and the other noblemen and gentlemen were men of the
highest reputation and influence. Dr. Rayner seconded
the motion, which was carried unanimously.
The President returned thanks for her re-election to a
position she would be very sorry to lose.
Mr. Jonas moved the re-election of the Treasurer, the
Auditor, the Secretary, and the Provincial Secretaries,
which, after some discussion, was carried unanimously.
The Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh proposed the re-elec-
tion of the Committee, which was seconded, and debated
at some length by Messrs. Harris, English, Graham,
Jonas, and the President, and ultimately passed un-
animously.
The Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh proposed the election
of Mr. Fewtrell as expert, which resolution was seconded
by Mr. Mason. Mr. English moved that Mr. Baldwin's
name be substituted for Mr. Fewtrell's. This amendment
was carried without a division.
The Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh proposed that Mr.
Graham and Dr. Rayner be the County Representatives
at the quarterly conferences of the fi. B. K. A. during
the current year, which motion was seconded and carried
unanimously.
The Hon. and Rev. Henry Bligh proposed a cordial
vote of thanks to the Baroness for her kindness in pre-
siding, which was seconded and carried by acclamation.
The President expressed her sincere thanks for the
kindly way in which she had been received. It had
afforded her extreme gratification to be present that day
as well as at the meeting of the B. B. K. A., which took
place on the previous Wednesday. It might be said that
she was a queen with a double sting, or better, perhaps, the
queen of two hives (laughter). Her ladyship then referred
at length to a Bill for the better adaptation of education
to agricultural pursuits, about to be brought into Parlia-
ment by Mr. Jesse Collings, M.P., and recommended
those present to do their best to aid the passing of that
measure. A great deal might be done in the country to
furl her the adoption of bee-keeping as a means of profit
to labourers and others if the subject were taken up in
schools. While admitting that education of any kind
was good, she could not help thinking that some
theoretical subjects were taught in country schools which
were likely to be of little, if any, use "to the scholars, and
that it would be highly desirable to replace those lessons
by technical education in agricultural and its kindred
studies. The President then alluded to the circumstance
«f a schoolmaster at Faversham having chosen bee-keep-
ing as an extra subject upon which to instruct his pupils;
also that the Education Board had made objection there-
to, and that she intended to bring the matter under the
consideration of Lord Cross. Possibly he might be
willing to receive a deputation on the subject, in which
case she hoped to receive the co-operation of all present.
Her ladyship concluded by heartily wishing prosperity
to the Association.
Mr. Graham read a list of prize-winners who had been
successful in the annual drawing.
DERBYSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual general meeting of this Association was
held in the Guild Hall, Derby on Friday, February 10th.
Mr. J. L. P. Barber, of Stanton House, Burton, presided,
and amongst those present were Messrs. Cooper, Coxen,
Turton, Hugh, Pearson, Morley, Smith, Rowland, Wilks,
Shipman Handley, Rawson, Bryan, Atkins (secretary),
&c. The Chairman moved the adoption of the Report
March 1, 18f8.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
115
and statement of accounts. The following is an extract
from the report : — During the year a much greater
amount of work has been done than in any previous one,
and the Society may be congratulated on the position it
has gained as one of the institutions of the county.
Notwithstanding this, it will be seen by the balance-
sheet that there is a need for further and increased
subscriptions and donations to the society, especially to
meet the large increase in the experts' charges. The
appointment of Mr. W. Coxen as expert for the southern
division seems to have given satisfaction, and in con-
junction with Mr. Handley, for the northern division,
he has made spring and autumn visits which have been
attended with good results. The number of subscribing
members is now 411, and 19 donors, making 4.'!0, against
350 and 23—373 last year. Increase, 57. After paying
all expenses, we are able to carry forward a balance of
20/. 16s. 6d., against 251. 16s. L'irf. last year, and 71. 8s. 4d.
in 1885. The annual show and fair for 1887 was held
as usual by the kind permission of the Committee of the
Derbyshire Agricultural Society, on their grounds, on
September 14th and 15th, and was again a success, the
number of exhibits being fully fifty per cent more than
on any previous year. The report was unanimously
passed. The officers were then re-elected, and several
alterations were made in the rules. The name of Mr.
Barber was added to the list of vice-presidents, and those
of Messrs. Barber, Rowley, and Turton, to the Committee,
Messrs. W. G. Copestake,"F. Holbrook, and W. T. Atkins,
were re-appointed treasurer, steward, and secretary re-
spectively ; and votes of thanks for past services wer«
accorded. Second-class certificates given by the British
Bee-keepers' Association were presented to the following:
Messrs. Coxen, Shipman, Rawson, and Austin. The
annual draw for hives was made, the following being the
winners: Mr. G.T. Banks, Church Gresley, Burton-on-
Trent, and Mr. W. T. Atkins, Derby. Mr. Benjamin
Skinner was instructed to provide the hives at UK. each.
A vote of thanks to the Mayor and Mr. Gadsby for the
use of the room was carried, as was one to the Rev. G.
Shipton, Brampton, for lecturing on behalf of the Asso-
ciation. A similar vote was passed to the Chairman.
This concluded the business.
THE SOMERSET BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Annual Meeting and Conversazione of the
Taunton Branch.
The annual general meeting of the Taunton Branch
of the Somerset Bee-keepers' Association was held at the
Coffee Hotel, Taunton, on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 16.
There was a good attendance. The chair was taken by
Mr. C. E. Lance, the president of the branch ; and there
were also present Mr. E. W. Newton (Barton Grange), the
Rev. II. S. Hume (vicar of Wilton), Mr. C. Tite
(Wellington), Mr. T. S. Penny, Mr. A. J. Smith (honorary
secretary), Mr. C. Lewis, the Rev. W. B. Caparn, Mr. II.
Maynard, Mr. W. B. Maynard, Mr. Barter, Mr. Hosegood
(Williton), Mr. James Buckland (Pitminster), Mr. W.
Tout and Mr. C. Tout (Thornfalcon), Mrs. Newton, Miss
E. Maynard, Miss K. Maynard, Miss Rawlins, Mrs. Tite,
and Miss Scarlett.
The Chairman said the accounts of the branch were
exactly balanced. The Hon. Secretary read the annual
report, which was duly adopted, from which it appeared
that the committee of the Taunton branch of the Somer-
set Bee-keepers' Association were able to give an account
of increased success and progress during the past year.
In February, 1867, Mr. W. B. Maynard was elected hon.
secretary in the place of Mr. E. S. Hammond (resigned),
and a representative and influential committee haviDg
been formed, with C. E. Lance, Esq., as president,
arrangements were made with the Parent Society for the
management by the branch of its own affairs, subject to
the approval of the county hon. secretary, and the pay-
ment of an affiliation fee fixed at twenty-five per cent of
the 5s. subscriptions. A circular was published setting
forth the objects of the association, which was sent to all
the principal known bee-keepers of the neighbourhood,
and a guarantee fund was started, which enabled the
committee to offer prizes at the Taunton flower show to
the amount of nearly five guineas. In consequence of
the efforts thus put forth, the number of members was
raised from about twelve to twenty-eight. The exhibition
held in connexion with the above-mentioned flower show
was a great success. The funds at the disposal of the
Committee had not permitted the employment of a
visiting expert ; they therefore pleaded for augmented
support in order that the Association might be made a
greater source of benefit to its members than in the past.
The committee regretted that Mr. W. B. Maynard had
found it necessary to resign the post of hon. secretary,
Mr. A. J. Smith kindly consenting to fill the office pro
tent.
The annual report of the county association was also
real I , and considerable discussion thereon followed, general
regret and surprise being expressed that Somersetshire
1 -keepers had allowed the association to reach such a
low ebb, notwithstanding the strenuous efforts of their
zealous hon. secretary, the Rev. C. G. Anderson. It
was felt that an effort should bo made to carry on the
county organization, and the following resolutions were
passed : —
'That the president, committee, and members of the
Taunton branch of the Somerset Bee-keepers' Association,
express their sincere regret that Mr. Anderson should
have to issue such an unfavourable report after so many
years of arduous and painstaking work in the interests of
bee-keeping, as well as their thanks for his unwearied
services;' also, ' That Mr. Anderson be invited to hold a
general meeting of the County Association at Taunton
on an early dale.' The meeting then proceeded to the
election of officers. The lion. sec. said he had accepted
that post very reluctantly, as he was a business man and
he had very little time to spare. Provided, however,
they could not find a better man he was willing to serve
for another year. The Chairman was sure they could
not find a better man. Mr. Smith was then re-elected,
The Rev. II. F. S. Gurney had resigned his place on
the committee, and on the motion of Mr. II. Maynard,
seconded by the Chairman, the Rev. II. S. Hume was
elected to succeed him. The committee now stands as
folio ws :— President, Mr. C. E. Lance; Rev. W. B.
Caparn, Rev. II. 8. Hume, Colonel Lowis, Mr. J. Buck-
land, Mr. E. S. Hammond, Mr. C. Lewis, Mr. II.
Maynard, Mr. J. Scarlet, jun., Mr. A. J. Smith, Mr. C.
Tite, Mr. J. G. Vile; hon. sec, Mr. A. J. Smith. Mr.
Penny proposed and Mr. Tite seconded a vote of thanks
to Mr. W. B. Maynard for his services as hon. sec. in the
past. This was carried unanimously ; and Mr. Maynard
replied.
A conversazione followed, and Mr. C. Tito delivered an
address on ' Bee-keeping, for pleasure and profit.' In his
opening remarks, he observed that he intended to pass
over many matters which would interest those who did
not keep bees, as he was aware that the members of the
association were already well acquainted with the prin-
cipal facts connected with bees and their management.
His aim would be first to remind those who had begun
bee-keeping as a source of amusement that it really was
capable of affording interest and pleasure of a high order,
and then venture to offer a few hints for the extensios
of their research. Secondly, to point out to those whe
wanted to make a profit by the pursuit that an apiary
could be made to yield a very fair return for capital in-
vested provided it was conducted on business lines.
Those of his hearers who belonged to the class first
referred to he strongly urged to start an observatory hive
or two, so that they might test for themselves the theories
116
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 1, 1888.
of scientists, and note carefully the life history of the bee
in all its interesting stages, which he then referred to in
detail. If they did this he thought they would all agree
with Mr. Cheshire, who said that this was a ' field which
must repay every investigator, while it must bring to our
mind strange thoughts of the oneness of all things, whose
interworking is the outworking of beauty, order, and de-
velopment, the limit of which the dispensation of the
fulness of time alone can reveal.' After referring to the
writings of Cowan, Dzierzon, Langstroth, Lubbock, and
others, the lecturer pointed out a number of matters still
open for investigation which offered a fertile field for
interest and study. He then turned to the more practical
part of the subject, remarking that bee-keeping was one
of those minor industries that might well be taken up by
cottagers, market-gardeners, and others of similar occu-
pations. There was no royal road to success, but if
beginners would be content to commence on a small
scale, and to gain their experience gradually, there were
few men in the rural districts who could not make bee-
keeping pay. The great outcry was that there was no
market for surplus honey, but this he considered ridiculous
when many thousands of pounds were being paid annually
for imported honey. Moreover, he had met with many
instances in the county where, in the same town or village,
one man could sell all he had to spare and was compelled
to buy in order to meet the demand, while another could
not find purchasers for half his stock, and what he did
sell was disposed of at a lower price than his neighbour
obtained. The explanation of this was simple — one man
was a better salesman than another, and probably put his
honey upon the market in a more acceptable form.
Another objection to bee-keeping, from a business point
of view, was that the price of honey had fallen consider-
ably of late years. This was perfectly true, but the yield
of surplus under the improved system of management
was so much greater than in days gone by that the
decreased value was more than compensated for. Mr.
Tite then gave a number of figures to prove this, men-
tioning among other matters that a series of returns
obtained by the Rev. C. G. Anderson, hon. secretary of
the Somerset Bee-keepers' Association, in 1884, from
various parts of the county, showed an average yield of
57 lbs. from 230 stocks. Mr. Tite then referred to the
work of the Somerset Association, and to the self-denying
labours of Mr. Anderson. He also spoke of the great
improvement in the literature relating to bee-keeping;
and, in conclusion, urged his hearers to do their utmost
to spread a knowledge of humane bee-keeping amongst
their friends and neighbours, so that the use of super-less
straw skeps and the cruel custom of suffocating bees may
soon become things of the past.
A cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Tite for his
paper, on the proposition of the Chairman. A number
of bee appliances and books on the subject, lent by
Messrs. Neighbour, of London, Mr. James Lee, and others,
were exhibited by Mr. Tite ; also a set of photographic
and microscopic slides illustrating the anatomy of the bee
and work in connexion with the apiary, which were
kindly lent for the occasion by Mr. Alfred Watkins, of
Hereford. Mr. W. N. Griffin, of Reading, sent samples
of his ' honey dubbin,' and Mr. C. Lewis, of Fore Street,
Taunton, also had some model bee-keeping appliances on
view, as well as a supply of confections, liqeurs, &c, in
the manufacture of which honey is largely used. Refresh-
ments were provided, and the proceedings concluded with
a vote of thanks to the Chairman.
WIGTOWNSHIRE APIARIAN ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of the members of this Association
was held on Friday, February 17th, at the George Hotel,
Stranraer. Mr. McNally, Glenluce, occupied the chair,
and amongst those present were Messrs. Ross (Governor
of the Reformatory), Fleming, Wither (members of the
Committee of Management), and others.
Before proceeding with the ordinary business, the
Chairman called upon Mr. Ross to make a presentation
to their esteemed Secretary, the Rev. J. B. Robertson,
for his valuable services to the Association.
The presentation consisted of two drawings in oil, ex-
ecuted by Mr. Nairn, artist, West Regent Street,
Glasgow. The committee had entrusted Mr. J. D.
McNally, Glasgow, to make the purchase. They each
bore the following inscription: — ' Presented to the Rev.
J. Balfour Robertson, of Leswalt, by the Wigtownshire
Apiarian Association, in recognition of his services. —
17 th February, 1888.'
Mr. Robertson, in reply, said that he did not know how
he could really thank them for the very handsome
present they had given to him. He looked back to the
past, and to his connexion with the Association, and he
felt he did not merit half of the kind words the Chairman
had used regarding him. Some, six years ago the Wig-
townshire Horticultural Society did not grant prizes, but
allowed an exhibition of honey. He then met Mr.
McNally, of Glenluce, for the first time, and he ventured
to think that the super of honey he showed was a good
one. After that some correspondence appeared in the
local papers, and a suggestion was made that an Associa-
tion should be formed. He happened to reply to that
letter, and afterwards the Apiarian Association was
formed. In 1882 he had stated, and he did not think
he was wrong, that all the honey gathered in Wigtown-
shire did not realise 50/. per annum. After six years he
did not think he was wrong in saying that the honey
gathered in the county and sold in the market did not
realise less than 500/. That was, no doubt, particularly
realised through the benefits of their Association. He
referred to the difficulties they had to encounter at the
outset of their Association, and the statement of a landed
gentleman of the county that the Association would only
exist for the benefit of a few, and not for the working
man. This same gentleman had since stated that the
Association had conferred great benefit on the working
people, whose gardens were graced with hives. With
reference to the making of money by bee-keeping, Mr.
Robertson, gave his own experience, showing that a
good profit could be realised, and that even in the hands
of a raw amateur not less than 30s. per hive could be
realised. Mr. Robertson concluded by thanking the
members heartily for the present of the pictures, which,
he hoped, would long grace his manse, and be handed
down by him to posterity.
The Chairman said that their Association, though
small in numbers— at the commencement they were only
seven, but now numbered more than thirty — had all
heartily contributed to the proposal to make this pre-
sentation of these handsome oil paintings to the respected
aud honoured Secretary.
A vote of thanks was given to the Chairman.
Inverted Hives. — What was said in 1842 about them
by John Wighton in his History and Managemmt of
Bees, p. 75 : — ' The inverted hive is better adapted to
adorn the lawn and garden, and to amuse the curious,
than to supply the purpose of the practical bee-keeper ;
while its expense is an obstacle to its general use. The
name explains its principle, which wars against the
natural habits of the bees in the construction of their
cells, whence its position must either cause the honey to
drop, or compel the little architects to alter their rule of
building. All dirt also, and many of the dead, must fall
to the bottom of the inverted cone, whence it cannot be
removed — a manifest evil. In other respects the hive
differs little from those on the storifying plan, and
though I have tried it for years I have obtained from it
scarcely so much as from one of these last.'
March 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
117
forrespaiTacnxc.
The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the viper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of goodfaith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Bo<-ks for Review,
Jbc, must be addressed only to 'The FCditor of the " Uritish Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to 4dusi ti wntents,
4c, must be addressed to Air. J. Huckle, Kings Langlcy, tlerts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*»* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige 6y mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on wltich it appears.
BEE DISEASE (So called).
[ 1 505.] I consider this, when the symptoms are clearly
given, only another name for pollen-cold, or what is
more commonly known as hay-fever. A bee-keeper
(1360) consulted his doctor during an attack, and was t Id
it was analogous to hay-fever, but evidently arose from
some other cause, as he suffered from it throughout the
year. Let us place side by side the symptoms of bee
disease as shown by Mr. Ileddon (Ed. foot-note, page 51",
Vol. xv.), and the catarrhal symptoms of hay-fever as
given by (now) Sir Morel Mackenzie in hi9 work on that
disease.
Symptoms, ice., of Bee-
disease. — Heddon.
First felt ten years ago itch-
ing sensation in ears, gradually
extended to mouth and near
root of tongue. Later on
severe sensation in roof of
mouth.
Eyelids itch and burn fol-
lowed by swelling. After
three years found out to open
a hive, and breathe odour of
bees, brought ou the irrita-
tion.
Irritating and tingling sen-
sation crept down bronchia
until woke up with asthma.
Symptoms reappeared on
coming back to his bees after
a fortnight. Since ceasing
working in apiary has been
free. Disease reappearing on
bee flying past his face, severe
paroxysm ; speechless eight
hours.
Bee disease symptoms of 'A
Bee-keeper' (1366). For last
three years sutlers from what
appears like violent cold in
head, comes without warning,
with frequent sneezing and
continued running at eyes and
nose, lasts a few hours, some-
times one or two days.
Catarrhal Symptoms, Hay
fever, }>■ 81.
Itching, smarting sensation
in nose and eyes, and some-
times in cavity and roof of
mouth.
Not unfrequently the attack
commences with a feeling of
extreme irritation of the inner
angles of the eyelids : occasion-
ally the eyelids became puffed
so as to almost close the eyes.
The asthmatic form of the
complaint may be superadded
to the disorder just described.
Difficult breathing may con-
tinue, with only slight remis-
sions, as long as the sufferer is
exposed to the influence of
pollen. The paroxysm may
pass off in a few hours.
Dr. Roe thinks everybody
who is subject to hay-fever
has a cohl in the head some-
time during year.
Dr. M. M. says the irritation
of the lining membrane of the
nose causes running of the
nose and eyes, and paroxysms
of sneezing quickly ensue, fol-
lowed by an abundant thin
discharge from nose.
We are told by various authors that hay-fever is pro-
duced by the pollen of grasses and flowers, and it is
proved that pollen is an essential factor. I must, how-
ever, say that it has been attributed to an excess of ozone
in the air. Dr. Blackley studied the effects of benzoic
acid (pace ' W. B. W.' ) found as it is in sweet vernal
grass, coumarin, essential perfumes of peppermint, juniper,
rosemary, and livender, in vain for symptoms ; and it
remains beyond doubt that hay-fever is caused by the
irritating actiou of pollen-grains on the mucous membrane
of the nostrils in the first place, probably next by long
fingerlike growing of the intine of the grain absorbing
moisture by a process termed osmose, and penetrating
deeper into the tissue, thus increasing the irritation.
Finally the chemical action on various parts of the throat
and bronchial tubes of the contents of the burst grains
will complete the list of causes for the symptoms above
given. Such pollen-poisoning must be a very distressing
affair to the small percentage of people subjected to it,
for it has been calculated (Herapath) that in 'the
granular matter of pollen-grains of several orders of
plants there is forty-six per cent of a peculiar inflam-
mable azotised principle insoluble in nearly even/ liquid,
.Mackenzie also says that as pollen granules are only one-
tenth the size of blood-corpuscles, they may enter the
blood-vessels by actual penetrations of the walls,' circula-
ting, and thus causing the fever. All pollen-grains, it
must be understood, will not cause annoyance, but only
peculiar kinds, and these only upon peculiar idiosyncrasies
of constitution.
For example, Dr. Marsh has stated that iu America
only the pollen of the Roman wormwood (Ambrosia
Ar'temisicefolia), is the cause of hay-fever, but this
opinion is not generally received. Grasses, too (Indian
corn excepted), have slight effect in America. The
English and Americans are almost the only people
subject to hay-fever, and it would be interesting to
learn if any of our Continental brethren are subject to
this alleged bee disease.
Again, those affected consist almost entirely of persons
of some education and of fair position, they also nearly
all belong to the highly energetic class, and are of
generally nervous temperament. Let us now give a
glance at the cause of pollen-poisoning, alias hay-fever
as it affects the bee-keeper. It is agreed on all hands
that the bee-keeper is only punished when he opens his
hives.
If we read what Pastor Schiinfeld tells us (p. 12, B. B.J.)
on 'What do bees use in winter when the pollen collected
by them is exhausted?' we shall find plenty of evidence
that there is plenty of pollen at hand in the hive in
winter, in old combs, cell-walls, and margins, mem-
branes left by the nymphs, and in the excreta of larvae at
the bottom of cells. He shows that even the stomach
of I he bee, let alone that of the larva, is unable to make
all the pollen-grains yield up their contents, by reason
of the hardness of theVxtine resisting their digestive or
assimilative juices. Now when bees go out of their
hives silvern and golden in hue, the body hairs covered
with pollen, bent, as the insects are, in making the most
of a bonev glut, and leaving the pollen-cleaning until
dark, the whole hive will be not unlike a flour-mill, the
air charged with floating grains. If one, at this time,
only take a peep under the edge of quilt (even has a
smell at the bees, as Mr. Heddon puts it) a current of hot
air rushes out of the opening, carrying on it myriads of
pollen-grains to the nostrils. By the showing of various
bee-keepers, the disease instantly begins its course.
What theory so reasonable as that he gets it from pollen-
grains fanned about by multitudes of agitated wings,
especially when the apparent causes and symptoms are
so identical with those of hay-fever known under other
names, e.g., pollen catarrh, summer catarrh, idiosyncratic
catarrh, rose-cold, peach-cold, and pollen poisoning ?
I do not doubt, that the bee which flew close past Mr.
Heddon's face, and gave him an attack, instead^ of dis-
charging poison, wafted pollen-grains, which he inhaled.
In short, with the infinitesimal percentage of people
who are subject to pollen-poisoning, to keep off certain
flora gives immunity, and equally keep away from the
pollen collected by the bee, and there is no bee-disease.
The two must be identical.
My remarks, however imperfect, would be still more
so if I did not say something with regard to preven-
tion, &c. Dr. Morel Mackenzie says, ' If the poison be
continually introduced into the system, the antidote, if
118
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 1, 1888.
one exists, can have hut little chance of effecting a cure.
Change of residence, from the country to the seaside or
town, is recommended/ (keep off the bees). And
(strange to say, but welcome to bee-keepers), he
recommends also a veil to be worn over the face. ' I
have found a "double gossamer" veil, which can be had
in several colours, answer the purpose iu some cases.
Protected in this way many people predisposed to hay-
fever escape altogether.' Verb. sap. Tobacco-smoke
sometimes affords relief. One part salicylic acid to 1000
of water, snuffed up the nostrils cut's short the di-
sease. (Binz.)
Prevention being better than cure let those who are
susceptible wear a fine silk veil. — R. A. H. Grimshaw,
Horsforth, near Leeds.
COUNTY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATIONS.
[150(5.] There is one thing that might be encouraged
through the Journal and county Associations' reports
which I do not remember seeing anything about, viz.,
each county committee to get one practical bee-keeper in
each district who will fix five or six days, or rather
evenings, during the months of May, June, and July to
•welcome members of County B.K.A., and to show and
explain any different hives or supers which he may be
working in his apiary or anything else. — John It.
Critchlow, Maer Farm, Newcastle, Staffordshire.
SENDING QUEEN-CELLS.
[1507.] Mr. Sharp in his article (1485) inquires,
should he take his young queens to his allotment to be
fertilised with foreign drones he intends raising ? I would
say no. Let the following incident suffice : — A bee-
keeper, distant exactly two miles from this village, about
six years ago introduced Italian queens into his apiary,
the following summer young queens from three different
hives in the village had mated with the Italian drones,
their offspring being finely marked in the two upper
rings of the abdomen ; I found them quite as harmless as
my own old-fashioned blacks.
To encourage Mr. Sharp, at his request I will have
pleasure in forwarding him as early as possible this sum-
mer a few ripe queen-cells, which he could make use of
either iu his old or nucleus hives. His foreign drones
and pure Scotch black queens would impart fresh blood
into his apiary. Foul-brood unknown in this locality. —
Jas. Phingle, Cockburnspath, K.B.
THE TIME TEST.
_ [1508.] I quite understand ' H. J. B.' (1490) feeling
disgusted, and saying that it was his first— and last —
attempt to obtain the third-class certificate. I don't
wish the rules to be altered to admit any bee-keeper to
be a third-class expert, but I do think failing to find her
majesty in a given time ought not to throw a candidate
overboard, which appears from 'II. J. B.' to be the case.
The men we want for experts are those who are
thoroughly practical, and can work a good return from
then- own stocks. One of your correspondents, some
months back, said all District Secretaries and local
advisers (if I remember right) ought to hold a third-
class certificate, and I say so too; but how many of these
gentlemen, who are well-known bee-keepers, will come
forward to be plucked and sent back empty ? I know
one District Secretary who would have been a candidate
last year only for the above cause. The only reason be
had for wanting a certificate was in case the County
B. K. A . got short of funds he could take the expert's tour
sometimes in bis own district. This gentleman, to my
knowledge, has spent weeks in the last five years for
the good of our County Association by starting new
members, attending committees, shows, &c; at least he
is always ready to give a helping hand when his own
duties will allow him, — all gratis.
It would not be a bad plan, after candidates have
applied to be examined, for County B.K. A. Committees
to say whether they have made a good stand as practical
bee-keepers and also successful exhibitors, as I am sure
if men are qualified to bold a certificate they will be
well known by part of the County Committee. — Snow-
A USEFUL SUGGESTION.
[15J0.] Your correspondent ' H. J. B.' (1495) has hit
on the thing wanted to promote the sale of honey in my
opinion, that is, better advertising, as there are thousands
who only know honey by name, if they have heard of it at
all ; and if they do know more about it, where are they to
get the pure British honey from which can be depended
on at a market's price ? What we want is a more uniform
price, quality, and get-up for sale, and thoroughly bringing
before the public. One of the objects set forth by
Count)' B.K. A. is to encourage the sale of honey, which I
am afraid is little heard of, but still hon. sees, have plenty
to do without selling for members their honey. A
thought struck me several weeks ago that a honey club
might be worked in connexion with the County B.K.A.
something on the following lines : To appoint one hon.
sec. for each thickly-populated district, with a small
committee to arrange prices, rules, &c. Each member
who joins this club must take one or more shares in the
year's turnover, according to the amount of honey he
wishes to sell, each share to represent 25 lbs. of honey
at from Is. to 2s. each. By this plan all members
would be on the same footing, for if one has 200 lbs. to
sell, he would have to pay eight times as much as one
with only 25 lbs. The small subscriptions would go
towards printing, postage, carriage of samples, &c. I
think if the above could be put in working order, it
might be tried for one year to see how it answers. I
should like to hear the opinion of other bee-keepers
through your valuable Journal. — Snowdrop.
SUGGESTIONS.
[1510.J The B. B. J. so ably and wisely conducted by
you, is a weekly source of pleasure to me in studying the
marvellous works of God. The Journal supplies me with
comb upon comb of beautiful honey in the shape of help
and advice. I should therefore be pleased if I could
contribute one single cell, or even a bee-load of hone)', to
the hive of knowledge, in gratitude for the knowledge I
have extracted. I will jot down a few remarks for you
to glance over, and should you deem any of them of
interest to amateur bee-keepers, please make use of them
as food for the Journal.
My apiary consists of twenty-four stocks ; fifteen are
the produce of hist autumn's condemned bees. I endeavour
to make everything required about the apiary, for to my
mind half the charm of bee-keeping is the construction of
the appliances. By rising in summer three or four
mornings a-week before the bees, say from 3 to 5 a.m.
a good amount of work may be accomplished, and personal
health greatly benefited. A Britannia Company's patent
circular saw, which is perfection, adds eighty per cent
to the pleasure of a bee-keeper's life. This is only my
second season of bee-keeping on the most approved lines.
But when a lad of thirteen I had fourteen hives and made
all the houses, &c, for them. Most of my present hives
consist of an inner hive, 1 1| x 16, and an outer case
20 x 20 inside measure. I think double-walled hives are
by far the best.
Suggestion 1. — I find the most satisfactory way of
keeping the water from getting in at the junction of outer
March 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
119
cases is by nailing strips of tin the length of the side by-
one inch width on each side. The tin should project
f inch beyond the side of the case, and as it is free at
each corner, it fits nicely over any slight variation in the
thickness of the case below. The strips of tin can be cut
and nailed on very quickly if the proper mode be adopted.
The bottom case of all needs no tin strip, since it projects
one inch over floor-board, and strips of wood nailed round
inside keep it renting on the floor-board.
Suggestion 2. — The best entrance slides I find to be
made thus : — Nail a strip of tin the length of entrance,
say fourteen inches, and one inch wide, just above the
f inch entrance. Then cut two strips of tin 7^ x § to
slide between the tin and the case side. Turn up one end
half inch of each tin slide at right angles to work the slide
by. Then screw apiece of wood the length of the outside
case (mine is twenty-one inches), § x |, just under the f
inch entrance and flush with it, and then the slides run nicely
on the wood. The flight-board, bevelled at the edge, rests
up against the §■ inch strip of wood and is hooked on to
the case side. Perforated zinc slides can be worked with-
out the tin ones being entirely removed. Wooden slides
for narrowing the entrance are too much acted upon by
the weather to be perfect. The tin slides are practically
unaffected by weather, and are more quickly made.
Porches I have discarded as not necessary.
Suggestion .'5. — I have found the following frame-lifter
of great service. Bend a piece of j\ inch wire into
a semicircle of fourteen to sixteen inches diameter,
to suit hive and frame and bend the ends up J inch at
right angles. Then you can slip the right angles under
the top of the frame and lift it with one hand and turn
the frame about as desired. The cost of this lifter is
about a penny, or less. I have not seen so simple and
cheap a frame-lifter mentioned in Journal, so 1 draw
attention to it as it might be of use to amateurs. It was
of great service to me last summer, enabling me to mani-
pulate without smoke, &c.
I should like to hear some suggestion on a quick, cheap,
and effectual mode of shading hives from the glare of the
snow. I unhook my flight-boards, which are 21 x 18, and
slant them against the hives. This is effectual, but it
takes some time to do this for even twenty-four hives.
1 should also like to know if roofs without any inclina-
tion for the rain to run off have been much tried in this
country, and with what results. I am thinking of
making all future houses with level roofs. I have about
six now and they have been tried for over six months
and not a particle of moisture gets through them. I
cover the joints with strips of tin. It is quickly done,
and if well nailed and painted no wet can possibly get
through. The slight drip there may be in front does not
trouble the bees, and half-inch inclination to the back
avoids even this. The advantages I find are, (1 ) the roof
dries quicker, as the sun strikes it more directly than
when inclined away from the sun. (2) More quickly
made and easier for an amateur to make. An eleven-
inch plank, ripped up the centre, just gives the sides of
the roof a nice depth of five and a half inches. (•'!) They
make good tables for placing things on. They are light
to lift if bare half be used for the top, five-eighths for
front and back, and half inch for the sides. I make my
roof come down over the case one half inch ; strips of
wood being nailed round the inside to allow of that
amount. 1 use nothing but good pine in making hives
and cases, &c.
In the above remarks there may be nothing of profit,
even to amateurs. But as 1 have profited for two years
by hints on various subjects given in the Journal, I am
wishful to contribute, if possible, honey to the hive, and
so far I have been an unprofitable bee for two years.
Wishing you, Mr. Editor, continued success in your
arduous duties, — I am, yours faithfully, It. T. Shea,
Little Wakering Vicarage, Rochford, Essex, February
•32nd, 1888.
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES.— SECTIONS.
[1511.] In reading Gleanings of the issue of the
15th January, 1888, to-day, I notice some questions and
answers that bear directly upon the important subject
now being considered or mentioned in the British Bee
Journal, and of which I make a few extracts for the
benefit of some of your readers, hoping you can kindly
allow the space. Question. ' Is it best to fill section-
boxes full of foundation, or use starters only one inch in
width?'
' Favourable opinions.
Full.— C. C. Miller.
Fill full.— Dr. A. B. Mason.
Fill full. — Geo. Grimm.
Fill them full.— W. Z. Hutchinson.
I prefer a full sheet. — Paul L. Viallon.
I prefer to till the section. — G. M. Doolittle.
So far as my experience has gone I prefer to use full
sheets of foundation in my surplus boxes. — James Heddon.
I have found it best to use full sheets, though I often use
triangular starters. — A. J. Cook.
Full-sized sheets have a chance to pay for themselves
whenever the bees cannot keep up with their income. —
E. E. H»siy.
It is much more profitable to fill them full. If quality
only is considered, starters are better. If foundation is
made then, and used fresh, there is practically no objection
to its use in full sheets. — James A. Green.
The office of starter one inch wide is only to serve as
guide-combs. They would not increase the crop of honey
much. But to fill the section with foundation increases
the crop materially. It does almost as much good as to fill
them with newly-built comb. — Chas. F. Moth.
Friend Root states that Mr. Muth seems to have over
looked the fact that recent decisions place full sheets o"
foundation even ahead of newly-built comb; that is, wheref
the cells are drawn up to anything like fall length.
Question, ' Is a triangular starter, with the point
reaching nearly to the bottom of the section, as good as a
full sheet of thin foundation ? '
No. — Geo. Gbimm.
No.— Dr. A. B. Mason.
No. — W. Z. Hutchinson.
I think not. — C. C. Miller.
I use full sheets. — G. M. Doolittle.
Not in our opinion. — Dadant and Sons.
No, not in my experience. — James Heddon.
I prefer a full sheet. — Paul L. Viallon.
It answers very well, but I prefer full sheets. — A. J.
Cook.
A triangular starter is not as good as a full sheet of
foundation. The section will not be filled in the same time
as when full sheet are given. — Chas. F. Muth.
If it pays to use foundation, use it. Why stop half way ?
Partly filled sections give the bees a chance to build two sizes
of comb in the same section, and make a botch of things, —
E. E. Hasty.
No. Firstly, because it will not be finished quite as soon.
Second, because it will not be as well finished. The found-
ation should be cut as large as possible, without having it
kick from the lower corners touching the sides, when put
in with ordinary care. This gives a square, solid comb of
honey, firmly attached all around that is easier to shake
bees from, looks much better, and is much less liable to
break out in shipment. — James A. Green.
T. Bonner Chambers, F.L.S., Tref Eghtys, Caersus,
Montgomeryshire, Feb. 16, 1888.
[To be continued.)
THIRD-CLASS EXAMINATION.
[1512.] A candidate that enters for the third-class
examination ought to know the time that is allowed
him to drive his bees and find the queen. Under these
circumstances he should repeatedly practise driving and
picking out the queen, previous to the date of his exami-
nation, timing himself on each occasion.
120
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 1, 1888.
If a little more pains were taken by candidates to make
themselves proficient, we should hear of less complaints
after the examinations were over. It is not a matter
whether the judge can find the queen in so many minutes ;
he is not present to do the work, but to see that it is
done. So if the candidate fails to find the queen in the
time that is allowed him it would be much better taste
on his part to hold his peace than to try and bring dis-
credit upon the judge when the whole fault lies at his
own door. — Queen.
[We have perused the instructions given for third-
class examinations, and we find that no specified time is
laid down for driving the bees from skeps. The candi-
date is no doubt credited in accordance with his expedi-
tion, care, and general efficiency in his work. We think
the advice of our corrrspondent is very much to the
point. — Ed.]
WEATHER IN AMERICA.
[1513.] You have no idea what storms of snow we
have had. You, perhaps, remember the little town of
Red Hook, about two miles east of here. About two
weeks ago I sent my boy Joe with horse and cutter
(single-seated sleigh) over to Red Hook. Our waitress
Addie accompanied him, and they left here at 12.30 p.m.
It snowed some fourteen inches the night before, and at
12.45 p.m., fifteen minutes after they left, the wind
started up from the north with considerable vigour, and
in twenty minutes was blowing half a gale. Shut up
in our house and placed, as we are, on a hill or ridge-
top, we did not appreciate the drifting of the snow.
Hour after hour went by and no tidings of the two.
About four o'clock one of the men working on my
mother's place came to the house and reported that
about one hour before, with infinite labour, my sister's
coachman had reached home in a sleigh and that he
declared it impossible for Joe to reach home that night;
but to our astonishment, not many minutes later, in walks
Joe, looking quite exhausted. He reported having left
the horse at a livery stable, and that Addie had stepped
into a store to make some purchases, and when hererrand
was over was astonished to find that to get anywhere
she had to wade in soft snow up to her waist ! Joe had
beat his way through snow up to his neck, as he ex-
pressed it, and when I saw the roads and paths subse-
quently I did not doubt his word.
We have never seen anything to compare with this
storm since 1857.
Of course it was useless to send out men that after-
noon (January 2Gth) or evening, as the gale was still
blowing. About 10 a.m. next day the wind subsided,
and I at once ordered all the men on the place out with
shovels and our snow-plough with heaviest team. Of
course all our neighbours turned in and helped, and by
night the roads were opened part way to Red Hook.
From a point about half-way over the team9 were com-
pelled to leave the road and strike into the fields. A
detour of about a mile was made before they could get
into the town. Gangs of men were out working our
way, so that the road, or I had better say ' trail,' was
passable by 5 p.m., and Joe managed to bring home
Addie and the horse. Some of the drifts were ten feet
high.
The temperature has been toying with zero altogether
too freely : several mornings at ten o'clock the thermo-
meter has stood at 15° Fahr. They are harvesting ice
seventeen to eighteen inches thick, as clear as crystal. I
filled my ice-house in four days. We had a thaw yester-
day for the first time in six weeks. We are all tired
enough of this wintry weather, and shall greet with joy
the first signs of spring. — J. A., February bth, 1888.
[The above is an extract from a private letter received
20th February, and will give some idea of the weather
our friends in America are having. — Ed.]
PAINTING THE INSIDE OF HIVES.
[1514.] Having had hives with all the woodwork
(except the frames) of the interior painted, and wintering
most satisfactorily for ten years, I differ with your
correspondent Mr. Adcock (p. 105) in the advice he
gives. In the volume of the B.B.J, for 1887, p. 119, I
gave my reasons for adopting the practice, which had
been previously recommended in ' Useful Hints,' and
which was subsequently advocated by another writer at
p. 143.
Since I wrote that letter, now ju3t a year ago, I have
had very fair success with my bees. My honey yield
has been good, and there is nothing to be dissatisfied
with the way the bees have passed through the varying
changes of this past winter.
My hives, all of which have the insides well painted,
are tenanted by strong stocks, and I find no pools of water
in them such as Mr. Adcock found in his. Might I
suggest that Mr. A.'s hives have not sufficient width of
flight-hole for the winter? Mine always have the full
width of nine inches, which I consider has a great deal
to do with keeping the interiors dry. As to his hives
with floor-boards so made or so placed that one ' con-
tained more than a pint of water,' and the others were
' more or less covered with water, and a great number of
dead bees floating in it,' I cannot understand it. There
must be something astray, or the hives are not set level,
or with the least possible inclination from back to front
— I give mine a bare quarter of an inch fall — or is there
not another possible cause for the extraordinary watery
condition of Mr. A.'s hives ? Could there be any cracks or
chinks in the roof through which the rain penetrated?
I hope some other bee-keepers who have given the
subject a fair trial, such as I have done, will write to
you. Many mistakes are often made by beginners, who
attribute results to wrong causes from want of thought
and careful observation of all the circumstance of the
case.
If I possessed five hundred hives I should paint the
insides of every one in order to have no damp, water-
soaked wooden walls about my bees. — H. VV. Lett, M.A.,
Ayhadery Oleic, Louffhbrickland, Co. Down.
INSERTING FOUNDATION IN SECTIONS.
[1515.] Under the above heading {British Bee
Journal, page 5, January 5th, 1888) an article is quoted
from the American Bee Journal, written by E. S. Eden,
of Canada, and the article commented upon in the
B. B. J., and a statement made that a Mr. James Lee
has invented a superior method of putting in foundation,
and we in Canada and the United States are to take a
note of the fact that he (Mr. Lee) is about to patent this
and a brood-frame similarly constructed in America.
It might be interesting to know that Mr. Eden was
simply working in an advertisement for his own in-
genuity, and to draw attention to the subject, so that it
would pave the way for the fruit of his thoughts. Mr.
Eden has invented a machine which also does away with
all the difficulties he mentions, and can be worked very
rapidly. I am not in favour of a writer ' blowing his
own horn ' for selfish ends under the guise of giving the
public informal ion. Nevertheless, I doubt very much
if Mr. Eden's machine, or that of Jacob Alpaugh, St.
Thomas, who has also invented a machine for putting
foundation in sections, will be very much improved upon
for some time. Mr. Eden has his machine patented. I
know of no man who has made any money out of a
patent upon bee-keeping appliances in Canada. How-
ever, should Mr. Lee see fit to patent his invention in
Canada, I trust he will not regret his decision. Of
course, I am not in a position to say anything about the
invention, but unless very inexpensive the demand for
such will be very limited ; bee-keepers prefer a little
March 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
121
extra trouble to extra expense. An important feature
in the machines here is an iron plate heated by a lamp ;
upon this plate the edge of the wax is melted. It works
well and rapidly. — R. F. HoLTERMANN, Bran/ford,
Canada,
YELLOW RACES.
[1516.1 Will you kindly inform me in an early issue
as to why all authors on works on bee-keeping, English
and American, as well as bee-keepers when referring to
the colour of certain varieties of bees, make use of the
terms yellow-banded, yellow-striped, &c, when the colour
alluded to is not at all yellow, but a dusky orange ?
I may mention that I possess stocks of Cyprian,
Italian, Carniolan home-raised from Mr. Simmins, and
also pure bred from Mr. Benton, Syrian, and Palestine
varieties, together with the common English kind, and
no yellow whatever occurs on any of these bees, but only
bands of a warm grey tint and a dusky orange shade in
connexion with the dark brown colour commonly found
on most races.
It would be very interesting and valuable if you could
prepare, in connexion with the B. B. Journal, a sheet in
chromolithography for framing, giving the various races
of bees with their respective forms and colours. Queens,
workers, and drones, of each rae»> might be represented,
and perhaps some of the hybrid kinds. I feel certain
that the cost of such a sheet of illustrations would be
gladly met by your subscribers, and I should have much
pleasure in preparing gratis the necessary drawings for
the stones. — W. G. Mucklb. Loivesivater, Cumberland.
[Although not generally of a bright yellow those races
have been called the yellow races because of the
yellowish tinge of their bodies. The Italians are
described by some German writers as having orange-
yellow belts, others say yellowish ; and we believe thry
have been generally called yellow races because of this
yellowish hue, and in contradiction to the brown or
what are also called black bees. We are not inclined to
quarrel with the term, for, after all, orange is only a
reddish sbade of yellow resembling gold, and the word
itself is derived from the Latin aurum, signifying gold.
Yellow is also defined by Dr. Ogilvie as the colour of
gold, a golden hue, and is also derived from gold, in
Danish quid. These bees have also been called golden
bees ; Virgil says : —
1 Two different kinds of regal bees behold,
The better bears a coat that glows with gold.'
And again, —
' The better race refulgent hues unfold
Bcdropt with equal spots of glistening gold.'
Dr. Follmann, a leading German authority, in his book
on the value of the different races of bee, describes
Italians very minutely and says the workers have
orange bands instead of brown. Some queens, he says,
have the forepart of the abdomen golden yellow, or
orange-coloured, and others have the whole of the
abdomen golden-yellow as though cut out of ducat gold.
Some bees are much brighter than others, and this
brightness is still more apparent when we look through
them, especially if the sun be shining, then we think
golden-yellow would not be a very inappropriate name.
The name of ' yellow races ' is so established that we do
not think it would be easy to change it. We are much
obliged to our correspondent for his kind offer, and we
should be happy to carry out his suggestion and publish
a lithographic sheet of various races of bees if we could
get them lithographed to our satisfaction. We have
seen a great many attempts made in this direction, but
none hitherto that have proved entirety satisfactory.
—Ed.]
BEES NATIVES OF ENGLAND.
Bees are mentioned in some of our earliest national
records, aud the mention of them is such as demon-
strates how highly they were valued. Nor is this
a cause for surprise, inasmuch as that mead or inetheglin
was the choicest drink of the Britons' feasts ; and al-
though the household of the Prince of Wales one
thousand years ago comprised but twenty-four officials,
the eleventh of them was the mead-maker, and he ranked
next before the royal physician.
So highly was superior mead prized in those days that
one of the royal privileges was to have the first offer of
every cask that was intended to be sold.
We are accustomed to consider our forefathers of
those days as rude and barbarous, and they were so if
measured by our present standards of habits and educa-
tion, but compared with contemporary nations they
appear to advantage, for their laws and customs were
fully equal in good sense to those of their neighbours on
the Continent. As an illustration we will quote from
the laws relative to bees enforced by Ilowel Uha, who
was chief ruler of Wales about a.d. 'J40.
'Of tiie Price of Bbbb.
' An old hive is valued at 24 pence.
' A spring swarm at 10 pence.
' A second swarm at 12 pence.
' A swarm from a first sw. inn at 12 pence.
' A Bwarm from a second swarm at 8 pence.
' A swarm after the Calends of August at 4 pence, and
that shall be the price until the Calends of November.
' After the Calends of November an old hive is valued
at 24 pence, and the swarm which came off after the
Calends of August shall not be considered as an old
swarm before the Calends of -May, and then it shall be
valued at 24 pence.
' Three huntings are free (that is, you may follow them
upon another man's ground), of a swarm of bees settled
upon a branch, and of a Fox, and of an Otter, because
they have no certain abode.
' Bees were first born in Paradise, and were driven
thence on account of man's sin, but God blessed them:
therefore mass ought not to be sung without their wax
being present.
' lie who finds a swarm resting on a branch in another
man's land shall receive 4 pence from the possessor of
the land, if the latter wishes to retain the swarm.
' No swarm shall be valued at more than 4 pence until
it has remained quietly for three days and three nights
in the same place, and that in fine weather. Of those
days the first is required to ascertain whether it will
settle; another in examining whether it will cluster, and
the third whether it will continue here.' — Tfotton't Ltges
Walliccttpage 254.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS^
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturer 8 or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good oj
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for 'is to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj Cneir communication.
All queries forwanUd » '.-ill be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
John Main. — 1. Sections, — The sections mentioned are
not, generally speaking taken to by the bees. We do
not advise sections narrower than If inch. 2. Heddon
Hives. — These may be obtained from several of the
dealers in appliances.
North Devon Rustic, — 1. Hoya carnosa is a tender
exotic and requires the protection of a warm green-
house in this country. It is a pity it is not hardy, for
we know of no plant, native or foreign, that secretes
more honey than does this species of hoya. The
122
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 1, 1888.
honey, however, does not hang on every petal as our
correspondent remarks, hut collects in pearly drops in
the centre of each flower, which are deliciously sweet-
sceuted and pretty. Each generation of these wax-
like flowers proceed from the same flower-stalk,
hence it is advisable to cut them as little as possible.
2. Closing Entrances to Hives. — We never close the
entrances to our hives; they are now at summer
width, but have a board resting against the porch of
each to prevent the snow reflecting the light into the
hive.
C. Marks. — Bees in Roof. — The bees, as you say, are no
doubt between the roof and the ceiling ; this could
easily be ascertained by listening on a warm day, and
their exact location found out. If the farmer thinks
of removing a portion of the roof they could be easily
removed, but if not the 'game is not worth the
candle.' At the end of the honey-harvest would be
the best time if they are to be taken for their stores,
but if for the bees early spring. Use plenty of smoke,
as the slates or tiles are being removed, and when the
bees are thoroughly intimidated cut the combs out one
b}' one, brushing the bees off into an empty skep. (See
answer to 'A Novice in Mudern Bee-keeping,' in
issue of 23rd nit.).
Horace. — Replacing old Combs. — Towards the end of
March, on a warm day, remove any surplus combs ;
insert new sheet-foundation about the centre of the
brood-nest. Should the weather continue favourable
give a fresh iheet of foundation about once a-week in
the same manner, removing the outside comb. Feed
gently but regularly, and take care you do not spread
the brood-nest faster than the bees can with their
increasing number cover all brood. There is nothing
whatever to prevent you getting a full return from
this hive during the coming season. Wired founda-
tion is suitable.
Novice. — New Hive. — We are sorry to do so, but must
condemn your plan. Just fancy trying it with
Cyprians or pugnacious hybrids ! Who could live to
tell the tale ?
R. M'Whirter. — Queen Excluder. — We always depre-
cate the use of excluder between rack and body of
hive. It is rarely that the queen ascends ; even if she
does the portion of section in which she lays her eggs
can be cut out. When upon being given back to the
bees they will repair and make good any damage.
K. Sandall. — 1. Transferring. — The advice we give is
intended for the benefit of novices, and is the best
plan for such ; an adept can transfer at any time.
2. Using Queen-cells for Re-queening. — Yes, if they
are inserted twenty-four hours after removal of queen,
or they could be placed, if in queen-cell cages, in the
hive immediately upon such removal. A queen-cell
cage is a cone of wire cloth into which the cell is put ;
the apex is open. Through this opening the queen
emerges, the sides of the cell being- protected from the
attacks of workers by the wire cloth.
K. E. T. — 1. Neglected Honey. — Remove all the combs
having uncapped honey in them and place them in a
basin in the oven. When the wax is all melted allow
it to cool. The wax can then be removed in a sheet ;
feed the honey back to the bees in the spring. The
few frames can be given the bees to clear out, but not
until they commence working before the honey-flow
sets in. 2. Hives. — You will find a bee-house just as
expensive and not half as handy. To hold eleven or
twelve frames is the best, as such a size is easily
' tiered up.' 3. Foundation in Frames. — Whole
sheets. We prefer ' Pelham.' It is very much a
matter of individual opinion, though we strongly
object to flat-bottom in the brood-nest.
C. Whiting. — The bees forwarded are hybrids.
A Grateful Reader. — Glossary of Apicultural Terms.
— Your suggestion meets our views, and it will in an
early number be carried out.
W. P. Meadows. — 1. Bee Flora. — We have in previous
volumes given this subject our best attention ; but. as
we are continually receiving fresh subscribers we shall
not lose sight of your suggestion. 2. Railtvay Com-
panies and Rates to Bee Appliance Manufacturers. —
In the year 1883 the British Bee-keepers' Association
took a considerable amount of trouble, and incurred
some expense, in placing the claims of the bee-keeping
industry before the several RailwayCompanies. Printed
memorials were prepared and signed by the executive
of each County Association, and these were sub-
sequently considered at a Conference of railway
managers. A reply was in due course given by the
Secretary of the Conference to the Secretary of the
B.B. K.A. to the following effect: — 'I beg to inform
you that this subject has been fully laid before the
different Railway Companies, and I regret to say that
they do not see their way to make any reduction in
the rates.' It will be found from the report of the
Committee of the B. B. K. A. for the past year that
this subject has not been lost sight of. We would
suggest that our correspondent and others should
communicate their views on the subject to the Secre-
tary of the B.B. K.A.
D. K. Dai.y. — Feeding. — If you desire to get the full
advantage of stimulating brood-rearing early in the
season, as soon as the bees fly freely it will be well to
supply them with liquid food (the receipt for which
you will find in Cowan's Guide Book) and regulate the
feeder so that only a small amount can be taken at a
time. If the bees are not, through the weather being
cold or other reasons, inclined to take the liquid food,
flour candy can be placed under the quilt above the
frames. 2. Transferring from Sleeps. — Let the bees
swarm, and twenty-one days after transfer to frame-
hives. Whether it be better to transfer or unite
should be determined by the strength of the stocks.
E. II. Turner. — The most exhaustive work is Apidce
Europtete, by Dr. II. L. O. Schmiedeknecht. As a
book of reference it is invaluable, and the numerous
excellent illustrations are a great help in determining
species. Professor Siebold on Parthenogenesis would
be of great service in your special study. We shall be
pleased to receive results of your investigations.
C. Wade. — You will get the information you desire by
looking at. advertisement of Messrs. Abbott in this
week's issue.
Normacot. — Mouldy Ccmb. — There is no necessity for
your destroying the combs. The pollen-filled cells are
mildewed through being kept in a damp place. When
dried rub them with a soft brush, and spray with
salicylic acid ; when required they may then be re-
turned to the bees.
J. M'Gowan. — We are informed that Lee's sections will
be in the market in the course of a fortnight. Some
difficulty has been experienced in providing the requisite
machinery.
Pike. — Enamelled Cloth. — The sample of cloth will be
found serviceable. The shiny side is placed on the
tops of the frames.
Received from Mr. T. B. Blow, of Welwyn, Herts, his
Illustrated Catalogue of Bee-keepers' Appliances, 64 pages.
We note that it has a small piece of scarlet cord, which
makes it convenient for hanging up in the bee-keeper's
room. It contains a number of new illustrations.
Received from Messrs. W. P. Meadows, of Syston, near
Leicester, and J. H. Howard, of Holme, near Peterborough,
their joint catalogue of Bee-hives and other Appliances,
48 pages. This catalogue embraces every article both of
wood and of metal that is of service in the apiary,
March 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
123
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Koad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bkitish Bee-keepers' Stokes, 6 George Yard, Fenchureh St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M-, Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchureh St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. it 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour * Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchureh St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchureh St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
2>T OT I CE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent A; Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER. W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley. Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON, A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Gleuluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T„ Crawley, Susses.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Apiaries at Rottingdean, near Brighton; and Crawley, Sussex; are
open for inspection during Working Hours.
Very advantageous
Terms
to intending
THE BRITISH EMPORIUM. BEE0-T
STUDENTS
QUEENS, NUCLEI,
HIYES, & APPLIANCES.
SIMMINS'
BEE COMPANY, Limited.
Send to Sec, W. M. GEAHAM,
Lowfield, Crawley, for our
ANNUAL CIRCULAR.
Goods DELIVERED, CARRIAGE PAID, to all parts of the Country, as per Terms in Circular.
HIYE and IMPLEMENT FACTORY, LOWFIELD, near CRAWLEY STATION, SUSSEX.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [March 1, 1888.
Special prepaid ^advertisements.
> « I
Exchange Column.— Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Goods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms : Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
Situations, Publications, Bee Plants, d-c. — Tiventy words
and under, One Shilling ; for every additional Three words,
One Penny.
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
Now Beady.
SIMMINS' NEW BOOK.— 'A MODEEN BEE-FARM,
AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9- ■ - - f , ^
The cut, taken from a photograph, represents our bee-hive
factory where we annually turn out about 20,000 hives and
8,000,000 sections, besides enormous quantities of bee-supplies
of every description. Dealers before ordering elsewhere
should correspond directly with us. We are prepared to quote
better prices on sections in quantities than we have ever
quoted before. We are also publishers of Gleanings in Bee
Culture, with a circulation of 7074 subscribers. A sample copy
Of our journal and our 40-page price list sent on application to
^V. X. ROOT, Medina, Ohio, XT. S. A.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stkanqeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 298. Vol. XVI.]
MARCH 8, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Atonal, itotias, &t.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIAKY.
Feeding.
There is, perhaps, no branch of work in an apiary lesa
understood than feeding. Many think bees ought to
find sufficient food for their own requirements ; but they
forget that we take away their honey, the very stores
they have liid up for their sustenance. Besides, do we
not feed our cows and other domesticated animals ?
Should we not be considered bad farmers if we expected
our cows to give us a good supply of butter and milk
without providing them with good food ? It is not. dif-
ferent with our bees. And both cows and bees, when
pasturage is abundant, good, and rich, do well without
our attention ; but at other times we must furnish them
with food, otherwise they suffer much, and the loss is
to our own detriment. Langstroth says: 'Few things
in practical bee-keeping are more important than the
feeding of bees; yet none have been more grossly mis-
managed or neglected.' This author treats the subject
of feeding very f ullj-, and, although his book was written
nearly thirty years ago, the above remarks would apply
with equal force at the present time.
How to feed and when to feed will depend upon the
different purposes for which we have to feed. We will
briefly consider the different reasons for which bees
have to be fed. These are — for stimulation, for preserv-
ation, and for comb-building. The time and method
of feeding, as also the description of food to be used,
will vary according to the object the bee-keeper may
have in view. For instance, in the spring and summer,
when there is a great scarcity of pasturage and brood-
raising is proceeding rapidly, bees must be fed, both for
the purpose of stimulation and preservation. Stocks,
which in early spring are so light as to seem to be of no
value whatever, may be so stimulated into activity by
regular and gentle feeding as to very shortly surpass in
strength those left to themselves, and which appeared
strong enough. Early feeding promotes early breeding,
and strong colonies are the result. The bees may have
sufficient stores in their hives, and some bee-keepers
think it unnecessary to feed them at such a time ; and
we often hear nature appealed to, and the statement
made that bees would help themselves to their store.- as
nature prompts them to do. This is true enough ; but
nature only prompts bees to take what food they actu-
ally require at such times for self-preservation only, and
will not induce breeding until honey is coming in regu-
larly. When the honey-flow is abundant, brood-rearing
proceeds rapidly. Bees left to their own devices will
develop themselves fast enough for their own preserva-
tion, and will be strong enough to lay up sufficient, store
for their own use. Is the bee-keeper, however, satisfied
with this, or does he not aim at having a large surplus,
which he can appropriate to his own profit ? To insifre
this he takes advantage of the natural instinct of the
bee; and without waiting until honey is coming in plenti-
fully, in order to procure the increase of workers he will
feed his bees gently and regularly, in order to have them
ready to go out in large numbers when the honey-flow
arrives.
In order to understand the advantages we may derive
from feeding, we must bear in mind that the queens lay
eggs rapidly only when the workers are bringing in stores
regularly, and by stores we mean, not only honey, but also
pollen, which they require for themselves as well as for
preparing the food for the brood. We must also not
forget another fact, and that is, when a colony is rapidly
rearing brood, and it finds honey is scarce, the bees stop
feeding and destroy the larva; and eggs. In such a case
they are thrown back in their development in a few
days much more than they can regain in several weeks.
In the spring, when breeding goes on rapidly, as the
brood increases so also increases the consumption of
stores. Strong colonies are sometimes induced, by genial
weather and abundance of blossoms which furnish honey,
to consume the whole of their supplies in their endeavours
to increase their numbers ; and if at such times we have
a few days of wet or cold weather they may be reduced
lu starvation. The early flowers also furnish honey to
encourage development, but when this fails there is
probably little honey and much maturing brood. A
little judicious feeding would keep such colonies pro-
gressing, and make us independent of natural circum-
stances. The great secret of successful bee-keeping is in
having strong colonies ready to gather surplus whenever
a good honey-flow sets in. Now, it generally happens
that before such a flow circumstances are not the best
suited for the development of the colony to its full
strength, so that the full advantage of the honey-flow is
lost. Of course, the colony will develop during the
flow, and be ready for the next, but the bee-keeper has
irretrievably lost one source of surplus. Then, again, it
often happens after the first flow there is a long spell,
when the bees gather very little, and hardly enough to
126
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 8, 1888.
sustain them ; this will cause a relaxation of the breed-
ing, and sometimes even put a stop to it altogether, so
that the colony must build up again before it can lay in
supplies. Gentle feeding at such times is beneficial, as
it keeps the colonies up to their proper strength.
After the honey-flows are over and the honey taken
away, late feeding becomes a necessity in order to pre-
serve the bees through the winter. Then there are times
when bees can be induced by feeding to employ their
time profitably in building combs, which will come in
useful for extracting purposes. In giving directions how
to feed at different times and under different circum-
stances, we must bear in mind that bees require, in
addition to honey, pollen and water. Another thing we
must not forget, and that is, that the taste and smell of
honey are likely to induce robbing ; therefore, we must
guard against this by giving food in such a way and at
such times as to have little tendency to attract other
bees. We would here strongly deprecate the plan of
outdoor feeding as being both dangerous and wasteful.
It induces robbing, and the bee-keeper not only feeds his
own bees, but also those of his neighbours. The best
method of feeding is undoubtedly inside the hive, on the
top, or at the hive entrance; but this last plan should
only be resorted to at night. Of course, these remarks
only apply to syrup or honey feeding ; it is different for
pollen, which can be given outside the hive without
danger.
1 here are two methods of feeding — gentle and con-
tinuous feeding and rapid feeding. Gentle and con-
tinuous feeding is so called from the fact that only as
much food is supplied the bees as they need for daily
consumption, and is stimulative in its effect, inducing a
production of brood. Rapid feeding, on the other hand,
is giving food in such large quantities as to enable the
bees to store it in their combs for future use, and has the
effect of checking the production of brood, owing to the
cells in the brood-chamber being occupied with stores.
'THE "WILEY LIE.'
Under this heading our contemporary, the American
Bee Journal, in the issue of January 25th, page 52,
takes our article ' Facts ' in the British Bee Journal of
December 23th, page 668, to task. The greater part of
the article has been quoted by the American Bee
Journal, but we wish the remainder had also been
reprinted, as from that it reads: ' We know too well the
practice of mixing glucose with honey, and the methods
of detecting it, and how a London firm has been manu-
facturing another substance, palming it off as honey; but
we feel confident that the bee fraternity, located in
whatever part of the world, will, as the Cornish motto
has it, " one aud all " endeavour to stop such practices,
prejudicial not only to the bee-industry, but injurious to
the health of the community at large.'
From this it will be seen that in our midst other sub-
stances are tried to be floated on to the market as honey,
and we call on bee-keepers all over the world to try and
stop such practices.
Bee-masters, whether in the British Isles, Australia,
Canada, or the United States, cannot by any means take
offence at our article, as persons carrying out the prac-
tices referred to cannot be called bee-keepers. Glucose
has, without doubt, been palmed off on the public as
honey. Bee-keepers all over the world have a common
cause to see to, — the production of pure honey ; and when-
ever we hear of anything injurious to the industry, it
devolves on all periodicals devoted to the subject to
bring such things to the notice of their readers.
On page 08 we reprinted the reproof of the editor as
it appeared in the American Bee Journal, without com-
ment on our part, and have made inquiries, and find that,
so far as we can gather, all said in the article headed
' Facts ' is true. The clergyman who supplied the in-
formation, and whose name for obvious reasons we
withhold, is a well-known dignitary of the Church,
whose word we cannot for a moment doubt. Whether
he was a victim to a fraud we cannot say, but he fur-
ther informs us: — 'The farm I was on was fifteen miles
from Kansas City. I do not remember the name, but
there are plenty of them in the Western States.' Per-
haps, this will give American bee-keepers a clue to the
detection of those unprincipled adulterators who are
doing so much harm to bee-keeping. Our article was based
on the above information, and we also gave an extract
from a magazine, The Monthly Magazine of Pharmacy,
Chemistry, and Medicine for December last, part of
which — ' So much like the genuine article that only
experts can detect the difference ' — the American Bee
Journal considers the British Bee Journal to have said,
but which was only a portion of the quotation from the
Monthly Magazine.
The American Bee Journal says, ' Its [the article's] only
possible excuse is the infamous " scientific pleasantry,"
written, " for the fun of the thing," by Professor Wiley,
who is so unprincipled as to let it " fly " on electric
wires " to the uttermost parts of the earth " without
a word of regret or denial.'
Naturally, subjects coming from a Professor would be
considered facts, and we hope that our informant was
deceived, although we must point out that there is a
difference between ' artificial combs ' as descrihed by
Professor Wiley, and which no bee-keeper for one
moment would believe it possible to produce, aud the
productions of combs by feeding, which is not at all
impossible, as every bee-keeper will know. As it has
called forth attention in America, our object in stating
what we did has been gained, and we hope that apiarians
will not have such dangers to contend with.
^clcctctr ^iicrjr.
[3.] — Will drones reared in one colony be admitted into
a wither in the same apiary?
Nearly always, until the general slaughter commences.
While the massacre is going on drones shift their quarters
constantly. — Sam. Sim mink.
Yes ; without a shadow of a doubt in queenless hives.
— C. N. Abbott.
Yes, if the colony be queenless ; otherwise, no, in my
experience. — Geo nun Kaynor.
Drones, from their perfect vision, are well certain of
their own home. We have seen them alight at other
hives on the return of a virgin queen, but they are not
always accepted. "When no stores are coming in, and
the drones are driven forth by their own bees, the case
is different; any queenless colony will then accept the
wanderers if they seek admission. — John II. Howard,
Holme, Peterborough,
I think they will, especially in hives that are queenless.
— John Walton.
I should presume not. — J. Garbatt.
When the honey-flow is abundant, drones appear to
be unnoticed by the bees of another colony when they
by accident or design (?) enter the wrong hive. I have
noticed when making swarms, &c, that some of the
drones have entered adjoining hives, and have not been
unkindly treated. I have also put strange drones into
hives, giving them admission under the back dummy,
and these have been unmolested, but this amicableness on
the part of the workers towards strange drones is
variable.— S. J. Baldwin.
March 8, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
127
Queenless colonies will occasionally allow drones from
other hives to enter, especially late iu the season when
drones are turned out of hives that have fertile queens.
— M. L. Gayton, Much Hadham.
At times, not always. — John M. Hooker.
Yes ; and at the time when they are being destroyed a
queenless stock will form a refuge for all the drones in
the neighbourhood. — J. A. Abboit.
[4.] — Is it advisable to allow a queen to become more
than two years old before replacing her with a young
queen ?
Not as a rule.— Sam. Simmins.
Yes, if sufficiently productive, otherwise kill her at
any age. — C. N. Abbott.
Yes, if she continue prolific, but, as a rule, queens
decline in fecundity on reaching their third year, although
there are numerous exceptions. Queens of good and
prolific strain, bred in full colonies under the natural
swarming impulse, enjoy greater longevity and retain
fecundity, in my experience, longer than those raised on
any other system. This remark applies to all races,
but more especially is it true of the old English black
bee. — George Raynor.
No ; for no bees with us have given such results as
colonies headed with a queen in her second year. We
have, so far as time would permit, reared queens directly
after the honey-flow each year, which here is all over
by the second week in July. Our young queens are
laying during August in time, with judicious rapid
feeding, to enable us to get quickly into quarters well
prepared for winter and the following season's work.
Therefore we recommend, when working by storifying
for comb or extracted honey, to have none but queens in
their second year heading a colony. — John II. Howard,
Holme, Peterborough.
I do not think it is advisable, though I sometimes keep
some of iny queens three or four years, except the bees
replace them themselves. — John Walton.
Yes; for the same reason that I would permit a good
laying hen to live longer than ordinary. — j. Garratt.
Although it is very generally agreed that a queen
should not be depended upon after the second or third
year, I have known queens to do remarkably well,
even in the fourth year of their age. This is, how-
ever, I think, exceptional, as many queens in a well-
conducted apiary, are thoroughly and completely ex-
hausted by the end of their second year, so that the age
of a queen should not alone be considered. It certainly
will not pay to allow a queen to go on to the natural
period of decay, or she may die at a time when she
cannot be replaced, and the loss of the colony would
follow. A queen is, of course, able to lay a certain
number of eggs during her lifetime, but the bee-keeper
may, by his management, determine how long it shall
take to exhaust her powers, and therefore the amount of
work accomplished by her, together with the possession
of certain desirable qualities, both in the queen and her
progeny, must guide one as to the advisability or other-
wise of allowing a queen to become more than two years
old before replacing her with a young one. — S. J.
Baldwin.
Not as a ride. A queen is considered of most value in
her second year, and, generally speaking, her powers begin
to decline after that time, but I have had some most
valuable queens three years old. — M. L. Gayton, Much
Hadham.
Yes, if she shows no signs of failing powers. I would
never supersede a queen, no matter how old, all the
time she keeps the colony strong in bees and fills the
frames with brood. Dealers in queens and queen-breeden
will no doubt differ from me. ' Prolificness, not age,
should be the test.' The bees will make fewer mistakes
in this delicate matter of ' replacing ' than we are likely
to do. On referring to my letter in the D.B.J., [399],
June 24th, 188G, you will see that Professor Cook,
Dadant, Demaree, Doolittle, Heddon, Hutchinson, Pond,
and Boardman, hold these views in the American Bee
Journal in answer to a precisely similar question. — John
M. Hooker.
I would not destroy her till three years old, unless she
showed signs of weakness. — J. A. Abbott.
A CHAT ABOUT NAILS.
The ' X-tractor ' has told you about his attempt to
'smoke me out.' On the occasion of his visit we talked
of ' nature,' as you have heard ; we also talked of ' nail-
makers ' and nails. Poor Elihu Burritt and his fond
dream of a universal brotherhood ! who reads his book
or heeds his pleadings for poor downtrodden humanity ?
But I remember how it fascinated me when it was first
published.
I am of all men most unfortunate in the way of ink-
slingiug. In a moment of wild impulse I once wrote: —
' Birmingham is the place to sell hardware.' A humorous
old friend replied : — ' Dear " A. E.," —You hit the right
nail on the head when you wrote that.' Being a dull
hand at punning the incident had passed from my memory
until recalled after the visit of the ' X ' in a way that I
now wish to explain.
I have often told you I delight in malting my own
appliances, consequently I use nails. When first i took
to making section crates 1 used what are known as
French wire nails (shown at Fig. 1). These are excel-
Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3.
lent for driving, as they do not split the wood, and
require no bradawl to prepare the way for them ; but I
found they have the serious fault of not holding the
wood together firmly. My next resource was to return
back to the old ' cut-brads,' shown at Fig. 2, but how
slow was the process, and what a trial of patience !
First to make a hole with an awl, then drive the nail,
and finish off by driving it well down into the wood by
the aid of a ' brad-punch.' Bit the work holds together
firmly, as a reward for one's pains and patience ; so I
plodded on, patiently considering strength of work a
sufficient reward for the tediousness of the operation.
Presently I knocked a packing-case to pieces, and found
it was held together by nails that were most provokingly
obstinate (Fig. 3). They were oval in form, with a
peculiar head, and remarkably tough, and, moreover,
can be driven home without the aid of a bradawl, and
borders. In London, of course, I soon found them; I
also found an enterprising appliance-manufacturer used
them, but he did not name them as 'oval' as distinct
from ' round ' in his catalogue.
At last, as I have told you, came the ' X-tractor ' and
the talk about ' nature and nailmakers,' and in answer to
my inquiry he told me oval wire nails were made in
England, and were not imported from ' over the pond.'
Here the matter, as far as we were concerned, seemed to
128
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 8, 1888.
come to an end, but not so ; a fortnight later I received
a parcel by post that looked rather mysterious. I
removed the twine and brown paper. Inside I dis-
covered a stout bag labelled most ostentatiously thus : —
Silver £10.
FROM
Tiie Checkem & Cashem
Banking Company, Ld.
Zounds ! here is a joke !
' I see their knavery, this is to make an ass of me ;
To catch me if they can.'
But no, it -was a bag of 'oval wire brads' with
' X-tractor's ' compliments. But I did not miss the
chance. Not ten minutes previous Mrs. ' A. E.' had
asked for the ' needful ' to go shopping. So I neatly
closed the bag, and turned it over to her. ' Ugh, I
might have known you would not become so suddenly
generous.'
Well, gentle readers, if you ever wish to use nails
with comfort and expedition, I can recommend you
these oval wire brads. Being slender there are a large
number to a pound, and were they double the price,
on the score of strength of work combined with pleasure
in their use, they would be cheap. — Amateur Expert.*
LEICESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The Committee met on the 2oth ult., and made
arrangements for some lectures and a conversatione.
At the latter the Mayor of Leiscester will preside.
Jfnmp.
SOUTH AMERICA.
A Bee Hunter in trouble.
Being naturally very fond of bees, and having had my
curiosity excited by what the natives told me regarding
their indigenous races I made up my mind to bring
together a collection of those to be found in Brazil.
With this object in view, I let several of the people
living near the forests know that I would repay them
for their trouble if they would send me word whenever
they came across a swarm in their neighbourhood.
I was not long in reaping the fruit of the offer I made
them, for 1 was soon put in the way of making the
acquaintance of these famous insects and of their abodes
which in the generality of instances are the hollows of
forest trees.
Early one morning while following my guide across
woods through paths only partially trodden, I was so
busy thinking of the approaching pleasure of adding
other specimens of races to my collection, that I hardly
paid any attention to what my guide was trying to
explain of the sundry dodges they had to adopt in order
to find their way through those parts of the country. I
noticed, however, that from time to time he cut down
branches of trees so that when returning he might
recognise tho groumd we had gone over.
Having at last arrived before the hollow tree, and not
wishing to let anyone interfere with my operation, I set
to work, sawing and cutting the tree, while my com-
panion left me in order to go about foraging for some-
thing to eat in the shape of game and so forth.
Having got my bees and comb safely secured in large
jars with which I was provided, and seeing nothing of
my guide I took up my load and made, as I thought, my
* Siuce the above was written Messrs. Abbott have advertised
the nails alluded to in the Journal. You will kindly under-
stand this is not ' grinding an axe ' for our versatile friend ; he
does not sell nails, so kindly do not apply, but it was refreshing
to me to learn that such a good thing did not come lroin ' over
the pond. ' — A. E.
way back. I was not long, however, in discovering that
I had undertaken a more difficult task than I had antici-
pated, for in about ten minutes all traces of the path I
was following had vanished, nor could I see any of the
many branches which my guide had cut. My best
course would no doubt have been that of returning the
same way I had come, but somehow I thought I should
do it quicker by taking a short cut. Unfortunately,
whenever I thought I had a good path to guide me it
always disappeared, and I could see nothing but cacti
and other plants pointing thousands of their prickles
towards me. There were nothing but obstacles in the
way; sometimes it would be a cluster of shrubs into
which it would have been dangerous to enter or else an
impassable thickness of trees. One thing was, however,
evident, viz., that the more I travelled the farther 1
was getting from my starting-point.
At the end of an hour or so of running about loaded
with my bees, saw, axe, and other impedimenta, I began
to feel not only fatigued, but also experienced great in-
convenience through the strong smells which certain trees
threw off during the hot part of the day. In fact I
began to feel very anxious about the result of my excur-
sion, and began to think seiioushy of the consequences
which might follow from such a position as I was in. I
tried not to think of these dangers, but rather how best
I could overcome the difficulties with which I considered
myself surrounded, when all at once 1 found myself in
front of — what would you imagine ? The very tree I had
cut down an hour or so before in order to extract from it
my bees. Never was I more surprised, and it was witli
difficulty that I could believe my eyes. How is this ?
said I to myself. I have been travelling fast for the last
hour, and now I find myself where I started from.
Again I began to reflect on the situation I was in. The
prospect of having to wait, perhaps indefinitely, for my
guide in the midst of such surroundings was certainly
anything but encouraging. However, when I was on the
point of making a fresh start this time in another
direction, I had the agreeable surprise at hearing at a
distance my guide's voice. Vou can easily imagine how
pleased I was to see once more my companion, particu-
larly in view of the fact that a few minutes longer and
I would have set out in some other wrong direction. Be
this as it may, we were not long in finding ourselves out
of the wood, and where we found that the breakfast the
guide had prepared was ready for us.
As for the bees, every possible care was taken of them,
and before the day was over I had them safely placed in
a glass case in which they appeared to feel quite at horn",
and I trust that they will repay me for all the trouble I
have taken of them by imparting to me some of their
secrets. — E. Blondet, Barra {Brazil), December 28
1887. (Apiculteur of Paris.)
Ancient Bee-Keepers. — The following reference to
Westbury, Wiltshire, is translated from Domesday Book
(10813): — 'The king holds Westberie ; Queen Edith a
held it, and it piid geld for forty hides. The land is
forty-seven caruc.ites. In demesne are seventeen hides,
and there are seven carucates, twenty-eight serfs, an I
sixteen coliberts. There are thirty-eight villaus, twenty-
three borderers, and nine bee-keepers.'
Hoge's Honey Company. — I note in answer to cor-
respondence in Bee Journal of the 16th inst., that allusion
is made to the above Company, the question arising as to
what has become of them. A short time since (three
weeks) I saw tho following paragraph in a trade journal,
' A curiosity in bankruptcy is a first and final dividend of
'65 of a penny, which has just been announced by circular
to the creditors of Hoge's Honey Company. Final divi-
dends of a fractional amount have been frequently known,
but a first and final amount equal to only '21. lis. 2d. in
1000/.. is decidedly wonderful.' The above speaks for
itself.— VV. B. Webster.
March 8, 1888.J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
129
ferrespotTaenre.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn, on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Bocks for Review,
jfrc, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cfo Messrs, Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
Ac, must be addressed to Mr. J. Uuckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
%• fn order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige oy mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
ADULTERATED HONEY.
[1517.] In the Report of the New York Bee-keepers'
Convention, held at Utica, ' Anextraet from the American
Grocer was read, in which it was stated that in New
Jersey forty-two samples of bottled honey were analysed,
and it was ascertained that out of thirty-one samples put
up by packing houses, only six were pure. The samples
purchased of farmers, however, were all pure.
' Mr. Root said, " I fear there is a mistake about some
of those samples examined. The State Chemist of ( >hio
says that it is a difficult matter to tell where honey is
adulterated. Bees gather every variety of honey."
' Mr. Aspinwall said, " With the polariscope you can
detect the presence of five per cent of glucose. A point
in the article just read is, that the honey procured of
dealers was nearly all found to be adulterated, while
that purchased of bee-keepers was all pure. There is a
law against adulterating honey, and can we not induce
the State chemist to analyse honey sold on the market ? " '
It is only right that it should be well known by all in
England that American dealers continue to put up
adulterated honey for market, and that the only way to
obtain pure honey is by importing direct from the pro-
ducer, and save the profits of the dealers and middle-men,
or to purchase such only, whether English or not, that
bears a warranty of purity on the label. I am afraid
Mr. Iloge's experiences have not deterred others. — Joun
M. Hookeii, 7(3 Tyrwliitt Itoad, St. John's, S.E., March'ith.
THE NEW MONTHLY JOURNAL,
[1518.1 The first number of the British Bee-keepert'
Adoiser has come to hand, and although it contains
nothing that is not to be found in the weekly B. B. J.
yet I hail it with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
I have been wanting to see a journal that the cottager
could afford to buy and keep in his own possession, so
that he could con over its contents evening by evening
by his own fireside, and read and re-read its pages over
and over again, until he had mastered the facts that so
many pages of printed matter have to speak about.
The circulation of the B. B. J. amongst members of
County Associations was a good thing in its way, but it
was, and is often, very aggravating to people of limited
acquaintance with literary learning. The hackneyed
expression of ' limited education ' I purposely avoid,
because it is erroneous. Put clerks to care for sheep,
and how about their education ? or take book-worms,
and set them to plough land, and ' Hodge ' would soon
get the laugh of them ; and so on all round society. That
assembly of ' the first gentlemen in Europe ' would fare
rather badly if transported to a desert island and left to
their own resources. We have all some kind of ' educa-
tion,' even if we cannot distinguish a great A from a
duck's track. This is digression. Two evenings after
supper is not sufficient time for a cottager to master the
contents of the Journal, especially if he has to be in bed
in time to give his body sufficient rest to enable him to
be out again at 5 a.m., consequently I have always
advocated a cheap journal that all could buy and keep
by them. I have a letter I value greatly, written only a
few days before the lamented death of Mr. Peel, wherein
he expressed a hope ' to be able to arrange it very soon.'
The good time has come at last, but it has been the work
of others to bring it about.
Many would have wished to see the B. B. J. reduced
to a penny per week, but that would entail a serious
loss, and after due reflection I feel certain of the
wisdom of the present arrangement. Wo sometimes
complain about our Journal when full of reports of
Associations, &c., but remembering its position as the
organ of the B. B. K. A., as well as an exponent of
practical and scientific bee-keeping, I fail to see where an
alteration could be made that would be an improvement.
Unlike bee-keeping in other countries, in this kingdom
it stands on a philanthropic and scientific, as well as a
commercial basis. Hundreds of subscribers to our Asso-
ciation and its affiliated branches only do so on the two
first of the three considerations enumerated above.
While that is so the B. B. J. must cater for these two
aspects of apiculture equally as much as for honey-
getters. Having no knowledge of foreign languages, I
can only speak personally of those published in the
English language ; and after seeing most, if not all, of the
trans-Atlantic bee-papers, I am sure we may all be proud
of our Journal as standing second to none. Across the
Atlantic tlie complaint is that the 'honey-growers' get
too much attention ; with us it frequently is the reverse,
but our new Journal will obviate this. The cottager has
now an ' At/riser ' that is all ' advice.' My only fear is
that he does not find it too dry reading. Cannot
arrangements be made that county Secretaries may get
local matter printed on one of the fly-sheets at a little
cost on the model of the various parish magazines ?
In a private communication to myself, Mr. Cowan,
the esteemed editor and proprietor, told me of his de-
cuion to publish the Adoiser on March 1st, adding it
was his wish that the cottager should make it purely his
own journal, writing his thoughts in his own language,
and never fearing if the ideas were put in language not
grammatical or badly spelt — the sub-editor would correct
all that. But if the working bee-keepers of England,
Scotland, and Ireland, did not get well served, it should
be no fault of his, as he (Mr. Cowan) was prepared to
make it whatever they chose (except a bear-garden of
course, although he did not say so).
I have been induced to make these remarks that all
may feel perfect freedom in getting as much benefit as
possible from the new Journal; as well as in fairness to
Mr. Cowan, whose otdy desire in this new venture is to
advance bee-keeping as a healthy and profitable pursuit,
which he, equally with myself, feels is calculated,
especially amongst the rural population, to be a counter
influence to the beer-shop. May he not be disappointed
is the earnest desire of — Amateuh Expbbt,
IN THE HUT.
' About his shelves,
A beggarly account of empty boxes.'
Romeo and Juliet.
[1510.] Empty feeders, sections, and hives on all
sides, waiting for spring. This is just, the time to prepare
for the season which will soon be on us at a bound.
Nailing frames together, painting spare hives, and fitting
foundation into sections, should be no longer delayed now
the evenings are long, for, in another fortnight or so, all
our leisure time will be filled up by spring examinations
should the thermometer give us 50" to 60° in the shade
at noon.
An opportunity like this, a fortnight ago, enabled a
Huttite to examine a dozen hives. In all but one there
was plenty of sealed brood, and young b«es were seen
130
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 8, 1888.
emerging from their cells. (These young bees, I fear,
will come badly off in the present ' blizzard.' To parody
Mark Twain, I don"t know exactly what a 'blizzard' is,
but that's what this storm is.) Where the bees seemed
to need it, a frame of food was removed from the back,
quite to the side of the brood-nest. This was done with
little or no disturbance, and, of course, without smoke.
Had the warm weather continued, empty combs would
have been removed, and the hives contracted by the
dummy. Here, in the garden of the Hut, I am on
principle leaving hives severely alone, until, say, the
middle of March. At times I am sorety tempted to
examine the contents of a thin-walled hive, which loses
a hundred or so bees, dropped off the combs every time
we have a cold snap. They are wintered under American
cloth, shiny side down, plenty of quilts, doorway left full
width and shaded from sun when snow is on the ground.
Live or die, I shall not disturb them yet, for bitter
experience has taught me that more harm results from
early meddling than from a policy of ' lames alley,' in
spite of the forenamed successful examination.
'Malta' (l-ti'4) fancies orange-blossom and karob-
bloom make his less vicious. This is fact. If he will
experiment with a piece of orange or lemon peel, or go
(or, worse still, allow the children to play) near hives
after eating oranges, he will be confirmed iu his opinion.
The stigma of orange-blossom (part of the future fruit)
smells exactly like the essential flavour secreted in the
cells of the ripe fruit rind. "With us, the smell and
taste of heather nectar make docile bees veritable
demons; they positively hiss at us; and a fox-terrier
puppy, brought one Sabbath morn to look at our hives
on the moors, knows tliis now. His owner put a veil
on himself, but in a few minutes a disconsolate man,
with a much bee-stung dog under his arm, was seen
wending his way homewards, for the dog was well-bred,
and much prized withal.
The karob (carob, karoub) is only known in this
country by its fruit, the locust-bean, or St. John's bread,
erroneously supposed to have been, along with wild
honey, the food of St. John Baptist in the wilderness.
The seed of the carob (Ceratonia Silitjua) is said to
have originated the jeweller's carat weight. I can well
imagine the peculiar smell of carob, a sickly sweet, being
irritating to bees.
The Coming Bee. When the specialist requires to
impart the qualities of any particular variety to what we
may call his stock strain, a short way to do this would be
by working a virgin queen for his drones.
The following is a good linctus for cough, sore throat,
&c. : — Add to the juice of a lemon the same quantity of
honey. A sip occasionally. Some would prefer equal
quantities of whisky, or rum, and honey; whilst others,
oh, shade of Sir Wilfrid ! might prefer a wine-glassful
of Athol bmse, the recipe for which I got near Blair
Athol: — Equal parts of Scotch whisky, honey, and cream,
The scarcity of cream may act as a check upon the
consumption of this ' awf u' guid' mixture. Speaking of
consumption, I can fancy nothing better for the early (aye,
and later) stages of this disease than a tablespoonful of
Athol brose first thing in the morning. Ask your
doctor about it, for the profession are recommending
again the old-fashioned dose of rum and honey. —
X-Tbactoii.
VIRGIN QUEENS.— CONSANGUINITY.
[1520.] It has given me a considerable amount of
gratification to find that the above subject, which was in-
troduced into these columns simultaneously by the writer
of ' Useful Hints ' and myself, has elicited some amount
of discussion from one or two readers of this Journal,
who, as a rule, I think, hide their knowledge just a little
too much under a bushel. I must also thank those bee-
keepers who have written me privately, in each case
falling into my views.
In my last communication, I observed that the above
subject was well worthy the consideration of every
apiarist, and I think there are but few advanced bee-
keepers who would gainsay this assertion ; but those
who differ from any of the arguments or theories would
do well to exercise just a little charity. No new theory
cau be advanced but that there are some who impute
motives to the advancers. Perhaps, it would be as well
if such writers would hang in a conspicuous position over
their desks that salutary proverb, ' Those who in
amicable controversy impute ulterior motives to their
adversaries neglect the first laws of friendly discussion.'
I find that a knowledge of this often tones down what
otherwise might be a alight slip over the boundary
which separates the kindly spirit from that of un-
charitableness.
I have to thank Mr. Sharpe for bis kindly remarks
upon these articles, and with him agree that the intro-
duction of virgin queens promiscuously into an apiary is
not the right way of producing the 'coming bee.' But
where is it ? ILis it come ? When is it coming ? The
production of this rara avis (apis) is yet to be accom-
plished. It has puzzled fur some years the queen-
rearers of America, where queen-rearing has become a
business of a magnitude hardly credible to the un-
initiated. What are we to do iu the interim before the
advent of this phenomenon ? The production of fhis
will have to be left to the specialist, and while lie is
busily engaged in producing this prodigy, let us obtain
the best results from the materials now laid before us. .
Let us study how to obtain the best results at a
minimum of cost. Even if we increase the yield of one
colony by half a pound of honey we have attained a
success; we have succeeded in producing that which
otherwise would have been lost to us.
In reply to Mr. Sharpe's query. It is absolutely im-
perative in order to be quite certain of the true fertili-
sation of every queen, no drones of another variety must
be allowed to fly from a hive even more than two miles
away ; at this distance cross-fertilisation will frequently
take place. The Kohler method is the only one where,
iu an apiary surrounded by other hives, true fertilisation
can be accomplished with anything like a certainty, Of
course if you have queens and drones before any one else
in the neighbourhood has reared drones you will obtain
the desired result.
I will now proceed to answer the letter of Mr. W.
Woodley. In the first paragraph he calls attention to
the qualities of the English nation as eaters of boot-
uppers when pressed with hunger, of their prowess, of
their endurance, and, I may add, of their indomitable
perseverance and pluck ! Yes, all this 1 own, but did it
never strike Mr. Woodley that the Englishman of the
present day is not a true descendant of the Ancient
Britons but a mongrel P (Patriots, spare the simile.) To
form the Englishman, Saxons, Norsemen, Normans,
Romans, Ac, have been called into requisition, and so
have produced the Englishman with his superlative gifts.
(Excuse this patriotism.) I say most emphatically that
bees when crossed with some selected foreign variety
(Italian) are considerably improved in their honey-
gathering qualities, and I challenge any reader after
examining the numbers of tabulated records of honey
yields in this Journal to prove the contrary. I exclude
all apiaries above o4° north latitude. Is Mr. Woodley's
experience of crossing his bees with Ligurians so exten-
sive that makes him so positive ? Methinks I have heard
him say that his bees should never be crossed with other
varieties if he could help it; this occurred some few years
ago, and I know he very recently expressed the same
opinion.
By Mr. W.'s arguments he would wish one to assume
that there is no such condition of things as consanguinity,
and that if so it has no perceptible effect upon the offspring.
I am glad that its effects have never been presented to
March 8, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
131
his eyesight. I can look around ami see its effects in all
directions where living things have been brought within
its influence.
We do not live in a state of nature. Our cultivated
beasts and birds do not live in a state of nature. Our
plants are the same, and so are our bees. Man has
moulded them to his wishes, or gathered them together
in abnormal quantities, thus bringing them to a condition
that they may be of greater use and service to him. I
ask the questions, Would they have been of such utility
to him if he had allowed them to take their own course
and live in a state of nature? Would our cows, our
sheep, our fowls, our bees, our trees, bushes, and plants
produce what they do if they had been allowed to revel
in a state of nature? How have they been improved?
Has no foreign variety been imported to improve their
condition? Has no foreign variety of tree or plant
been imported to improve and has improved our own?
How have our hue- wooled .sheep been produced? How
our fleet horses ? How our large egg-pr.iducing fowls ?
How our luscious fruit ? Should we be satisfied now
with the crab-apple, the wild pear, the wild cherry, or
wild strawberry and raspberry? In improvements
pleasing to the eye, How have our fancy pigeons been
produced ? How our useful or pretty dogs, cats, rabbits?
Why, each and all of these have been produced by a
judicious crossing of varieties — in every ca-e of foreign
varieties. Why, then, should not we do the same with
our bees? Are we to remain in statu quo, and thus
lest satisfied with what they hare produced, or are we
to advance as other stock-keepers have advanced before
us, and endeavour to improve the present stocks? Nature
is sufficiently plastic that it can be moulded into almost
any form. An all-wise Providence has planted reasoning
power in man's brain giving him the faculty to mould
His gifts to any shape better suited to man's purposes.
In the third paragraph of Mr. Woodley's letter, he
writes, ' May I ask whence Mr. Webster gets his deduc-
tions that man begins to succumb to the baleful effects
of consanguinity in the second generation? ' I have so
asserted it, and will go further by telling him that such
commences to take place directly the influence is brought
to bear upon the subject, though perhaps not apparent
to a superficial observer. I cannot find time to limit up
all authorities, but from Aristotle to the last work on
physiology may be citi '1 as authorities in support of this
fact — quod semper, quod ubique, quod ab omnibus, ipse
dixit.
I observed in my article that total annihilation of a
colony of bees by consanguinity could not possibly take
place in England; quoting my first article, ' Iu what
county in England can we go at the present time where
it can be guaranteed that there are not colonies of bees
within two or three miles of any position we like to take
in that county ? I venture to say there is not one.' Did
Mr. Woodley examine the roofs, chimneys, and walls, of
all houses, cottages, barns, and other outhouses, or all
hollow trees within six miles each way of the cottagers'
houses where the bees were kept, in order to satisfy
himself of a definite case of consanguinity ? Because if
he did not the example is of no use, it collapses and falls
to the ground. At this time of the year such an ex-
amination for vagrant stocks would be impossible, so
that it, must collapse. Will he assert that no absconding
swarm has come nearer than six miles of these cottages
during the last three g nerations, which, computing at
thirty years for each, would make ninety years?
By what means does a cottager not conversant with the
physiology of the bee deduce bis theory (it must be very
much of a theory) that it is the same strain quite un-
tainted with any other that he has possession of now ?
Can he follow the mating of all his queens for ninety
years? Impossible. In point of fact, the average
cottager knows nothing at all about it, and even the
majority of enlightened bee-keepers have only become
somewhat educated upon this subject during the last
decade. In my example the stocks had gradually lost
their prolificness ; there was no disease; no other cause
discoverable; therefore, as most of us know what con-
sanguinity will produce, I, as any reasonable, person
would do under a similar circumstance, laid the damage
at the door of it, especially as the surrounding country
favoured such an idea. If the stocks had been in a
flouiishing condition I should have known that succes-
sive cases of consangunity had not taken place.
Deterioration of colonies will be the result of in-and-in
breeding; therefore let us remove all chances of such
taking place, bearing in mind the fact that cross-bred
stock, be it animal or vegetable, is in all cases constitu-
tionally stronger than pedigree stock where the latter, as
is usually the case, has been in-bred.
'A Cottage Amateur' has never tried keeping a frame
of eggs away from a stock for forty-eight hours, even in
a July temperature, or he would know that it would be
equivalent to keeping a hen off her egg< for forty-eight
hours aud then expect them to hatch. — \V. B. Webstbe.
MALAGASY IK HSEY-BEE.
[ 1621.] I do not know if it will interest any of your
readers to have a few notes taken by me on the Malagasy
honey-bee ( Apis unicolof). I have now kept this bee for
a .short time. My first two swarms proved queenless,
and as 1 had no means of supplying them with a new
queen, or young brood, it is needless to say 1 lost them.
They, however, taught me that fertile workers are not
uncommon in this bee, and that they behave in the
same way as queenless hives of Apis communis, building
drone-comb, keeping their drones, &c. They at last were
found out by the wild bees in a wood at least three miles
distant, and robbed mercilessly. This shows that they
wander a long way in search of food; in fact, when
one looks at the country round about, so bleak and
bare, only one or two small woods and absolute desert
in between, one cannot help wondering from where the
honey comes. Even in the, forest, their natural abode,
flowers are very scarce indeed ; but I suppose the tropical
flowers yield more honey. Some people have an idea
that a tropical forest is a mass of strong-scented
fl iweis, but one may go miles and miles without seeing
even one flower ; what there are, however, are most
beautiful.
The bees when robbed fought well, and although daily
growing weaker defended themselves to the end, fighting
manfully, but of course to no purpose ; the wax-moth
finished off what the robbers left, and that was the
end of my first two attempts. The next swarm I
managed to obtain was in an earthen pot, it had to be
brought a long day's journey slung on a pole between
two men, hut I would not have it moved till there
was young brood, and so being sure of a queen, and, if
she were killed in the moving, of means of replacing
h t. They arrived in a wretched condition, very many
killed and some of the combs fallen in, but they set to
work at once and soon put all right, and in a day or
two I had proof of the queen's survival. This en-
couraged me to move a second and stronger lot, also
in an earthen pot. I was not so successful, however, for
the men sent to fetch it carried it upside down, and
when it arrived the pot, too, was broken, the dead bees
lying in masses, and the combs all fallen but two. I
placed the hive and mended the holes with clay.
For the first week they did nothing, or little, but put
it straight, carrying out the dead, and building new
combs from the spilt hone}'. A week afterwards I
removed the remnants of broken comb ; and in another
week they had built five new combs, varying from a foot
to six inches in length. How the queen survived I can-
not imagine. The queen must be a very prolific one, as
I moved three of the largest brood-combs that were not
132
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 8, 1888.
much injured into another weak hive, but notwithstand-
ing they picked up their numbers very quickly. I have
not yet moved them into bar-frame hives, but left them
in the pots until next spring, when I shall move them.
These pots are of rough earthenware of about one foot
and a half in diameter, and nearly spherical, with wide
lips turned back. Over the mouth they place a clay
cooking -pot with holes bored in the bottom and the
edges plastered with cow-dung. This is not the most
common hive, which is a hollow tree trunk with a block
at each end. These latter are more easily manipulated,
as by blowing smoke in at one end you can drive the
bees to the other and cut the combs. The natives near
the forest have a fair knowledge of bees, but how much
they understand of the habits of the queen I do not yet
know, but as I shall soon be visiting the forest I mean
to find out their waj- of bee-keeping. I should have done
this sooner only I am some way from any bee-keeping
village, and on my last visit I could not speak the
language sufficiently well for the purpose. They smoke
their b<"es when they take the combs, but only slightly,
and never kill any if they can help it ; and as they always
take the nearest combs to each end of the trunk they
seldom destroy much brood. Their time for taking the
honey is in early spring, so that the bees may have
sufficient in winter, and they know how to make an
artificial swarm, and being great cheats they usually sell
such queenless, so as not to spoil trade. Natives away
from the forest know nothing about them, and are con-
sequently taken in.
I think I mentioned in my last letter that the wild
bee often builds its combs exposed. I have seen one like
that, but I believe if they can find a cover they invariably
prefer it. ltocks are a favourite resort. On the coast,
where the natives bury their dead in wooden coffins
exposed to the air, the bees often take possession. On one
occasion a part of the coffin had fallen in, and the combs
might easily be seen tilling the ribs; and, by the way,
the bees were entering the skull ; I expect it was used
as a ' super.' Nothing could be better than ribs for a
ready-made foundation. These, of course, were the wild
bees, and the natives, I have been told, do not like the
honey, but sell it at a distance.
It is a curious fact that my bees refuse all the flowers
in my garden. Most are European flowers, and almost
all uuindigenous, but one would suppose such flowers as
beans, verbena, maurandia, different kinds of jasmine,
when growing close to the hive, would be at least once
visited, but they go straight away a long way off; where
I do not know, unless it is to the wood mentioned above.
However, wherever it is, there is a great deal of honey,
as the flow never seems to lessen. I have often counted
the bees leaving the hive, and the average in the middle
of the day is eighty per minute leaving, and, of course, as
many entering ; and, as far as I at present know, they are
away from quarter of an hour to five-and-twenty minutes,
but I cannot state this for certain until I have made
further observations.
How the Malagasy bee would succeed in England I
cannot say, but as far as I at present know it is prolific,
hardy, hold, and very quiet, allowing itself to be freely
handled even by strangers, and seldom stings. — C. P.
Cory, St. Paul's College, Ambaloharanana, Madagascar,
Januarg 23rd.
GRANULATED HONEY: IS IT SUITABLE
FOOD FOK BEES ?
[1522.] I beg to say I keep a few stocks of bees, and
am fond of them, and try to study their welfare. I am
a reader about bees, and get your Journal for my guide
to their management, and generally I find what I want
in the way of advice. Now I have some comb honey
which has become candied, and I had thought of feeding
my bees with it, to save trouble and expense of making
food specially ; but I was a bit bothered and felt sorry
when I read in ' Useful Hints' on page 60 in February 2
Journal: ' Then comes the question, Is granulated honey
suitable food for bees ? The answer must be, No.' Now
in Journal for February 23, page 10'J, in answer to ' D. M.'
I read, ' You are not of opinion that candied or granu-
lated honey is injurious to bees;' with these two such
opposite statements before me I am more bothered than
before, not knowing which to take as the safest and best.
I should be glad if you will give space for this in your
next issue, it might be the means of bringing out the
opinions of other leading bee-keepers who may have had
experience in the use of candied or granulated honey for
feeding bees, and so assist those in doubt, as also yours, —
Inquires.
[The paragraph to which you refer in ' Useful Hints '
has reference to ' cold slabs ' of hard granulated honey in
the outside combs of a hive, of which the bees can make
no use and which we advised should be removed. On
such combs, as we stated, we have often known bees to
perish, from inability to assimilate such food. Moreover,
we have often known bees to take dysentery from feeding
on partially granulated comb honey, the liquid portion
having become acid, as often is the case. When honey
is extracted, and granulates a few days afterwards in the
jars, from the air introduced in the process of ex-
traction, there can be no doubt that such honey, when
reduced to fluidity, is the bjst of food for bees. Hut it
is very different from the granulated honey of which we
spoke in the passage to which you refer. We shall be
glad if our readers will give their views on this point. —
Editor of ' Useful Hints.']
PAINTING THE INSIDE OF IHVES.
[1523. J Last year I painted the inside of one of my
hives, after reading Mr. Lett's letter. The first differ-
ence I noticed was in scraping the floor-board in the
autumn ; it was so dry and clean, and was so easy to
scrape. I wintered the hive with en imelled quilt, leaving
no ante-room between the front dummy and front of
hive, but putting between them a frame tilled with cork-
dust. I did this because I feared the very thing that
happened to Mr. Adcock's hives, viz., that the ante-room
would become cold, as the bees could not keep it warm,
and consequently, on a sudden lise of temperature the
moisture would condense in it.
My hive kept perfectly dry through the winter until
about the 12th ultimo, when I noticed a pool of water
under the front dummies, at the east side of the entrance
— i.e., at the side at which the warm air escapes from
the hive. The weather was then frosty, with N.E.
wind. 1 think it was owing to breeding going on in the
hive, and the entrance having been left the full width of
about eight inches, instead of being reduced in February,
as advised by Mr. Simmins.
I took out the water with blotting-paper, raised the
hive a little more at the back, and closed the entrance to
two and a half inches. The reduced entrance has since
been only slightly damp though, but there is still a little
wet behind the door slides. When I reduced the entrance
I put in a stick to rake out dead bees, but only found one.
I also did this several times during the winter, but alto-
gether I have not found more than six dead bees, which
1 attribute principally to having packed the floor-board
with cork-dust. Surely bees must get chilled on a thin
floor-hoard mounted on legs from the cold striking
through it. If the hive is without legs, the ground, of
course, keeps the floor-board warm.
I was very much interested in Mr. Adcock's letter, as
it is strictly in accordance with what I said in writing
on ' Upward Ventilation ' in the Journal of 18S6, p. 179.
I gave the bees a sugar-cake to-day over the feed-
hole, and I saw no signs of damp. — T. F. L., March 4tA.
March 8, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
133
RAILWAY KATES.
[1524.] "Who amongst bee-keepers but is aware how
heavily the railway rates for honey have told somewhat
to the detriment of the industry ? Under most circum-
stances honey, whether extracted or in comb, has been
charged by the various railways under Class IV., as the
wording of their classification was somewhat as follows :
Honey in tins packed in wooden cases to be charged
under Class III. Honey in jars or otherwise packed,
Class IV.
I have for some time past been trying to get the rates
lowered, and have explained to the different officials that
extracted honey packed in strong cans should invariably
come under Class III. Bee-keepers will, I doubt not, be
glad to hear the result of my endeavours.
The G. W. R. last month issued a memorandum to all
their stations, that, in future, honey in bottles packed
in boxes and sections sent in spring crates to be charged
by goods train under Class III. And further, they have
under consideration the idea of allowing extracted honey
in cans to come under Class II. (the rate charged for
milk in cans) ; and I have every hope of this being ac-
ceded to ere the honey season commences. They pro-
pose to bring the subject under the notice of the goods
managers of other lines in connexion with the G. W. R.
But in order to be successful, I must have the assistance
of others applying to their respective lines ; and I feel
confident, with a little perseverance, we shall obtain our
wish.
Bee-keepers, who have been sending away large quan-
tities of honey, I ask to keep the ball rolling in their
various districts, and in a short time apiarians through-
out the British Isles will be able to reap the same
benefits. — Wit N. Griffin.
REMINISCENCES OF AN UNCERTIFICATED
BEE-KEEPER.
[1526.] In the year 1870 I first had my attention
called to bee-keeping, and I have not forgotten that time
and the many muddles I got into. My employer had a
few bar-frame hives, also a few skeps, given him by his
brother witli other bee-furniture. Now neither he nor I
understood bees, but after reading a little and asking a
few questions we commenced to do our best. We
thought it would be desirable to get a straw skeppist to
give us a lesson on hiving. We had not to wait long
before out came a swarm, which settled on the end of a
high tree. Of course, as in duty bound, I rang them
with door-key and shovel. When the bees settled I
went for my friend to hive them for us, but he being
from home 1 had to return without him. I just arrived
in time to see the swarm take wing across a red-clover
field. We followed them all the time sounding the
timbrel, but I found, charm I never so wisely, that they
would not settle, and they were soon lost to my sight.
After this I determined to try to hive the next swarm
myself. I had not long to wait before out came another
lot, which settled up in a yew-tree. I donned the bee-
dress, a thing like a sack with sleeves in a piece of gauze
that covered the eyes. I now, armed in my coat of
mail, hailed a man in a field close by, of whom I was told
that either his mother or grandmother did keep or had
kept bees. So, of course, I expected him to know some-
thing about the process. Well, he pronounced me all right.
So I mounted the ladder, skep in hand. I commenced
to shake the tree and the bees all over myself and the
skep; and didn't I shake too, expecting every minute
to be stung ! But by some means I undoubtedly got the
queen, for in a very short time all were safe. This lot I
did not ring, as I could not see the reason of it, but a
friend of mine took me to task over this. He main-
tained the bees had a certain music of their own, and the
ringing; caused certain vibrations in the air and confused
the bees and made them settle. He said he had a gong
made for the purpose of ringing down his bees.
Well, the time came to take/ the honey, so my employer
and I held a council of war as to how we were to proceed.
We had read about smoke, but how it was to be applied
we knew not. However, we rolled up some brown
paper like a huge cigar, lighted it, and attempted to
blow in the smoke between the hive and the super, after
raising the super with a screw-driver ; but I don't think
we got a whiff into the hive. Then and there they
commenced a fierce battle. One bee landed a sting on
the bridge of my nose. I retired, and on looking up
saw my employer in full retreat with the enemy furi-
ously pursuing with fixed bayonets. He pulled off his
coat and cut some curious capers ; he was soon lost to
my sight. I made my way round to the kitchen. I
was told that salad-oil, vinegar and soda, also the blue-
bag, were ail good things. 1 tried the lot, but my poor
face enlarged so that I looked as though I had neuralgia ;
and what with blue and oil I had a very comical appear-
ance, but in the morning my appearance was that of a
fat pig.
Oh, if that cook had let things alone we might have
b^en saved a deal of trouble, as it appears that amongst
the gifts of my employer's brother was a smoker, one of
those 3'ou blow with your mouth, until your lips are very
much swollen, and eyes the appearance of your having
ophthalmia. This article the cook claimed as having
ioine connexion with a sausage-machine. Five or six
years after when lighting my new smoker she told inn
she had a thing like that in the kitchen, but she could
never make it do its work properly, so she had to put it
aside. This I examined, and found the name of ' George
Neighbour & Sons' on it.
After this I read everything I could about bees, Lattg-
stroth amongst the rest. Thinking I knew something
about bees more than I did previously, 1 volunteered to
drive some for a friend, He thought very highly of
my abilities. 1, armed with my smoker and veil, went
to work. After I h .d given a few whiffs to the
bees I turned them up, carried them on to a gravel path
(my friend the meantime standing behind a bush). After
pinning on my top hive (for open driving) 1 commenced
to drum and the bees to sting. Now 1 had on a very
thin pair of trousers, and, stooping down, gave the bees
a line chance to sting my legs, and sting they did, but I
didn't t > -11 my friend, or he might have thought less of
my abilities. After this 1 thought over the matter to
see where I was wrong, and soon succeeded beyond my
expectation.
About this time a certain County Association held its
show. This nearly sent some of my neighbours off their
heads. What with '2$. Gd. a lb. for honey, and one hive
yielding IK) to 10 J lbs., as the man in the bee lent told
them, set everyone on fire, and I, too, caught the fever.
Every night after a hard day's work I went to some
meetiug, to the loss and neglect of my own bees. One
of my new pupils, seeing how much my time was occu-
pied, thought he would try and manipulate himself.
lie had seen me use my pipe to smoke his bees, and he
thought he could do the same. He had been a non-
smoker, and his system not being charged with the
narcotic, told on his brain. He had to leave the hive as
it was, but before he could get far he reeled, and the
ground met him before he thought of it. He again tried
to walk, and managed to get into the greenhouse and lay
on the stuge. A friend just dropped in, and with a
great deal of telling believed his story at last. (This was
rather a curious predicament, for being a total abstainer
his friend seemed to doubt his word.)
I now gave lessons to a clergyman. He, of course,
took to it quickly, and thought he knew all about it, so
he found amongst hisftockan old straw-skeppist, a regular
brimstoner, whom he persuaded to let him drive his
bees. The night being fixed, we went. He was boiling
134
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 8, 1888.
over with enthusiasm. The old man said he knew he
could not do it. It was no use me trying to tell his
reverence anything, so to work he went, and before he
was ready first his veil was badly fitted, then honey all
sealed over bees had not time to gorge before he turned
up the hive, and the bees went at him left and right.
Now see his reverence cut some capers, first under this
bush, now under that ; at last he made across the old
man's potatoes, over the carrot-bed, through the pea-
row,' over the gooseberry-bushes, round the house, the
old man chuckling, 'They've got ye, they've got ye! I
told you he could not do it.' And I still remain —
Uncebtificated.
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES.— SECTIONS.
[1526.] I was very much surprised to read the letter
to Mr. Chambers (1468), f c r I, too, have been experi-
menting with a grooved section, but not with the same
object ; my object being to gain time. I found it rather
awkward at first to slide the foundation in while folding
the section, but having made a wooden block for this
purpose I found it the most expeditious way of pre-
paring sections for the crate. The sections are always
true, the foundation always firm, and the process "is
simplicity itself.
I have enclosed a sketch showing how the section
is pushed into the grooves, and how (both hands bein<*
free) the foundation is placed in the grooves of the
section.
The plan of the block (which is screwed to the bench
or table) is thus —
Half full size plau.
I use 4}" x A\" x 2" sections, and cut the foundation
exactly £" larger than the inside measurement, having a
zinc template for this purpose.
I hope there are no patent rights here involved. I
have no recollection of seeing anything of the kind
before, but as I get many ideas from the Journal I
venture to give this in the hope that it may lead to im-
provements in the system. — Thos. F. Ward.
CROSS BEARINGS FOR SKEP HIVES.
[1527.] As supports for the comb in skep hives I
would suggest that smooth round rods of some strong
durable timber, such as oak, teak, or ebony, might be
used ;_ one end being allowed to project a little outside
the hive, the interior portion to pass through as many
short uniform lengths of hollow cane or elder as will
cover the entire length from one side of the hive to the
other.
The object of the loose covering being to prevent any
attachment by the bees, so that when any one wishes
to remove the combs they would be able to withdraw
the rods from the out.-ide and take out the combs one
at a time unbroken ; and a skilful operator would probably
be able to leave the brood-combs in the hive uninjured,
and replace the rods and ferrules and return the bees to
the hive.
And if no objection could be found against steel
skewers on account of loose specks of rust soiling the
combs during the process of removal, or on account of
their injuriously affecting the temperature of the hive,
they would be more convenient for the purpose than
wood, the interior portion being, of course, covered with
loose ferrules as stated.
This is a recent idea that I have not yet myself tried,
and simply offer it for the consideration of bee-keepers,
with the hope that they will be able to work it out to
their mutual advantage. — S. C. K.
ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF BEES IN SPRING.
{From the German of Adalbert Beaun.]
Hark ! what is so gaily humming
In the little garden there ?
Hark ! what is so briskly whizzing
Through the still and silent air r
Friend, it is our bees — the darlings —
Now enliven'd by the spring :
Yes, the winter is departed,
And once more they're on the wing.
Happy he, who winter's perils
All his stocks brings safely through ;
Thank Him, of all good the Giver —
Faithful \\'atchman He, and true.
Of my own are none departed,
All as yet unhurt remain ;
Though no longer rich in honey,
Yet is spring returned again !
Come, and let us view them nearer —
Enter by the garden gate ; —
So — stand still and watch their doings
Light your pipe, and patient wait.
See how busily they traverse
To their pasturage and back,
That they may by toil unwearied
Save the commonwealth from wreck.
Look, oh look, what loads of pollen,
Bring they in with heedful care.
Nurslings, fear not; for your cravings
Here's sufficient and to spare.
How they dart and how they hurtle
Through the genial balmy air !
To the mountains — to the meadows —
'Tis the scent attracts them there !
There they dexterously rifle
Nectar from each flower in bloom.
Toil they for our honey harvest,
For us fill the hone3-room.
Yes, our bees, our darling darlings,
We salute you all to-day;
For your life is our enjoyment —
Winter's sleep has passed away.
Grant prosperity, O Heaven !
To the new-born honey-year —
Give Thy favour — give Thy blessing —
To these objects of our care.
Now let each attentive guardian
In devoted service strive
For the proud, the matron-monarch —
Sovereign of the honey-bee.
So that we may learn by watching
Who that in the noon-tide glance ;
Or in midnight's darkest moments,
Summon her to Hymen's dance.*
Ev'ry bee-hive calls for patience,
Whilst great Hali.ee's lessons teach
Without patience Nature's secrets
None successfully can reach.
— T, W. Woodbtjby, Mount. Radford, Exeter. (1862.)
(£rjj0*s from % jjitas.
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington, February 27th, —
Well we have had winter this last fortnight and no
mistake. Drifting, blinding snow nearly every day, and
very severe frosts at night ; hives all had to be shaded,
* This point cannot now be considered doubtful, but it muat
be remembered that Herr Braun's verses were written many
years ago
March 8, 1888/
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
135
so as to keep the bees in as far as possible, as when
there was a bit of sunshine the glare was so great as to
fetch many out to their destruction. I am glad I
qualified my last Echo with passing the winter ' so far.'
Some of our roads had to be cut through six feet of
snow for passage-ways ; it is not yet over. — John
Walton.
Stoke, Devonport, February 2Sth. — A beautiful, sum-
mer-like day, after a fortnight's frosts. Bees thoroughly
enjoying it. My three stocks have each been carrying
in pollen — viz., two with right-angled frames were
fanning from noon until 3 p.m. ; one with parallel
frames (last year's artificial swarm ) very active, but not
fanning. Each was fed up to October 25th, and has
now a first candy cake over the feed-hole. My small
garden is only seven yards square, surrounded by a seven-
foot wall ; hives on south side of north wall. — J. F. R. A.
North Leicestershire, March 3rd. — Snow, snow, snow,
and nothing else but snow; wreaths three to four feet
deep in front of hives. Bees flying out during gleams
of sunshine, to fall and perish in the snow. All stocks
alive, and ' choke full ' of bees from corner to corner.
Oh, for a mild day, to give them a ' slush ' of syrup.
— E. B.
Limerick, February 20//j. — Perhaps, your English bee-
keepers might like to hear a little more of their afflicted
brothers over here, though I cannot complain, as I
averaged 74 lbs. per hive last season, about 10 lbs. of
that being extracted, and increased my stocks to twenty-
six. Early in August I divided my twelve hives, and
gave a young queen to each half hive, fed up, and got
them to work out frames. In the end of same month I
gave each a driven swarm, and made up two hives out
of five swarms, put them on stored comb, and fed up well
with about 4 cwt. of sugar, which gave me late brood.
All the hives were closed up at the end of Septi'inber.
On looking at them last week, I found all in good con-
dition and plenty of food. Some of the straw hives
I bought weighed up to 66 lbs. of maiden honey, the
combs being up to three inches thick. I worked on non-
swarming system, and used lf-in. sections, unless about
fifty 2-in. I could dispose freely of the former at a good
price, whereas the latter did not find a ready market.
The lj-in. have such a complete appearance, especially
the open-sided, when well worked out. I find they
travel just as well, but require careful handling in
removal from crate. I send mine about one hundred
miles to market, and have no breakdown. I use spring
crates, home-made. The position of the bar-frame is a
subject bee-keepers seem not to agree on. Why not use
a hive such as ' The Cowan,' with moveable lift for
frames? Have the outside case 19 in. square inside; it
leaves plenty of room for packing, and you have a cool
hive in summer. The frames can be put either parallel
or at right angles to the entrance, which is a great
advantage over any other make. Some of my neigh-
bours feed their bees on roast sparrows. They certainly
pick the bones clean, and owners say they get a gloss. I
trust I have not trespassed too much on your valuable
space. — Alba.
Belmont, Ontario, Canada, February 14th. — The
weather is very steady, too much so for outdoor winter-
ing. In most places bees have not had a fly since
November, but so far they appear to be in good con-
dition. If stores are good, and bees have one good fly
in midwinter, and other conditions are properly attended
to, their safety is assured, though they should not have
another until April.— S. T. Pettit.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
S. J. O. — 1. Moving Bees into Clean Hives should not
be done except on a mild, genial day when bees are
freely on the wing ; say, quite the end of March or
during April. In this matter hurry slouiy. 2. Use of
Excluder on top of Brood-nest— -There is a divergence
of practice in this matter. The advice referred to
relates to two entirely different sets of circumstances.
If the queen has plenty of room below, there is little
fear of her ascending, but to prevent mishap most of
the Americans who produce sections largely use some
kind of honey-board as a deterrent.
F. G — 1. See reply to ' S. J. G.' We would spray slightly.
2. Combs too Wide.— Pare them down with a sharp
knife dipped in warm water. 3. Sketch of Drone
Trap. — We have no block just at present. 4. Working
for Extracted Honey.— Wired foundation is not es-
sential. We have done well with ordinary foundation.
Scotsman. — 1. Spring Dwindling: to prevent. — Have
no weak colonies. In the autumn weed out all weak
colonies, supersede all poor queens, give each colony a
good supply of wholesome food. In the spring, unite
all weak colonies, contract brood-nest according to t he
size of the cluster, keep them p.icked up cosy and
warm. Do not retain any old queens. Shade entrances
when there is snow laying. 2. Correct Quantity of
Syrup for Stimulating.— This varies according to the
quantity of brood being raised by each colony. It is
easy to commence gently and increase slowly as the
brood increases, always watching that the bees do not
store it. Thoughtful observation must be your guide.
3. (Jetting Foundation drawn out in Spring. — Feed
gentlv and very regularly. After, say, 10th April,
you can, if the weather is genial, insert a sheet of
foundation in centre of brood-nest, which should be
drawn out in twenty-four hours. Remove it, inserting
another; remove that, but leave the third for bees to
rear brood in. You can repeat this operation once
a-week, at the same time removing any combs at the
outsides of the brood-nest which may become empty.
Do not let them be short of food. 4. To get Straight
Cumbs. — In spring pare down any inequalities. Notice
that the most even side of an old comb is next to any
fresh sheet of foundation you may insert. Have your
hive level. Some bee-keepers give less space to a sheet
of foundation than 1^ in. until partly drawn out. We
sympathise with you as to your climate, but envy
you your delicious heather honey.
II. J. A. — Wire for Cage of Extractor.-— Turned wire is
the best when it is to be got. You need not fear to
use galvanised netting. Carefully wash when done
with.
Ddbotbxx. — Wire for Foundation. — Nothing will do
except tinned wire : No. 30 size. Vertically, about
four or five wires to a frame.
It. E. Thomas. — 1. Foundation. — Give full sheets of
natural-based. 2. Unsealed Honey. — We should like
to see an ounce sample. 3. Bee House. — If properly
built, it will cost you more than a separate weather-
tight roof for each hive. Have you tried very thin
zinc painted with two coats of white paint on both
sides over A-in. boarding ? 4. Capacitg of Hive. —
Twelve frames are very useful.
Ignoramus. — Suspected Comb. — The comb sent is free
from foul brood, and may be safely used as required.
2. Secretarg of Lancashire and Cheshire B.K.A. —
Mr. W. L. McClure, The Lathams, Prescot, Lancashire.
W. M.— Dead Bees. — Without a critical microscopical
examination we should say the bees sent died from
natural causes. Perhaps they have not been able to
reach sufficient food.
Malta. — 1. Do Bees Sleep? — We are inclined to reply
to this in the affirmative. When the quilt is gently
removed, they are often seen in their cells perfectly
motionless, lying with their heads against the bottom
of their cells and their abdomens slightly protruding.
2. Sugar for Syrup-making. — In feeding bees that
sugar is best which is as far as possible free from any
chemicals or other results, as well as from those dyes
136
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 8, 1888.
which are freely used to make sugar bright-yellow or
snow-white. The primitive uncrystallised sugars are
therefore the best — Porto Kico, Barbadoes, &c. — then
refined, Pearl sugar (Duncan's), small white crystals,
&c. Unless, however, the Porto Kico or other soft
raw sugars offered in the shops can be relied on as
true to their names, and also as such sugars leave
a sedimentary matter clogging up the holes of the
feeder, we advise the use of the Pearl (similar to
the granulated sugar so much in use in America)
or refiners' small white crystals. 3. Pollen. — This,
the fertilising dust of flowers, is moulded to the shape
of a small ball, and is carried by the bees on their hind-
legs to the hive. The pollen seen by you on the heads
of bees has not been placed there by their voluntary
action, but has adhered to them : this is frequently
seen when the pollen-masses of orchids are visited by
the bees. 4. Wasps and Hornets. — Wasps belong to
communities similar to those of bees. These commu-
nities consist of a queen, males, and neuters or
workers. The hornet ( J respa crabro) is a large kind of
wasp. The community (which is supposed to contain
about 200 individuals) is governed by the same laws
as wasps. On the approach of winter, the males and
neuters perish, some of the females alone surviving.
H. Sharp. — Gorse. — Bees visit this plant in numbers,
but they are not very partial to it. They gather from
it pollen of a light-brown or dirty-yellow colour.
Enquirer. — Standard Frame. — The standard frame of
the B. B. K. A. is 14 inches long by 8^ deep, the top
bar being 17 inches long, {Jths of an inch thick, the
bottom bar J-th, the side bar £th, the width being
gths of an inch. Ihere is much diversity of opinion
among bee-keepers respecting distance-keepers, broad-
shouldered frames, &c, each different kind having its
supporters. But we are of opinion that frames can be
manipulated with greater ease and rapidity by not
having any distance-guides at all.
K. \V. — Bacillus Minor. Hives, §c. — 1 . Examine the hive
on the first warm day, when bees are flying, and if you
find a fair number of bees — say sufficient to cover three
or fourframes — confine them to these framesby division-
boards, and feed with phenolated syrup according to
Cheshire's recipe (about jjjj part phenol) from a bottle-
feeder. 2. Remove from the hive all spare frames
of comb, and clear them of dead larva:. Then spray
these combs with carbolic solution (two ounces of
carbolic No. 5 to a pint of water). Expose them to
the sun and air for a few days until dry, and keep
them for enlarging the hive space as required.
3. Directions as to quantity are given on the bottles
of phenol, sold as Cheshire's by all dealers. 4. Tier-
ing-up hives having ten standard frames are large
enough.
*„* Several Replies to Queries are postponed till our next.
We should be obliged by any trouble taken by Bee-keepers
in forwarding to us the names of Cottagers to whom the ' lice-
keepers' Adviser' may be sent.
Mr. J. Huckle, Secretary to the British Bee-keepers'
Association, desires us to state that he has received an
order for various pamphlets, with an inquiry respecting
loan of diagrams. No enclosui'e was made with the
order, nor the name of the writer given.
business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour * Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keeflrs' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howakd, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mabon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW. T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C.| Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON. A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 13g High Street, Lowestoft.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbanoewats' Pbintino Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 299. Vol. XVI.]
MARCH 15, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Atonal, Sottas, #r.
'THE BEE-KEEPERS' ADVISER.'
AVe desire to express our thanks to all who hare
kindly assisted us in the distribution of the Bee-keepers?
Adviser, and in forwarding us the names of surrounding
bee-keepers. We are sure it will give all pleasure to
hear that we have every reason to be satisfied with the
manner in which it has been received and the measure of
support which has been accorded to it.
AVe shall still be pleased to send copies for distribution
on receipt of names and addresses from any who may be
interested in the development of bee-keeping ; and we
shall feel grateful to all who will kindly second our en-
deavours to circulate our publication amongst that class
which we have so earnest a desire to reach.
A CO-OPERATIVE FESTIVAL.
The National Co-operative Flower Show, which
created so much interest at South Kensington last year,
will assume much larger proportions this year, and will
be held at the Crystal Palace on Saturday, August 18th.
The prize schedule shows that upwards of 3200. have
been subscribed in prizes, as against 00/. last year, and
every kind of vegetable, fruit, flower, and honey in
season, is included in the 200 different classes. If the
entries are at all in proportion to what they were at the
last Show, it will be one of the largest collections of
bond fide cottagers' productions ever held. There is also
to be an exhibition of home industries, which should be
very instructive, and an exhibition of produce from
co-operative workshops, both English and foreign.
Cheap excursions will be arranged in connexion with
almost every Co-operative Society in the kingdom, so
that their members — there are now upwards of a mil-
lion— will he able to attend the first holiday festival for
Co-operators which has been held. The Secretary of
the Show, Air. W. Broomhall, of 1 Norfolk Street,
Strand, will send particulars to all interested inquirers.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Spring Ff.kdixg.
In our last article we alluded to feeding generally,
but we will now treat more especially of feeding in
spring, what sort of food should be given, and how it is
to be given.
If the bee-keeper wishes to derive full advantage in
stimulating brood— rearing early in the season — he must
commence to feed his bees as soon as they begin to fly
freely in the spring. Before the bees are examined and
the hives are overhauled we make it a rule never to give
liquid food, but supply them with candy pushed in under
the quilts on to the tops of the frames. The way to
make candy has been described on page hi of this year's
Journal. But after an examination has been made, and
the hives have all been overhauled, we can safely give
liquid food. We, however, make the bees first use up
what stores they may have in their combs, and this is
done by either uncapping some of the sealed cells with a
knife, or scratching them with some sort of pointed
instrument, such as a fork, nail, or anything that will
break the sealing and allow the honey to flow. This
will stimulate the bees to activity, and in a few days
some more may be uncapped, and when the bee-keeper
sees the store nearly exhausted he may resort to syrup.
This must not, however, be given in large quantities,
about one quarter of a pint is usually sufficient, although
a little more can be given if the colony is very strong and
there is much brood. The chief thing is to give bees just
about as much as they can consume, and not to exceed
this amount, or they will store it in their cells, and this
is not our object. As the colony grows and brood
increases the quantity of food will likewise have to be
increased. Above all things the bee-keeper must hear iu
mind that when feeding is once commenced it must be
continued regularly without intermission, for if stopped,
and the bees are not able to collect any out-of-doors, the
consequences may be fatal. The bees have learned to
depend upon the food, and consequently have reared large
numbers of young; and the most critical time, just before
the honey flow, is at hand, during which it is more
important than ever that they should not run short of
food.
Spring flowers will yield some pasturage, but frequently
not enough to keep the bees going, so that the deficiency
must be made up by the bee-keeper, although unfortu-
nately some stop feeding just when the bees most want it.
Far better not feed at all than having once commenced stop
too soon. When bees commence to collect abundantly
out-of-doors, they will disregard the food given to them.
There is no necessity to give bees food every day, for
feeders may be so arranged that they can take the food
as they need it in small quantities, so that when once
filled there will be enough syrup in the feeder to last
several days. AVe prefer feeding on the top of the hive,
138
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 15, 1888.
and if the bee-keeper does not wish to go to the expense
of a special feeder he can make one himself at a trifling
cost. He will require a piece of board with a hole in it,
1J inches in diameter, and on this he can place
a piece of tin pierced with a few small holes in such a
way that the bees can have access to one, two, or more
at the will of the bee-keeper.
A better material than tin would be vulcanite, and
holes are easily made ■>
this with a small knitting-
needle made red-hot at the
point. To hold the syrup
an ordinary low wide
mouth pickle - bottle will
do, if there is nothing
better available. The
quilt must have a hole cut
in it, and the board, as in
Fig. 1, placed over it, taking
care that this is level;
otherwise when the bottle is inverted the syrup is likely
to leak out. The bottle is then filled with syrup, and on
the mouth we place a piece of tin or a tin shovel, invert
it, as shown in Fig. 2, place the shovel on the vulcanite
stage, and with one hand draw it away, holding the
bottle steady with the other
hand. If carefully done, not
a drop of sj-rup will escape.
Adjust the vulcanite so that
the bees have access through
only one or two holes at a
time, and cover the bottle.
Any rough bos may be made
to go over the bottle, as this
will prevent it being knocked over, and is better than
flannel or other bags, which only soak up any spilled
syrup, and are always messy and sticky. Bottle-feeders
with regulating stages may be purchased of manufacturers
at from Is. Gd. upwards, their number is legion, but they
all work upon the same principle. The illustration,
Fig. 8, of one of the most convenient, the ' Baynor,' will
show the principle upon which they are constructed.
The bottle, which holds about a pint and a half, is fitted
inside with a screw metal cap, coated inside with cork,
so that when screwed on tight no leakage can by any
possibility take place. The cap has a semicircular
piercing of twelve small punctures, corresponding with
a slit in the stand or stage, one eighth of an inch wide,
and an index finger for regulating the suppby, rendering
the feeder available for gentle stimulation or copious
feeding, when all the holes are turned on.
The principal difference from other feeders of the same
type is that the feeding- stage, instead of being of the
ordinary form, is dome-shaped, and the under side is
lined with cloth, which renders it impervious to moisture
and non-conductive of heat. The section of stand in the
figure represents the interior of the dome, with a pro-
jection in the centre, to which the bees extend the cluster
from the combs beneath. The stand is entirely of wood,
and the bees do not come in contact with any metal.
The liquid food should consist of sugar syrup. Some
years ago we carried out a number of experiments, and
found that the best food, and one that suited bees better
than any other, was made by boiling 10 lbs. of white
lump sugar in 7 pints of water for a few minutes after
all the sugar has dissolved. When taken off the fire, we
put in 1 oz. of vinegar, 1 oz. of salt, and 1 oz. of salicylic
acid solution, as a precaution against foul brood. This
solution is made by dissolving 5 oz. of salicylic acid and
Fig. 2.
A oz. of soda borax in 1 quart of warm water. The
syrup is then put into a can with a spout and is ready
for use. A caution is here necessary, and that is, on no
account use zinc cans or shovels for the syrup, for the
acid in the syrup acts upon the zinc just as we have re-
peatedly pointed out does that of the acid in the honev.
By far the best form is the ' toilet can ' shape, like that
introduced by Mr. Abbott many years ago. It has an
FEED1NC
Bottle
Section of Stand.
Fig. 3.
ordinary spout and a brass nozzle with three tubes in it,
which can be screwed on or taken off, and the tubes
enable the bee-keeper to pour out a fine stream of syrup
if he wishes to fill combs. The spout should not be
covered with perforated metal, as this is constantly being
stopped up by the solid impurities in the syrup, and is a
constant nuisance, as we have found to our cost. A
general caution is necessary in feeding : Never spill or
leave any liquid sweets about, and cover the food Dottlo
to prevent the bees getting a scent or taste of the syrup,
which would invariably induce robbing. Filling the
bottles is better done at night.
ONE SIDE CELL COMB FOUNDATION.
Under the heading 'A New Artificial Comb,' we gave,
on page 7 of the B. B. J. for this year, a letter from M.
Koerbs, respecting a new comb which lie had discovered,
and which he stated could not be used for brood-rearing,
and also the remarks of M. Gravenhorst respecting it
taken from the Deutsche Illustrierte Bienenzeitung.
This announcement has, naturally enough, caused a great
deal of talk, and many speculations and 'guesses' as to
what this artificial comb could be have, been the result.
The article was inserted after some correspondence with
M. Gravenhorst about it, and a promise from M. Koerbs
to send us a sample comb for inspection if we would keep
the secret. This we consented to do ; but, at the same
time, pointed out that we did not consider the means
adopted for making the invention public would be one
that would commend itself to British bee-keepers, and
that they would regard with suspicion a promise to send
out a pamphlet only when a few thousand subscribers at
March 15, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL,
139
Is. Gd. each were obtained. How many thousands it was
not stated. We also suggested that M. Koerbs would do
better by selling the invention to some foundation-
maker, or take out a patent. Our suggestion has been
acted upon, and now the invention is in the hands of M.
Otto Schulz, of Buckow, one of the largest manufacturers
of foundation on the Continent of Europe. In the mean-
time, the ball being set going, ingenious minds went to
work, and not having any secret to keep, we, as well
as others, had our own ideas of how a comb should
be constructed to fulfil all the requirements set
forth.
We were led to the ideas from our recollection of the
behaviour of our bees with the flat-bottom wooden base
foundation, introduced many years ago by Mr. Abbott,
and his proposal at the meeting on the 7th of April,
1881, to use these combs with wooden bases as dummies.
In that year we had several such combs, and on some of
them, strangely enough, the bees built regular cells only
on one side, nibbling the wax on the other side and
using it for making struts or braces at right angles to
the board. This we found was because the board was
not sufficiently covered with wax, there being more on
one side than on the other. Bearing this experiment in
mind, the thought occurred to us that if bees were
induced to build combs only on one side and to
lengthen the cells so that the queen could not lay
in them, the desired result might be attained. We
therefore prepared a drawing, and asked a manufacturer
to make us some foundation on calico with cells on one
side only. The illustration is a reduced
copy of drawing sent, and shows our plan
of fixing the foundation to the side of the
frame. Since then there have appeared
the ideas of some of our own bee-keepers
on pages 22 and Si of B. B. J. However,
it now appears that the same idea of
having cells built on one side of founda-
tion only and fixing this to the side of
the frame instead of the centre occurred
to others besides ourselves, for about a
week after this our friend M. Bertrand
sent us a circular describing the identical
thing. A few days later, in the second
number of the Xvrdlinr/en Bienemeitung
for this year, appeared from the pen of
W. Vogel, the editor, a description of the
very same thing, and it has since trans-
pired that the invention of M. Koerbs is
the same.
With the CentraMatt for 1st March
we receive a circular from Otto Schulz,
in which he states that the same idea
occurred to him, and he corresponded with Koerbs
about it, but as the latter asked so hi„'h a price for his
invention, ho could not come to terms. He, however,
made application for a patent, and subsequently visited
Koerbs and submitted his own ideas to him, with the
result that they have come to terms, and by amalga-
mating their ideas the article will be manufactured and
sold by the name of ' Schulz-Koerbs ' foundation. The
new foundation is made on glass, wood, tin, card-board,
or other material, with the impression of the cells in
wax on one side, the other being left smooth. Of those
who wrote to us, it will be seen that only one is any-
where near the mark, namely, Mr. J. Hall, who ' guessed '
that Koerbs did away with the midrib, although he did
not ' guess ' that the rib was placed on one side. Although
we do not for one moment wish to claim any priority in
the invention, and should have thought nothing about it
had not our attention been directed to the matter; still,
while giving M. Koerbs the credit of the invention, it
shows that when a number of minds are directed upon
one subject, the same idea may occur to several at the
same time, as it has to Vogel, Schulz, and ourselves;
and we might even include Mr. Hall, as his idea is very
near the mark.
The idea of having one-sided foundation is certainly
novel, but it remains to be proved by experiment
whether it will be of so great a value to us as it would
be to German bee-keepers, whose hive? have a brood-
space so much smaller than ours.
Embedding various materials in wax for foundation
is not new, and has been tried from time to time
during the last twenty years or more; we ourselves
used foundation on paper fifteen or sixteen years
ago, and it has been repeatedly described, as well
as embedding thread, silk, and other substances, both
in the English and American journals, so that there
is no novelty in this. We take the present opportunity
of mentioning this because a correspondent on page 38
has evidently fallen into error by supposing that ' the
idea of embedding other material than wire ' originated
with him. A search in the back volumes of the B. B. J.
would have shown him he was mistaken.
USEFUL HINTS.
With a change of wind from north to south we have
a higher temperature, and a few hours' sunshine has
afforded the bees the opportunity of flight so long
desired. High winds and threatening showers have for-
bidden manipulation even where desired ; but the depar-
ture of frost and snow, with the advent of milder
weather, is a decided gain.
Artificial Pollen is now more necessary since the
late severe cold has enVctually prevented a natural supply
for some time to come, save, perhaps, in the Southern
counties and the 'Emerald Isle.' Of this island the
Venerable Brde, in his Ecclesiastical History — written
circa 800 A.D. — tells us that : ' For wholesomeness and
serenity of climate, Ireland far surpasses Britain ; for
the snow scarcely ever lies there above three days ; no
man makes hay in the summer for winter's provision,
nor builds stables for his beasts of burden. The island
abounds in milk and honey.' An El-dorado, truly, for
members of our craft ! No wonder that our Irish
brethren should so far surpass their English compeers
in obtaining large yields of honey.
By those who prefer the plan, pea or lentil meal —
which can be procured in small packets at almost any
grocers — may be presented to the bees thus : take clean
dry empty frames of comb, and dredge the meal from an
ordinary flour dredger into the cells, while the combs are
held or placed at an angle of 46°. When the cells on
both sides of the combs are nearly full, place the combs
in an ordinary frame-hive and set it in a sheltered, sunny
position near the hives and beside the water-trough.
If a comb containing a little unsealed honey or syrup
be placed amongst the pollen-combs, the bees will
speedily find the spot and proceed forthwith to utilise
the pollen ; if placed on a stand, and sheltered by a roof
raised a few inches above the hive, the latter may bo
considered a fixture for the spring months, the combs
being replenished with meal as often as requisite. At a
time like the present, when little or no natural pollen is
to be obtained, an artificial supply is of great value in
encouraging breeding, and in eventually raising the
population of the hives to the highest point by the time
of plenty arrives.
Manipulation, or examination of colonies, may be
made in fine weather towards the end of the month if
done judiciously. Bees even now are much inclined to
rob their neighbours, therefore the greatest care must be
exercised when opening hives. The bjst time is from
four to six p.m. on a calm, mild evening, when there will
bo little danger of incitement to robbing. The carbolised
cloth is preferable to smoke, causing less excitement and
subduing the bees more effectually.
The quilts should be quickly stript off, and the car-
140
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 15, 1888.
b jlised cloth as quickly spread over the frames. Manipu-
lation should proceed from each side to centre alternately.
But if the bees show themselves in force, and display a
vindictive temper, do not insist on gaining a sight of the
queen ; but when the frames have been examined from
the sides to the brood-nest, i.e., as far as the cluster of
bees, forbear to disturb the nest further, especially as
soon as evidence of breeding is afforded. There is no
surer guide to the prosperity of a colony than the dash
of its individual members, severalty, or simultaneously.
'Aye, buy the wicked skep,' is sound advice, but in these
days of ' Bee-keeping made easy,' by the application of
' Apifuges ' to the exposed portions of the human frame,
and of ' Carniolanising ' our colonies, such advice will be
of no further use ; and the exclamation of our highly
esteemed Scottish brethren — ' Eh, mon, bit they stang
deevilitch ! ' will never again be heard in a Northern
apiary when an attack by hybrids is delivered upon the
person of an unsuspecting inquirer into the mysteries of
apiculture. But we cannot forget the ' good old times,'
and so, despising 'Apifuges' (save the mark !), and 'Car-
niolanising,' we continue to prefer ' the wicked skep ' and
the ' fiendish ' hybrid colonj^ domiciled in the frame-hive.
Quilts. — -Enamel cloth, glazed side downwards, may
now be placed upon the frames, and covered with felt,
carpet, or chaff cushions. The more warmth the better
for our bees. Over all, a crown -board of wood, or
preferably of straw, slightly weighted to keep all quilts
firmly in place, will be an advantage.
Combs left by defunct colonies should be thoroughly
cleared of dead bees, and sprayed with carbolic acid, or
salicylic acid, solution, then dried in the open air, and
afterwards stored in a dry place, secure from moths,
until required for further use. We keep an old extractor
with powerful gearing solely for suspicious combs, and
through which we pass all old combs, after well soaking
them in warm water. Greater part of the dead bees and
useless pollen is thus extracted with little loss of time
and less trouble. But this machine is never used for
normal extraction.
Olla-podrida. — Eygs by Pod. — We have no doubt
that a frame of eggs, if despatched immediately after
deposition, by mail, on a warm summer's day, will
answer perfectly for queen-raising, and we do not speak
without experience. Fresh Blood. — Some thirty years
ago, before the introduction of the Italian Alp bee into
this country, and before the extraordinary strides in the
improved methods of bee-keeping commenced and carried
on chiefly through the instrumentality of the B.B. K.A.,
and spread to every corner of the land, we may well
supposs that remote districts existed in which in-and-in
breeding of bees prevailed to a great extent. But that the
case cited by Mr. Woodley in his letter (148G) as a case
of perfect isolation — ' seven miles from everywhere ' —
where bees had existed for a century without any
infusion of fresh blood, is ' proven,' we cannot for a
moment grant. And from his second case, cited in his
letter (14U8) of sixty years' isolation, we must withhold
our imprimatur. In Mr. Woodley's argument, the
instinctive preference of queens to mate with drones of
fresh blood, or with those of new varieties, is kept
entirely out of sight, as also is the chance of the existence
of colonies ferm naturd, domiciled in hollow trees, roofs,
or walls of buildings, &c. This propensity of queens to
mate with drones of fresh blood has been repeatedly
referred to for years past in this and other many Journals.
In the B. B. J. (vol. v. p. 11), ' Renfrewshire Bee-keeper '
writes on this point and on in-and-in breeding thus : —
' In the first volume of the Journal of Horticulture I
referred to cases of parties keeping bees in good localities,
far isolated from others, doing well at first, and gradually
and unaccountably dwindling away until they became
extinct. A fresh stock procured again flourish remark-
ably, and in the course of a few years again dwindle
away ; and always point out to stock-owning and
poultry-keeping friends how nature guards against the
evils attendant on breeding from near affinities in the
honey-bee. Did the young queen mate within the hive,
she must inevitably pair with full brothers ; did she
indulge in but a short flight over her own apiary,
probably with cousins nearer or more distantly removed.
But, to avoid all this, she is impelled to a far flight
through ether for that indispensable change of blood.
Confirmatory of all this — with a well-stocked apiary of
strong colonies, with pure-bred Italian queens by the
mother's side, and, consequently, clouds of equally pure
drones — through all these years I only once managed to
secure pure impregnation, and that was in the case of a
queen hatched early in spring — presumably, fertilised by
Italian drones, the progeny of a drone-breeding queen —
long before any black drones appeared in our district.
Although the agile Italian princesses seem to outstrip in
flight their lazier drones, and seek alliance with the dark
sons of the land, the Italian is equally the favoured swain
with the native brunettes. In a radius of from one to
close on five miles from my apiary, crosses from the re-
versed parentage abound, and the humble cottager points
with honest pride to his "striped bees," and the value of
such crosses on that side are so much appreciated for pro-
lificness and industry that in their disposal the extent
and distinctness of the banding are carefully appraised.
1 am decidedly of opinion that even the poorest cottager
would be handsomely repaid for purchasing an Italian
queen, and placing her daughters at the head of every
stock in his apiary.' So superior to the old black race
had this experienced Scotch apiarist proved the Italian
black cross to be both in fecundity and honey-collecting
powers. And his experience is exactly our own.
Every word he has uttered we can fully endorse.
Nearly twenty years ago we were the first to introduce
the Italian bee into our own neighbourhood, and in a
few years afterwards there were few colonies within
several miles of our apiary in which the ' yellow stripe' was
not present ; while in our own apiary, except by practising
the Kohler method, it was impossible to obtain pure
fertilisation. Surely, then, if nature has implanted this
instinct in the queen and drone bees, we are going con-
trary to nature in arguing, as Mr. Woodley does, that the
same rule which applies in the cases of cattle, sheep,
horses, birds, and all other creatures, does not apply in
that of insects, notably in that of our bees. All ex-
perienced apiarists — so far as we know — hold the
same views on this subject. Mr. C. N. Abbott, if we
rightly remember, has stated somewhere in the earlier
volumes of the Journal, that nine out of ten of his young
Italian queens persisted in mating with black drones.
Why this longing for change if in-and-in breeding
succeeds so admirably as Mr. Woodley supposes ?
Inside Paint and Enamel Cloth gave precisely the
results we should have expected when applied under the
circumstances described by Mr. Adcoek in his letter
(1504). Had his hives been on the right-angled system,
and full ventilation below allowed, with a forward pitch,
he would have found neither internal dampness nor dead
bees to any extent; at least, this is our experience. It
is very important that hives should have a southern
aspect, and that the bees should be able to cluster on the
front side.
ASSOCIATIONS.
BERKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
In your issue of February 0th a letter appears
(1472) from Mr. W. B. Webster, respecting the publica-
tion of a monthly paper by our Association as its own
organ. The letter contains an account of the action of
the Association, which we cannot (in the interests of the
Association) allow to pass uncorrected. The facts of the
case are, briefly, as follows : —
After consultation with various members of the Com-
March 15, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
14i
mittee, a definite proposal to originate such a paper was
submitted to the quarterly meeting, in the draft annual
report. On the suggestion of Mr. Webster this proposal
was modified to the following terms : — ' Your Committee
consider that the time has now arrived when they should
adopt some more convenient and effective means of inter-
communication among the members, and have decided at
an early date to consider the advisability of publishing a
monthly paper for free distribution to all members of the
Association.'
At the annual meeting of the members, which was
fairly attended from most parts of the county, this pro-
posal was supported by all who spoke on the subject,
except Mr. Webster, whose speech failed to elicit any
response, while those in favour of the scheme were
heartily endorsed. The general meeting of members
having so emphatically approved of the proposal, the
only matter really to be decided by the Committee was
its practicability. A special meeting was called for
the purpose, at which there was more than an average
attendance : and it was then announced that one of the
members had offered to take all financial and editorial
responsibility in the matter, so that the Association
would incur only a small expense beyond that incurred
by the circulation of the Bee Journal. The question was
therefore decided in the affirmative, Mr. Webster being
the one dissentient voter.
With reference to the prospective character of the
' Berks Bee-keeper,' of which Mr. Webster writes at some
length, we will only say that had he waited until the
publication of its first (or February) number, we think
he would not have written as he did, and we are con-
firmed in this belief by the fact that the March number
contains a voluntary contribution from his pen.
It will, we think, be now seen that the action of the
Committee was perfectly bond Jide, and that by their
action they were carrying out the wishes of the members
as expressed at the annual meeting.
Arthur L. Cooper, Honorary Secretary,
A. D. Woodley, Assistant Secretary,
Berkshire Bee-keepers' Association.
[We are very pleased to present the ' account of the
action of the Association ' from the point of view of the
secretaries. We think, however, the proposal of a local
paper was inopportune, and scarcely necessary, as with
the Bee-keepers' Adviser the Association could have done
all they contemplated without it. — Ed.]
WORCESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEi'ERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The Annual General Meeting of the Members of this
Association was held at the Guildhall, Worcester, on
Saturday last, March .*!.
The Rev. W. M. Kingsmill, of Tibberton Rectory,
Broitwich, presided, and there were also present : —
Mr. A. C. Bowdeswell (Ripple Hall), Rev. R. T. W.
Brayne (Broomhall), Mrs. Swinden (Defford), Mr. C. II.
Haynes (Ilanley Castle), Mr. A. W. Martin, Hon. Sec.
(Evesham), Mr. H. II. Griffin (Cleobury, Mortimer),
Messrs. Herbert Goldingham, G. II. Latty, W. E.
Williams, J. Neale (Worcester), Mr. H. II. Beakbane,
Messrs. J. II. Landon and P. Glover (Stourport), Mr. A.
Thorpe (Hallow), Mr. John Clearby (Offenham), Mr. and
Mrs. E. T. Footman (Martley), Mr. J. W. W. Boughton
(Lower Wick), Mr. J. Powell (Lulsley), and Mr. E.
Davenport, Expert (Stourport).
The Hon. Sec. read the Treasurer's statement and the
Report of the Committee for the past year, which were
ordered to be printed and circulated amongst the members.
The Report stated that the committee had not felt
themselves justified in holding any annual show during
the past year, owing to insufficiency of funds to defray
the expenses of the same, and the bee-tent had not been
sent to any horticultural show, as the festivities connected
with the Jubilee had thrown other arrangements on one
side. The number of members at the close of the year is
161, many withdrawals having taken place through non-
payment of subscriptions. The total receipts from
members amounted to 39/. 10s., and it is satisfactory to
report that there is a balance of 14/. 18s. Id. in the hands
of the Treasurer. The past honey season had, on the
whole, been a good one, and though short owing to the
hot and dry weather the quality and quantity gathered
was above the average. The circulation of the Bee
Journal had been carried out fortnightly during the year,
but it had been sent on so irregularly that the committee
do not recommend its continuance, unless some plan can
be devised under which members will forward it at stated
times. In conclusion, the hope was expressed that
members would display more energy and enthusiasm
during the coming year, and use their best endeavours
to promote the good objects the Association has in
view.
The election of officers then took place. Earl Beau-
champ was re-elected President, and the following as
Vice-preside, .ts: — The Bishopof Worcester, The Dowager
Lady Ilindlip, Lady Geoigina Vernon, Lord Edward S.
Churchill, the Hon. G. H. Allsopp, M.P., Sir Richard
Temple, Part., M.P., Sir E. A. II. Lechmere, Bart., M.P.,
Mr. John Corbett, M.P., and the Mayor of Worcester.
The committee were re-elected, Messrs. J. II. Gunn and
W. E. Williams taking the place of two retiring members.
Mr. T. J. Slater was re-elected Hon. Treasurer, and Mr.
A. W. Martin Hon. Sec. Messrs. A. W. Martin and
C. H. Haynes were appointed representatives to the
Quarterly Conferences of the B. B. K. A.
The annual ballot for hives resulted in Mr. Thomas
Moseley, Bishampton, Pershore, and Mrs. E. E. Bavis
of Welland, Malvern Wells, being the winners.
Mr. E. Bavenport (expert) read his report, of whicli
thefo'lowing is an extract : — Although in many respects
he wished he could give a brighter report, yet com-
pared with some other associations the members are-
more numerous, the funds in a better state, and the
vitality of both members and the executive strikingly
greater. The income is in excess of the expenditure, and
the zeal and energy of the hon. sec. cannot be surpassed.
He started on his tour of inspection on April 1-'!, which
was continued at intervals till the end of July. In-
clemency of weather at times compelled him to desist.
Many strong stocks perished during the cold spring
weather from lack of judicious feeding. In three instances
the bees had actually died in the i ct of clustering in the
central brood-nest, the combs surrounding being empty
and dry, while in the outside combs there were stores in
abundance. During the season 160 members were visited,
and 544 stocks inspected, viz., 384 bar-frames, 241 skeps,
and nineteen nondescripts. On comparing these numbers
with those given by his predecessor, Mr. C. Brown, he
found that the Association was on the ' downward grade.'
In 1885 there were 523 skeps examined, and 520 bar-
frame hives, making a total of 104.'!. This difference is
accounted for by the diminution in the number of
members, many of whom have become apathetic and
withdrawn their membership. The stocks as a rule were
very healthy, there was plenty of evidences of the
vigorous condition of many of the apiaries, whicli was
shown by the large quantities of honey gathered when
the weather became warmer. No case of foul brood
was met with during the tour; its existence was sus-
pected at one place, but on minute examination it proved
to be a bad case of chilled brood. Several incidents of
varied character were met with : in one case crates of
full sections which had been left on all the winter, as the
owner in attempting to remove them was stung, and,
beating a hasty retreat, had not courage to renew the
attempt. In another instance two stocks were actually
suffocated, and several others just on the verge, for in
142
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 15, 1888.
another day or two they would have been dead ; these
were in straw skeps, with barely half an inch entrance,
ro when they became heavy with brood, the straw was
pressed down, and egress and ventilation became im-
possible. There are many large apiaries in the county.
At Welland, near Upton-on-Severn, there is one con-
taining fifty stocks, belonging to Mr. J. II. Gunn, another
at Evesham, owned by Messrs. Bailey and Gardiner, and
another at Seaford Grange, Pershore, belonging to Mr.
W. F. Gibbon, with this peculiarity that the owner is not
anxious about the production of honey, but keeps his bees
for the fertilisation of the fruit-blossoms, and sells his
swarms at the low price of Is. each to his work-people,
on condition that they are kept in the neighbourhood.
Other smaller but well-conducted apiaries exist at
Hanley Castle, Martley, and Defford. In conclusion, Mr.
Davenport wished to acknowledge the assistance he had
received from so many of the members, and especially
that of the hon. sec.
On the motion of the Chairman, secondel by Mr.
Haynes, it was resolved that in order to free Mr. Martin
from the considerable labour entailed in the discharge of
the clerical duties connected with the Association, he be
authorised to pay out of its fund at his own discretion,
for the performance of such labour by a competent
person, ai.d he wished it to be understood tin t if Mr.
Martin withdrew from the hon.-secretar) ship it would
probably mean the collapse of the Association, fur it
was by his energy and enthusiasm that it had grown,
and he felt sure that there was no one else who could be
found to do the work that he had done in its behalf.
Mr. Martin, in returning thanks for the vote, said that
Ilia professional duties were constantly increasing, but at
the same time he should not like it to be said that the
Association would fall to the ground in consequence of
his being compelled to resign his office, which on his
part had been a labour of love. He would be glad to
see a little more energy displayed by the members
generally and wished that his voice could reach to the
extreme limits of th> county and persuade some of those
bee-keepers who were foremost in their ranks when the
Association was started] but who, from apathy or selfish-
ness, had since deserted them, to come back and give him
and them all practical help. He would ask them to bear
in mind that one of the fundamental objects of -he Asso-
ciation was not so much to benefit themselves as others
by promoting an industry, which, in spite of even adverse
conditions, or some disappointment, was, he felt, surely
spreading through the county and the country at large.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman, which Mr. Kings-
mill acknowledged, concluded a very successful meeting.
UNITED STATES.
3n Jflflcmoviam.
A. G. N. Todd, F.G.S.
Mr. Arthur George Nicholson Todd, Fellow of the
Royal Geographical Society, and Associate of King's
College, London, England, was born at Sandymount,
Dublin, Ireland, on the 2oth of February, 184:3. He
died on February 11th, 1838, at his home, 2122 North
Front Street, Philadelphia, after a short illness from
typhoid pneumonia. He was buried, with masonic
rites, at Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia,
February lGth.
In early life Mr. Todd was engaged in the dry-goods
business, afterwards representing the large firm of Pirn
Brothers, & Co. as the manager of their branch house in
London ; in 1873 he made a flying visit to the United
States in their interest. He first became interested in
apiculture in 1870, and from that time he pursued the
study of the bee and its products with ardour, upon both
scientific and p actical lines. During his travels in
France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Algeria, he
became acquainted with most of the prominent bee-
masters of those countries, especially with M. George de
Layens, the famous French apiculturist and author,
between whom and himself a warm friendship existed,
and they were correspondents till quite lately. He
commenced bee-keeping for a livelihood at Blidah, in
Algeria, in 1877, and about that time he first imported
comb - foundation and foundation- machines from Mr.
A. I. Boot, into France and Algeria. At the Paris Ex-
hibition in 1878 he took the large diploma for bees,
hives, and honey. He kept bees in Bambouillet, a
small village near Paris, in 1878-9. At the Ville de
Beauvais Exhibition, in 1870, he gained a gold medal,
and at the Amiens Exhibition, same year, twosilver medals.
Mr. Todd returned to America in 1880, and joined
the Philadelphia Bee-keepers' Association in 1882, of
which he was elected Vice-President in 1884, and re-
elected in 1385, many of the meetings were made
intensely interesting by his original papers and the
active part he took in discussions. He was also a
member of the New York State Bee-keepers' Association
and Vice-President for Pennsylvania of the North
Eastern Bee-keepers' Association. Ho made extensive
displays of bees, hives, and honey, at the Pennsylvania
State Agricultural Society's fairs in Philadelphia in
1884-5-0-7, taking eleven silver and bronze medals, and
numerous cash prizes and diplomas. At the Burlington
County Agricultural Fan-, at Mount Holly, New Jersey,
1886, lie was awarded a medal for honey manufactures.
In 1880 Mr. Todd established an exhibition apiary in
the Zoological Garden, Philadelphia, which has proved
highly successful, thousands of visitors observing the bees
at work in glass hives and the general manipulations in
practical bee-keeping. This is the only exhibition apiary
in a public garden in the United States. At bee-keepers'
conventions and all assemblages of beemen, when the
subject of honey has been discussed from a financial
point of view, the cry has been, ' Create new markets
and cultivate the public taste to a greater consumption
of honey for domostic purposes.' It is safe to say that
no one man has done more to popularise its use than Mr.
Todd, and for this ho should be gratefully remembered
by bee people generally. If we had a few more workers
of his stamp and energy we should soon see honey in
daily use ill most households.
Lecture on Wasps. —On Saturday, March 10th, a
paper on ' Queen-wasps and Worker-wasps in the years
1886 and 1887,' was read before the Microscopical and
Natural History Society of Ealing, by Mr. George
Henderson, of Ealing. The interest of the paper was
much enhanced by the exhibition of wasps and hornets'
nests, &c, kindly lent by Mr. J. Hiam, of Astwood Bank,
Redditch. After the reading of the paper, the lantern
slides of Mr. Watkins, Hereford, were exhibited. The
paper and its accompaniments were much appreciated.
Explanation hequiued. — In the close of January
last the wife of a neighbouring bee-keeper was removed
by death. Two days before the funeral, on a warm
afternoon, the husband and a son walking in the garden
were surprised to see all their four stocks of bees out
en masse, so that the air was tilled with them as if
with swarming. That same afternoon only a few of one
of my seven stocks came out at all, about half a mile
distant. Recalling to mind an old superstition, the
father bade the lad tap the hives. And as he tapped
them, at once the stocks respectively returned, not one
stayed out. My friend was more astonished at their dis-
appearance than at finding them flying out. I write to
ask if there is any known clue to such conduct from a
natural cause. I can vouch for the veracity of my
friend, who sent me word the samo evening, asking an
explanation, — E. C, P., Harroie.
March 15, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
143
CnrasptwaciKC.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com.'
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
he drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jo., must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strang eways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c., must be addressed to Mr. J. Hockle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*m* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
'OUR HONEY IMPORTS.'
The value of honey imported into the United King-
dom during the month of February, 1 888, amounted to
528/. [From a Return furnished by the Statistical
Department to Mr. Bellairs.]
A NEW HUT.
■No plot so narrow — be but Nature there-
No waste so vacant, but may well employ
Each faculty of sense.' — Coleridoe.
[1528.] On the approach of winter we left the old
hut to the earwigs, centipedes, and other creeping things.
It was all right, the old spot, in the height of summer,
but woodlice and all sorts of strange crawling forms
abhorrent to most people are not agreeable co-inmates
of such a conversational, cosy den as wo desired. There-
fore I set to work, with the help cf a Iluttite, to build
a new one. A few particulars may be useful should
any of your readers feel inclined to go and do likewise.
A sketch was drawn to scale giving seven feet by six
feet inside measure. An estimated quantity of 4j x 1
boards (tongued and grooved) were brought together
with 3x2 wood for the framework. These latter
were rabbeted together and fastened each with three
strong screws. The framework was levelled by spirit-
level and rested on four large stones, one at each corner.
The boards were then nailed to the framework, roofed
with the same kind of boards and covered with roofing
felt, the projecting ends of this roof being ornamented
with a stamped zinc border. A lightning-conductor-
looking finial was next fixed at each end of the peak of
the roof, wooden flooring laid down, and so on. The
whole labour was performed on three Saturday after-
noons and evenings, and a jolly time it was. Cost of
timber and nails, 1/. Gs. As it stands at present the hut
is painted inside and out, and is bee-proof. Shelves are
fixed round the inside, and under a revolving window is
a table hinged to the side of the hut in front of two long
settees (moveable). At one end (outside) a bee porch and
alighting-board are fixed, whilst inside is a shelf on
which is placed one of Abbott's ' Special ' Observation
hives, so that one can sit with the hive between and the
light and watch the bees at work. An Aurora paraffin
lamp on a bracket near the table gives both light and
heat. The floor is covered with thick kamptulicon, the
table with a tapestry cover, the seats with bright-coloured
rugs; a fibre mat completes the hut. In two hours we
have got the temperature up from 2G° to 55°, so we have
at last a very comfortable meeting, smoking, and cbat-
ting-box. In summer time thirty seconds will give time
enough to drop the table and carry out the seats, when
extracting may be proceeded with. To make all bee-
tight, an escutcheon covers the keyhole, perforated zinc
the ventilators, whilst such bees as are carried inside can
be set at liberty by giving the window a half turn. —
X-Tbactob.
PAINTING THE INSIDE OF HIVES.
[1529.] I can thoroughly endorse the Rev. H.W. Lett's
(1511) advice to paint the inside of all hives with good
oil paint. I have painted all my hives inside for thirty-
five years, with the best results, as I found the wood in
unpainted hives so wet in spring, that it is summer
before the bees could get them perfectly dry : and in
spring it is most important to have the hives thoroughly
dry, to encourage breeding and health.
I have my hive-stands to slant to the front one inch
in ten ; the entrance is cut out of the floor- board and
grooved to the back, so that all moisture immediately
runs out of the hive ; and I have had icicles two to three
inches long from the water run out of the hive in
twenty-four hours. No water ever lies on my floor-
boards, which is most important in successful bee-
keeping.— William Caiui, Newton Heath Apiary, near
Manchester, March 6th.
PAINTING HIVES.
[1530.] May I say that I have made most of my hives,
and have always painted the boards before putting to-
gether, those for the inside box with two coats on the air-
space side; those for the outside box with two coats on
both sides. Dovetails and ends were also painted. Floor-
boards I generally paint on the ground side, and on the
other side where the hive rests with a broad ribbon.
The only hive that has been damp this winter was one
which had the floor-board painted all over. I found
combs of sealed honey to keep better in all the hives ex-
cept the last mentioned, than in the very damp house I
live in.
As to painting, it should be understood that painting
as usually practised is more likely to make wood rot than
not. Suppose you get a new gate. The carpenter brings
it, beautifully made and fitted, and hangs it. Then he
proceeds to paint. If the wood is not perfectly dry, as
soon as the sun shines on the paint it will raise blisters.
Then the sun and rain will loosen the joints and wet will
get in, and the tenons and mortises will rot. Then the
ground damp acting on the unprotected ends will rot
them. If all the joints and the ends where the grain is
cut across were well saturated with creosote before fitting
together, the parts usually painted might be left in their
natural state.
I am doubtful as to the good of painting both sides of
boards, but if one side is to be left bare I certainly think
it should be the inside, except the flat boards of the roof.
I tliink that wax -cloth causes, perhaps, an excess of
moisture.— W. M.
PAINTING THE INSIDE OF HIVES.
[1531.] The Rev. II. W. Lett appears to object to
my advising bee-keepers not to paint the inside of their
hives, and criticises in a doubting mannir the description
I gave (in the B.B.J., No. 1504) of the condition of the
hives I had so painted.
My winter dummies are about an inch and a half
thick, filled with cork -dust, and have india-rubber
tubing, such as is used to prevent draughts in ill-fitting
doors, tacked to the sides and bottom, so there is no
possibility of either heat or moisture escaping, except
from the flight-hole, which varies in size from two to
four inches by three-eighths of an inch. Perhaps Mr. L.'s
dummies do not fit closely, so the heat escaping above
draws a current of air in at the large flight-hole, and by
that means gets rid of the moisture.
Concerning the hive which contained more than a
pint of water, the floor-board is made so as to form a
rapid feeder for condemned bees, the sides are raised all
round flush with the inner walls of hive, forming a space
sixteen inches by fourteen and a half by three quarters
of an inch deep. Into this space a board or float half an
144
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 15, 1888.
inch thick, and perforated with a number of holes, i8
fitted, upon which the bees rest while taking the syrupi
which is poured through a tube in the side of the hive-
This board or float was removed when putting up the
bees for the winter, leaving an enlarged space beneath
the frames, and which I trust Mr. L. will now under-
stand would easily hold more than a pint of water. Mr.
L. has erroneously used the reasoning power of which he
seems to think I am lacking. The wet standing in pools
upon the floor was not due to the hives being not set
level, but to the fact that they were exactly level, as Mr.
L. can prove for himself by placing a hive with its
painted floor-board perfectly level, and then gently
pouring water upon it, he will find that it will hold
considerably more than he at present appears to think
possible, and quite sufficient for bees to float upon. His
hives being tilted forward, the wet perhaps ran off
unobserved by him. The wet certainly never came
through the roof of the hive ; had it done so, the quilts
would have been wet, which was not the case. I make
my own hives, and am most careful that all the parts are
water-tight.
The imputation that, as a beginner, my statement as
to the condition of my hives is not worthy of credence,
1 consider of but slight importance, for Sir. L. cannot
possibly have any knowledge of the length of time I
have been a bee-keeper, or of my experience in matters
concerning their culture.
I confess I am puzzled by the concluding paragraph in
Mr. L.'s letter (1514). If the walls are soaking with
moisture (as he admits) when unpainted, what becomes
of the wet when the walls are impervious to it by reason
of the paint ? In the winter the bees are at rest, and
cannot fan it out (as I have seen them doing in the
spring). It cannot surely all disappear in vapour at the
flight-hole.
I still more strongly say, ' Do not paint the inside of
your hives,' for yesterday 1 found dead what was one of
my strongest stocks and with young queen (on nine
frames) that was in such a painted hive; plenty of honey
in combs, which were in a dreadfully mouldy condition,
as are all the combs that are in the other painted hives,
the other thirteen stocks appearing very dry and strong.
Other combs quite clean as far as perceptible from the
slight examination made.
I also should be glad if others would give their ex-
perience, two winters' trial of the system being quite
sufficient to satisfy me that it is better to leave the
inside of hives unpainted. — Harold Adcock, Middleton,
Northampton.
BEES IN NEW ZEALAND.
[1532.] I have just received the following account
from my brother, an old member of the Worcester
1>. K.A., who i3 settled in Waimata Valley, Gisborne,
N.Z., and think it may prove interesting to some of the
readers of the B. B. J. : —
' I have not brought my bees up to where I am now
living, but left them down in the flat country, but when
I am quite settled I shall do so. There are plenty of
wild hives about. I took 12 lbs. of honey out of a tree
the other day from a swarm that had only been there
about ten days, and did not hurt the bees at all, and did
not get stung. They were in the hollow at the bottom
of a large tree, about seven feet in diameter, and I
managed to creep into the hole with a piece of lighted
corduroy and smoke them a little, then cut out the honey
and put it in a bucket. I intend to fell the tree, as there
are two more colonies of bees in it, and I shall transfer
the bees into two hives. The bush is full of bees, which
seem just like ordinary " Britishers." I have not seen
any "natives" except mason bees, who plaster up
everything, from sun - barrels to mackintoshes; they
catch spiders and stupify them, and then seal them up
for the grubs to eat. There was a row of cells in an old
coat-sleeve in the wharre here, and I counted seventy
odd spiders in it and none of them dead. The spiders
here are most wonderful ; there are some flat silvery ones
that never spin webs, but pounce on the flies, and it is
great fun to watch them as they walk backwards and
forwards and sideways; you can almost hear them swear
when they miss a fly. I am glad your bees have done
well ; you seem to have had a very good season.' — A. H.
Martin, Hon. Secretary, Worcester B. K. A. Eeersham.
CONSANGUINITY. (1454.)
[1533.] I cannot let the opportunity go by of saying
a word or two on this subject, more especially as it seems
to me the object of Mr. AVebster's article is likely to
delude bee-keepers into the belief that, our native bees
are degenerating. This theory, which has not a shadow
of foundation in fact, is so often put forth by writers in
the Journal that one suspects there must be some other
object than that ostensibly stated to warrant its so oft
repetition ; nor is the reason far to seek — but I will not
go into that now, but will endeavour to show that in-
and-in breeding is not accompanied by such disastrous
results as stated, and that bee-keepers need not be
alarmed at any such bogey as that ; because it is im-
possible, by reason of their almost universal distribution,
for our native bees to be affected thereby, except in a
very few instances in tho most isolated and remote
situations.
Now what are the facts regarding consanguinity, and
where indeed would have been our breeds of horses, of
cattle, of sheep, of dogs, of fowls, of pigeons, &c, had
there been no in-and-in breeding for generations ? They
would never have had an existence. Did not Mr. Bates
produce his famous shorthorns by breeding them in and
in for generations ? and were not the Bakewell long-
horns produced in the same way ? and so on throughout
the whole chapter with our breeds of dogs, fowls,
ducks, &c. But it is amongst pigeons where the results
have been so marvellous, since it is generally conceded
by naturalists that all our domestic varieties, or breeds,
be they Pouters, Fantails, Tumblers, or what, aro all
descended from the wild Kockdove of our coasts
(Columba livia). What in-and-in breeding all this re-
presents ! And what grand results have been achieved
by man's selection amongst all our domesticated animals
— all such, at. least, whose reproduction is under his
direct influence, for where this is not the case no modifi-
cation of structure has taken place. Cats, for instance,
though they are said to be domesticated, being nocturnal
animals, their amatory gatherings are outside man's in-
fluence ; indeed, so far as their mating is concerned, they
may be said to be still feirc natures, and this circum-
stance is so exactly analogous to the case of our hived
bees that any fact or argument, in the one case may be
taken as illustrative of the other ; what lesson then have
cats to teach us? This, that while all other domesti-
cated animals have yielded ( more or less in accordance
with their plasticity) to man's influence, and have given
us almost endless varieties, cats have retained their
original character, and have not produced a single
variety or breed — which they most assuredly would
have done had their mating been directly under man's
control. In like manner our hive bees, whose mating is
also not controlled by man, retain their normal character
throughout the whole of our island; and notwithstanding
all the care, and skill, and energy, bestowed upon them
for centuries, not a single well-marked variety is to be
found.
I need scarcely point out how significant these facte
are as bearing upon the subject under discussion, nor
how unlikely it is, under the circumstances, that our
native bees are degenerating through consanguinity.
Where, within the whole realm of zoology, is there to
March 15, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
145
be found a single species in a naturally wild state, be it
vertebrate or invertebrate, suffering from too close inter-
breeding? I can answer the question itself — there is
not one. It may therefore be taken for granted that
whenever an animal has sufficient freedom to mate
naturally, there is no fear of its degenerating from too
close interbreeding; least likely is it that bees, which are
known to travel long distances at mating time, and it is
stated on good authority that drones have been found in
hives eight miles from where they were bred, will ever
be likely to need the introduction of any foreign blood.
Where is there a district so isolated that the bees are
not within the reach of fresh blood either from vagrant
colonies or from other hives? The answer to this
question has been eagerly looked for by qneen-raisers,
for I believe that none of tliem have yet found such a
place where they could keep their foreign bees pure.
If, then, what I have stated are facts, and I challenge
contradiction, it follows that our native bees, being the
survival of the fittest, i.e. naturally selected, through
long centuries of climatic influence, are not likely to be
benefited by any cross of foreign blood, more especially
if such blood be from a country whose climate differs
much from our own. Mind, I am not against a cross if
such can be got from a bee in all points better than ours,
but those who would deteriorate our native bees by
crossing them with any degenerate race the foreigners
choose to send us I regard as enemies to bee-keepers and
bee-keeping. Some, whose ignorance of climatology is
truly appalling, have advocated the introduction of bees
even from tropical countries. To all such I say, Go to
our greenhouses and our hothouses, and see if you cannot
learn a lesson there. — F. Boyes, Beverley.
CONSANGUINITY.
[1534.] First allow me to thank those who have
privately commended my views on above subject in a
previous letter, including, I am proud to say, some of
the first bee-keepers in England to-day. Secondly,
that I have no wish to engage in a wordy warfare
with such a knight-errant of the quill as Mr. Webster,
feeling sure the pages of our Journal should not be
crowded with verbiage, interesting only to the parties
immediately concerned in the quibble, therefore I shall
not follow his letter (1020) seriatim, Regarding pro-
verbs, I would also commend to his memory that sensible
old proverb which says, 'An ounce of practice is worth a
pound of theory,' as also an excerpt from Montaigne's
JEssays, ' I would have every one write what he knows,
and as much as knows, and no more.'
Notwithstanding the assurance in which Mr. Webster
wrote his previous article, he is.no w doubtful of success in
unearthing or discovering that rara apis, the accomplish-
ment of the task he will leave to future generations of
bee-keepers, though he went so far as to say that the
honey-producing qualities were enhanced in a first cross;
one would be led by that to think that the ' coming bee '
was at least within measurable distance, that some, with
the faculty of hearing inordinately developed, may possibly
catch the hum of its wings ; but no, the longing hopes
are doomed to be blighted, or, at any rate, deferred in-
definitely, and we are told to make the best of the bee we
now have. Good advice, friend ! and we will endeavour
to do in the future as we have in the past, tot up a '
decent little lump of their produce for our next annual ',
show, hoping to have the pleasure (?) of dividing
honours with the produce of the Binfield apiary.
It is refreshing among so much theorising to come
across a .fact. Mr. Webster says emphatically, that a
cross between English and Italian bees considerably
improves their honey-gathering qualities. Is that where
the extra half pound of honey per colony comes in ? In
lieu, I suppose, for the 7s. Gd. queen. And in support of
his emphatic assertion, he appeals, not to practical ex-
perience, but to the tabulated accounts in B. B. J.
Has it never occurred to Mr. W. that a new strain of
bees in an apiary would of necessity receive far greater
attention than the colonies there before ? And this
would account in a great measure for any extra in-
gathering of honey by that carefully attended colony.
I have never hinted in the B. B. J. that I know, by
experience, anything about foreign races of bees, except
the painful one (to some) of feeling their stings ; and if
my memory serves me right, Mr. W. has not had
a very long experience in the matter, neither on an
extensive scale. Mr. Webster mentions among a host of
things, ' large eggs.' We in West Berks fail to get
them larger than they were a quarter of a century ago,
and, unfortunately, only two-thirds of the number for
the same sum ; but perhaps it takes icons to increase the
size of eggs, and our friend is prospecting. Now, does
ilr. Webster seriously contend that the Blenheim orange-
apple was produced from a crab by the ingenuity of
man ? That is somewhat on a par with the evolution
theory and the jelly-fish — it requires a large faith. Then,
as to fancy pigeons, no doubt, each breed has some dis-
tinct characteristics of its own, and by crossing the
breed may produce a prodigy in shape and colour. But,
after all the admixture, the wild pigeon of the forest,
left to the instincts of nature, will outweigh it in the
scale. And I question if our horses are fleeter now than
they were over a century ago, when Matchem and Trajan
ran at Newmarket.
Mr. Webster, by his reasoning in pars. 4 and 9, shows
the preposterousness of his theory of dire effects, in fact,
cuts the ground from under his own feet in asking if I
examined every hollow tree, hovel, barn, and cottage,
during the three generations quoted in my first example,
to be sure that no colony of bees existed within six miles
of the apiary. Six miles, friend W. ? Where was the
old lady s declining apiary in the valley? Was that so
isolated that no stray colony was located within a radius
of six miles? Where was the pinewood's apiary ? Was
that in the centre of a forest of fir-trees six miles from
an outside? Really, friend, you are arguing against
yourself iu trying to demolish my simple facts.
As I stated in my previous letter it was solely in the
interests of bee-keepers I investigated the above, trusting
to allay their fears, raised, no doubt, by Mr. W.'s bogey
of in-and-in breeding as likely to produce the almost
instant extinction of their strain of bees if their apiary
should happen to be at a distance from other bee-keepers ;
and apparently my arguments and examples have had
some effect, for we have got the long distance of six
miles now as a bar to close consanguinity. I hope those
foul-broody drones or queens (which sex is it that flies
six miles pour amour/) will not have the staying powers
requisite to cover the distance hitherwards. I don't think
there is anything in my letter even hinting that I was
adverse to the introduction of fresh blood into my apiary ;
iu fact, for several years I have introduced the same by
driven bees in the autumn, and often by purchaso of
stocks in the spring. What I stated, and by examples
proved, was the folly of Mr. Webster's examples at the
end of his letter (14o4), re the valley and pinewood
apiaries becoming' extinct solely from in-and-in breeding.
I am afraid the old lady was not a very apt scholar, as
Mr. W. says he coached her up re ages of queens.
Neither did I positively state there was no chance intro-
duction of fresh blood. Still there was none by purchaso
or design in my first case ; but why is my second
example (perhaps it is conveniently) ignored ? Probably
because it is incontrovertible (vide par. 4, lo20), from the
fact of the early swarming of the bees 3*ear after year
preventing the chance mating with amorous drones from
other distant apiaries, from the simple reason they were
not on the wing.
As the plasticity of nature or its products, either
animal or vegetable, is entirely beside the question, and
us
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 15, 1888.
is no more relevant to it than the recent revelations of
minute forms of life brought within range of our vision
by improvements in the microscope, those forms of life,
and probably other and smaller forms, have been existent
for ages, though unknown to us ; and so in centuries to
come bees will exist in same form, shape, and colour, and
with same instincts fulfilling their mission in the
economy of nature; and I think Friend Webster will
bear me out when I assert that neither the wild cherry
nor the crab-apple would ever by ages of cultivation
produce a ' pippin ' in one case, or the ' amber-heart ' in
the other, except by grafting or budding. — W. Woodley.
BIRDS AND FRUIT BUDS.
[1535.] Last autumn I sent a warning note to many
publications for fruit-growers to be on the alert for
bullfinches, as they were here in unusual numbers. I
advised catching them for many reasons in preference to
shooting them, and thereby damaging fruit trees, as I
know from experience that plum-trees ' bleed ' or lose
their sap from the shot wounds all the following summer :
I have seen the ground quite wet under trees from this
cause.
These birds are very easy to catch with properly con-
structed trap-cages during September, October, Novem-
ber, and December, but after Christmas their nature
seems to change, and they will not heed a call-bird during
the time they devastate fruit trees. Although I caught
no less than sixty of these birds in my garden and
orchard, some escaped, and my plum-trees never suffered
more, some being almost cleared of every bloom-bud,
which, in addition to the more serious prospect of a
food crop of fruit being lost, is a great loss to my bees.
'hese birds nip off the buds at the rate of twenty-five
in a minute, and as they only eat, or rather swallow, just
the tiny bloom, it takes an enormous quantity of buds to
make a meal : thousands are lying under my trees ; and
as each bud would produce several blossoms the loss to
bees is apparent.
Sparrows are almost as bad as bullfinches on plums,
gooseberries, and currants, but these are easier to check
with soot, and lime, and cotton, on trees. In catching
bullfinches, tom-tits (Parus major) frequently shut them-
selves in prison, but I generally release them. I have
taken three in ten minutes from one trap-cage this
winter. My great objection to these birds is on account
of their pea-destroying — not bee-killing — propensity. —
J. IIiam, Astwood Bank, Redditch, March 6th.
MORE ABOUT THE CO-OPERATORS.
[1536.1 In the B. B. J. for Sept. 1st of last year I
gave a sketch of my adventures ' Amongst the Co-opera-
tors,' remarking, in closing, that what I saw was only a
an earnest of greater things to come. This year the
show is to be at the Crystal Palace on August 18th, on
a scale that piomises to assume colossal proportions.
The title is, ' The National Co-operative Flower Show,'
and the motto (the old Cornish one), ' One and All,'
must bo taken to mean one and all co-operators, so those
of us who are not co-operators had better become so at
once if we wish to compete, or by-and-by our only-
fate will be to 'look and weep." The prize list in money
and kind is some 3201. The portion offered in the
'honey ' classes represents about 10/. 10*., besides the
silver and bronze medals of the B. B. K. A.
Co-operators are exclusive and conservative, as well as
' fair traders.' You must sow only ' co-operative ' seeds,
grow only 'co-operative' flowers, fruit, vegetables, and
honey — I had nearly forgotten the latter — and be a
' co-operator ' yourself, or you may not compete for these
prizes. Of course the bees were always 'co-operators,'
and profit greatly by the arrangement,
Co-operators are 'cute, 'cute enough to he a company of
Celts. Here is a wrinkle for secretaries who are getting
up a prize list. Of the general section I will say nothing,
as that does not concern us so much as the honey classes.
Amongst the ' special ' prizes I find the following : — One
silver and oue bronze medal, presented by the B. B. K. A.,
and two vols. B. B. J., presented by the Editor ; the
veteran firm at Southall gives a ' Gayton ' hive ; Mr.
Howard, one of his new patent ' feeders ; ' Mr. Meadows,
an extractor and a dozen section show-cases ; Mr. Baker,
of Muskham, two hives ; Messrs. Breffet & Co. and the
Aire it Calder Bottle Company give 12 doz. honey
bottles each ; Mr. Parker gives 3 doz. honey tins ; Mr.
Pearson, 1 doz. 1-lb. sections of honey ; Mr. Simmins, six
copies of his new book, Modem Bee-farm ; Mr. Jenkins,
one of his section crates ; Mr. Hutchings, a feeder, a
fumigator, and a section-rack ; the B. B. K. Stores, 1 doz.
'Woodley' section - cases ; and ' Expert -in- Chief
Baldwin, a smoker, feeder, and 2 lbs. foundation.
Now this list means either that these various manu-
facturers of bee-gear who have contributed so liberally
are co-operators, or the energetic Secretary of the show
is good at carrying ' round the hat.' Live and learn !
1 wish them all a good show, a fine day, plenty of
competition, crowds of visitors, no speech-making, and a
bee-tent. I hope the latter will not be omitted as I shall
like to be amongst the bees if I go, as I hope to. But I
am running on too fast, there will of necessity be —
' Co-operative bees, in a co-operative hive,
With a co-operative expert to show 'em alive
To a co-operative crowd, at a co-operative fete,
Where only co-operatives are allowed to compete ; '
and I am not a co-operator, and as a matter of fact only
an — Amateur Expert.
RESCUING DROWNING BEES.
[1 •">•'!?.] In windy weather in spring many bees are
blown down in crossing a pool in my garden, and as I
feel sorry for them I rescue them from an untimely end
by procuring some hot water in a bucket over which I
place a cooking colander, into which I put the bees to
drain and warm. I find a slate lath six or eight feet
long best to place under them, as the hooked feet of the
bees cling to the rough wood, and half-a-dozen may be
lifted at one turn, a smart tap of the wood shakes them
off. After draining they soon recover if placed on some-
thing warm in the sun, and fly off to their hives. I
rescued at least fifty to-day at one time. — J. IIiam,
Astwood Bank, Redditch, March Oth.
FINDING THE QUEEN.
[1538.] I can fully endorse what ' Snowdrop ' (1508,
page 118) says in respect to time test. I have kept bees
nine years, both in skeps and frame -hives, and have
driven a large number at various times, both for myself
and others, and have tried to find the queen in open
driving, but have never fouud her yet, not that I don't
know a queen when I see one ; perhaps, my eyesight is
not so quick as some people's, and having to wear a veil
will impede my sight as well. So if finding the queen
is one of the conditions to gain a third-class certificate, I
have faint hopes of ever gaining one. I have taken the
B. B. J. since 1885, and read them all through every
week, and have learnt a great deal by the suggestions
and practical experience of correspondents. No. 1512,
page 119, advises candidates to repeatedly practise
driving aud picking out the queen previous to his
examination, which suggestion is very good for those
who have time to do it; but a working man that is
away from home from morning until night all the week
through has not the time to spare, morning and evening
not being always fit for driving. — J, B., Sheffield,
March 15, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
147
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
C. N. Parkin. — Simmiiis1 Large frames. — I think of
adopting Mr. Simmins' large frames, but would like to
know, if Mr. Simmins would kindly inform me, 1. What
equivalent is there for tiering up so as to obtain the same
results as are obtained with the forty-frame colonies ?
In other words, can one's stock of Standard frames be
used in any way for extracting whilst using the large
frames for brood-nest, single-walled tiering hives being
ill use. 2. How are the large frames extracted from ?
The ordinary extractors would not be large enough.
3. "Would empty body-box be required below frames in
summer, or would the large size (perpendicularly) of
brood nest suffice to prevent swarming ?
Reply. — 1. The shallow extracting chamber of eight
frames is used for extracting, tiering up as high as
needed. The same with usual Standard frames, using
an extra rim to bring the sides of your hive up to level
of large frames; then pile up the standard hives of
comb. 2. If the above is properly carried out there
will be no honey in the large frames to extract. 3. Use
several large frames in front or at one side (nearest
entrance) with starters only. — Samuel Simmins.
C. A. J. — Bees Dead. — Your stock, since dead, having
worked forwards, and a spell of cold weather inter-
vening, were unable to shift the cluster to the back of
the hive so as to get to the stores there. Had you cut
winter-passages through the combs, it is quite probable
your bees would have been saved. Six frames well
stored would have been ample. An enamelled quilt
would have been preferable to boiler felt for placing
next the frames. Of course any necessary candy can
be placed on the frames as desired. We believe stocks
generally are very short of food this spring. Ours got
their first pollen on the 10th ; the crocuses were filled
with them.
Geo. Murrall. — Dry Sugar Feeding. — Castor sugar is
quite useless for dry feeding. If l'orto Hico cannot
be got, we should certainly prefer syrup, though the
former is better for stimulating in spring.
Jackdaw. — 1. Si/ke-Corkhill Hive. — We see no reason
why this hive should not be a success. We have
knowledge of a very similar design having been tried
successfully. Your alteration of entrance would
possibly be an advantage. 2. Malt-wort for Feeding. —
We consider this most improper food for bees. Sugar
is cheap enough. Our advice is, never try doubtful
substitutes, it may mean death to good colonies.
3. Kindly repeat your other question.
W. M. — 1. Colour for Hives. — Try plinths white, red,
green, brown, blue, alternating the various colours in
different groups. These colours will give you suffi-
cient diversity for a large number of hives. 2. Honey
Flow. — There is said to be a honey flow when large
quantities of bloom are freely distilling nectar and
stocks are gathering considerably more than they con-
sume. 3. D. B. K. A. Library. — The annual subscrip-
tion to B. B. K. A. of os. includes free use of Library.
Mr. John Huckle, Kings Langley, will receive subscrip-
tion and forward you catalogue. Any of the books named
therein can be borrowed by members. Borrowers to pay
cost of postage both ways.
S. B. Fox. — Floor-boards. — For the purposes of cleaning
floor-boards, it is better to have them moveable in the
ordinary Woodbury hives ; but for larger hives fixed
boards are preferable : in this latter case, when re-
quired to clean the boards, the frames can be moved
from one end to the other.
W. A. Tuvssler. — You should get pollen from elms,
chestnuts, &c, and honey from hawthorn, and limes,
also trifolium. But success lays quite as much in the
management as the surroundings. Get your colonies
as strong as possible by May 10th.
W. L. Bird. — Drone-brood. — We should consider the
queen useless, as you mention there being no worker
brood. We should remove the queen and unite them
to one of your weak stocks, then you could divide them
again early in May, as soon as you can obtain a qi\een
to introduce. They will die off if left alone.
John Stuart. — We are of opinion that there is no law
by which your neighbour can compel you to remove
your hives ; but if your neighbour is disturbed and
disquieted by the presence of your bees, we think it
would be but courtesy to place them where the annoy-
ance would cease. If ' A. E.'s ' motto, Mel sapit
omnia, be correct, perhaps a present of a section or so
of honey might heal the strife. Try it.
Jo Rodo. — 1. Hieing Swarm. — Six frames are enough,
and feed gently if honey is not coming in freely. If
there is a good honey -flow, and the hive holds ten or
twelve frames only, then put in all the frames with
5-inch starters only, and place the supers on at once,
giving full sheets in the section boxes. The bees will
store above, and gradually build out comb in the
frames, whicli the queen will keep filled. It would
be safer to put excluder-zinc on the frames. Set the
swarm on the stand of the old stock. 2. Box Hive. —
The time of the first honey-flow varies in different
places. If you have plenty of hawthorn or clover in
your neighbourhood, super as soon as either of these
is opening freely. We should prefer to put a frame-
hive underneath, with full sheets of foundation in the
frames. Then, as soon as the queen is laying freely
below, put excluder-zinc between tho two hives, so
making the old brood-box a super for extracting at
the end of the season. For the future you will then
then be able to examine as may be advisable.
F. Goodrich. — Transferring Bees. — Under the circum-
stances, yes, on first suitable day. You might, how-
ever, replace coverings with clean, dry ones in a very
few minutes. Do not use smoke if you can possibly
avoid it when changing the quilts. As you turn up
those now on, let the new warmed ones gently take
their place. You can slide them correctly into position
at the last. We will inquire about the trap.
Blanche, Vaueluse. — 1. Keeping Hive-sides Faclctd. —
We keep ours packed with cork-dust (that in which
grapes are packed) all the year round, and find it
answer admirably. Keduce the number of the quilts,
give free ventilation and wide entrances. A penny
placed under each corner of a hive having a loose
floor-board gives good ventilation. Your hives should
be shaded from the middajr sun. 2. Li-regular Combs.
— Combs with brood must not be pared down. As
soon as the double comb has the brood sealed, place it
at the outside of those which contain brood, putting a
good, straight built-out comb in its place ; when the
brood hatches, remove it altogether. Gradually work
the other irregular ones out in the same manner.
As soon as you get two good, straight combs in the
centre of the brood-nest, you can about once a-week
insert a frame with sheet of new foundation instead of
a built-out comb. This is called spreading the brood-
nest. 3. Unsealed Food. — Considering your bees are
so strong, and are bringing in pollen freely, the frame
you refer to is most likely food they have liquefied for
feeding the brood. 4. Propolised Frames. — If your
bees are not vicious, you had better scrape them at
your first opportunity. 5. Moving Bees into Clean
Hives. — Unless the hives are really dirty the spring
shift is sufficient, but another shift in end of Septem-
ber would keep them nice. 0. Weak, Queenless Stock.
— Unite them to your other stock, and divide, say, in
about four weeks' time. The other subjects of your
letter will be treated next week.
Robin Hood. — Disinfecting Hives and Combs. — There
is no utility in disinfecting the hives and combs unless
148
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 15, 1888.
disease has appeared in them, or they have become a
fertile source of the growth of disease by becoming
dirty, damp, and mouldy. A hot disinfectant in the
case of hives is more effective than if applied cold, as
it enters more freely into the grain of the wood and
crevices ; carbolic acid is the best for this purpose.
Dipping the combs into the disinfectant would have
the desired effect, but they must be drained and
allowed to dry before placing them in hive. Spraying
would be equally as effective if done properly.
A. II. — Trapping Drones. — Where a hive is abnormally-
populated with drones we should trap them, but such
a condition of things cannot take place in a frame-hive
if same has been properly attended to. Drones do not
act the part of nurse-bees ; this is principally performed
by the young bees before taking their place among the
army of honey-gatherers. 2. Queen's Cage. — We did
not make the offer, but one of our contributors. This
offer, we believe, has been withdrawn. 3. Removing
colony from makeshift hive. — This can be done on any
fine, warm day by simply removing the frames and
placing them in the fresh hive, which must occupy the
position vacated by the makeshift. 4. Removing stock
from box. — You must drive them, or at least a portion
of them, with the queen. The vacated hive is then
.- placed upon the tops of the frames of the fresh hive, a
sheet of excluder zinc being placed between them.
The queen with bees are then turned into the lower
hive, which must be fitted with sheets of foundation
in about four or five frames, the dummy board being
shifted right close up to them. All means of
communication between the upper hive and the outside
excepting through the excluder zinc, must be stopped
up. The bees with queen will draw out the" foundation
in the lower while those in the upper hive will hatch
out the brood contained therein. In three weeks the
upper hive must be removed and driven, the bees being
turned into the lower one. 5. Ventilation of hive. —
This is only necessary where a colony is very populous
if you have an entrance all along the front. You must
raise outer case as well and stop up space between the
inner and outer case, or the bees will most likely build
comb between them.
J. 0. Waltham, — Dividing Colony. — On" no account
must you raise a queen in a nucleus colony as pro-
posed by you. By dividing a colony you materially
reduce the chance of a good honey crop. Yrou cannot
expect a large increase of stocks and a heavy return of
honey at the same time, but if you require two colonies
act according to the directions of the book you have
or purchase another.
Received from Mr. F. C. Anclreu, of Port Mahon,
Minorca, the Catalogue of Hives and Bee-appliances.
Received from Abbott Bros, their Catalogue of Hives
and Bee-furniture, 72 pages, illustrated with numerous
wood engravings. In this catalogue the bee-keeper will find
every appurtenance he can possibly require, and at very
moderate prices.
Sending Queen-cells. — I beg to thank Mr. Pringle
for his generous offer (1507), which I shall be very
pleased to accept. — A. Sharp, The Apiary, Huntingdon.
Ereatdsi.— In ' Echoes,' from ' J. F. R. A.,' line 8, it should read,
* Each was fed up to 25 lbs. in Octobor, and has now a one-pound
candy cake over the feed-hole.'
business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neota.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodlet, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeiqhour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Patornoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY. W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
JOHNSTON. A. B., Brickhall, Ballywoolen, Killy-
leagh, Co. Down.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Steanoeway3' Pbintiko Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.O.
[No. 300. Vol. XVI.]
MARCH 22, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
fflbxtaxhl, Sottas, t£r.
THE PROSPECTS OF BEE KEEPING.
Many of our readers who can recollect the
pleasure derived from selling honey in the comb
at 2s. per pouud doubtless feel very despondent at
the continued diminution in the price of honey,
and probably some are sufficiently pessimistic to not
only think but say that the production of honey in
the future may, perhaps, be an elegant hobby, but
certainly never a paying business. Looking at the
subject in all its bearings we beg to take exception
to this view, and at the same time to impress upon
our fellow bee-keepers that at no previous time have
the bee-keepers' prospects been of such a roseate
hue as at the present. Till within the last few
years honey of good quality was a very scarce
article to be found only in the houses of the well-
to-do, and but as a medicine even there. Now it
is fast becoming a necessary requisite of the break-
fast and tea-table ; consequently the demand is
rapidly increasing, and if honey-producers will only
use their utmost endeavours to keep their honey
clean, and at the same time put it on the market
in an attractive form, we are of opinion that within
the next decade there will be a ton used for every
hundredweight now consumed. We would point
to the jam trade as a collateral case. Within the
memory of many who would resent being designated
as old people, fair jam was lOd. to Is. per pound ;
now the same quality can be readily purchased at
bd. retail. Then only one, or at the most, two
grocers in a town kept it, and those only tu a small
extent ; now every grocer's shop, though cf the
most modest pretensions, even in out-of-the-way
villages, has an exhibit of jam as one of its leading
articles. The firms who years ago made large
prices of a small quantity now thrive far better on
a larger sale at half the price. It is admitted they
have many facilities for procuring several of the
articles they require at a much lower figure, but
labour is dearer. The bee-keeper occupies a very
similar position as regards the cheaper prices at
which he can obtain the necessary outfit, and it
only requires the actual facts of the case to be
clearly understood and fairly grasped to enable u*
to achieve as great a success as our most ardent
wishes could desire.
It is an indisputable fact that taking, say ten
average seasons together, there is no other pursuit
in which small capital can be invested with the
prospect of such large returns, if the bee-keeper
will only remember that it is quite as necessary to
thoroughly master this business in all its details a»
it is for the professional man or tradesman to
master theirs when they aim at success.
At no previous time has it been possible to
purchase the hard-eamed knowledge of others in
the form of books at so cheap a rate as now.
Improved methods of management, ifcc, are freely
communicated and most valuable hints scattered
broad-cast on every hand. This should give
encouragement to the faltering and brighter hopes
to those who have attained to somo measure of
success.
We fail to see why, if the price of extracted
honey should not in the future exceed sixpence per
pouud, it would not be possible to make bee-keeping
pay even with a few hives. At that price every
hive ought with care tu give the owner a profit of
at least a sovereign either by the quantity of
honey alone or by the honey and a swarm combined.
This is putting it at a most moderate figure. Our
most successful bee-keepers are persons who are
always on the alert for anything which shall
conduce to the well-being of their bees with a view
of fitting them to be better producers of honey. It
is needless to recapitulate here the several things
that go to make success, because the owner himself
is the most important factor in the calculation. It is
of no use his knowing what should be done if he
does it just too late. Let him work never so hard
to attain success his efforts will be fruitless.
In conclusion, we would say be every ready and
watchful, diligently accumulating knowledge at
every opportunity, manfully meeting every diffi-
culty and fully determined that no obstacle or dis-
appointment shall divert you from your purpose.
Then shall success be your reward if your work is
intelligently carried out.
PRACTICAL HINTS FROM COUSIN
JONATHAN.
Amongst American bee papers, for practical informa-
tion the American Apiculiurist bea.s the palm. At
intervals of a few months an extra-good number comes
from the desk of Mr. Henry Alley. The number for
March is so exceptionally good that I have condensed
150
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 22, 1888.
the following hints from it — which is always a difficult
matter — and do justice to the writers at the same time.
Several other subjects were treated on, but I have
selected what I thought would be of most interest to
readers of the B. B. J.
Mr. K. L. Taylor aptly remarks that ' many men have
many minds,' and this is as true of bee-keepers as of
any class ; and while we have many likes and dislikes as
to hives, appliances, and systems of management, yet we
may all learn something from the ' hints ' given by
others, although we may not be prepared to slavishly
follow their systems.
BEGINNERS
should start with two or three hives, and learn by ex-
perience and amid comparative leisure. To produce
large crops of honey they must learn to get their
COLONIES STRONG
as early as possible. The one great pre-requisite for this
is superabundance of stores. Spreading brood he con-
siders of doubtful utility. If the bees are supplied
generously with stores, the
NON-MEDDLING POLICY
will result in a health)' and rapid increase.
Mr. J. E. Pond prepares for the harvest during the
winter by getting hives and appliances ready for sum-
mer's use. In the spring he examines and cleans out
the hives and
EQUALISES HIS COLONIES
as far as possible. He gives the weak colonies brood
from the strong, unites the queenless to others, but pre-
fers building up weak colonies with good queens at their
head, to uniting together those that are
NOT QUEENLESS.
Colonies must be well supplied with food, and the inex-
perienced is warned that the consumption of food is very
great during early spring breeding, and colonies are
' liable to play out rapidly for the want thereof.' The
REARING OP YOUNG BEES
must be timed to take advantage of the crop. From
thirteen to fifteen days are given as the age of the young
bees before they become foragers. The .golden rule of
Otto — ' Keep all stocks strong ' — is as true as ever,
remarks Mr. Pond, which many are apt to forget in
these days of
PATENT RATTLE-TRAPS,
and put their dependence in 'wonderful back-action,
incontrovertible, [interconvertible, interchangeable .hives ;
but it won't do. The only honey-gatherer is
THE HONEY BEE.'
Mr. G. M. Doolittle says all work with the bees to be
successfully done should bo done with an eye open to
the probable time of the blossoming of the
MAIN HONEY PLANTS
in one's locality. It takes six weeks to build up a
colony to a state capable of doing its best work on a
given field of blossom, consequently you should time
your operations according to your crops. To commence
too^ soon is to have large numbers of bees loafing around
waiting for the harvest, while being too late gives you
consumers instead of producers. The bee-keeper must
use
COMMON SENSE
in regard to bees as in other things, not only by rightly
timing his breeding operations, but by using the best
races of bees, and the best of queens from that race,
as all
DEPENDS ON A GOOD QUEEN,
as far as the bees are concerned, and on the amount of
brains possessed by the owner, to realise that no stone
Mwittr (Jjucrjy.
[5.] — Which is the best way of preserving combs from
wax-moth and keeping them over the winter'/ What
should be done with the pollen in them ?
1. Leave them in the hive. 2. Pile up bod}' boxes,
filling them with frames of comb so they stand about
J in. apart. 8. Provide a large comb cupboard and space
as in No. 2. AVith the latter, provision is made for
burning sulphur or live coals in a pan at the bottom, if
found necessary, but this is seldom required if the combs
are used the following spring. Leave the pollen alone.
—Sam. Simmins.
Suspend them separately in a dry, airy room, and
leave the pollen alone; it will become dry and will keep.
In the spring, copious moisture with thin, warm syrup
will make it again available for the bees. — 0. N. Abbott.
Combs of one or two years old, from which honey has
been extracted, if not containing over-much pollen, may
be immersed in water for an hour or two, and again
must be left unturned that tends towards success if he
wishes to make his bees a
SOURCE OF PROFIT.
Mr. Joshua Bull says, although we cannot compel, we
can stimulate bees to rapid breeding by amply providing
for their needs during spring, and keeping them warm,
comfortable, and happy. He keeps
A RECORD
of all bis colonies, numbering the queens, and painting
the number on a piece of tin, which he fastens to the
hive that contains her, shifting it to other hives if she
swarms or is shifted by any other means. His
SPRING MANAGEMENT
consists in overhauling each hive when weather permits,
taking away the unoccupied combs, seeing that they
have plenty of food, cleaning out the hive, closing up
the dummies, and filling in the outside space with dry
chaff or sawdust, giving dry quilts, and over the quilt
laying an old newspaper, to retain the heat, contracting
the entrance and recording the
CONDITION OF THE STOCK
in his note-book and the date of examination. Mr. Bull,
unlike Mr. Taylor, does believe that the spreading of
brood, with judicious management, mag be productive of
highly beneficial results.'' The greatest danger lies in
the liability of extending the brood beyond the capacity
of the bees to keep warm during any period of cold
weather which might occur.
WHEN TO SPREAD BROOD
can only be learnt by discretion. It is an easy
matter to handle bees to death in the spring of the year
by continually fussing with them, by overhauling them
to see how they are getting along just to satisfy curiosity.
Always choose
A WARM DAY
for examination, so that the bees can fly during opera-
tions; and the best judgment of the apiarist must be
constantly exercised as to how much room, and when it
should be given, and every change in the condition of
the colony should be
NOTED DOWN IN THE BOOK
spoken of above.
It is difficult to specialise where all is so good, but
Mr. Bull's article ou spring management is excellent
reading throughout. — Amateur Expert.
(To be continued.)
* Italics mine. — 'A. E.'
March 22, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
151
passed through the extractor, when, after being sprayed
with thin syrup, and cleaned by the bees, they may be
fumigated with sulphur and stored in boxes in a dry
room. Many prefer to encase such combs in sheets of
paper in order to preserve them from the moth, — George
Kaynor.
All combs should first be thoroughly cleaned out by
the bees of any remaining honey after extracting, and in
the bodies used for storifying be fumigated with sulphur
fume or carbolic acid spray. All joints and openings
being made secure from insect life, these bodies may he
stored in a dry room, or manipulating-house, tiered any
convenient height. In small apiaries, after cleaning and
fumigating, spare combs may be nicely stored in a box,
with close-fitting lid, sufficiently large to take two or
three frames deep by any length needed. The frames
therein hang on moveable strips, so that the bos mayr be
filled from the bottom upwards. Crown paper lining
to box, with sheet of same on top, each tier will repay
the extra trouble. This winter we have kept combs in
very good condition storified over colonies, the necessary
quilting, &c, over latter, shutting off all communication
above. Small quantities of pollen may be left and given
back to the bees with no bad result, but if combs are
largely pollen-stored, it is well to scrape all such pollen-
cells away, leaving the midrib only. Many of our
attempts to otherwise rid combs of pollen have proved
futile. All spare combs which are excessively pollen-
stored it is best to break up and replace with a full sheet
of worker foundation. — John H. Howard, Holme,
Peterborough,
I tier my spare combs up in spare hives, and occa-
sionally blow some smoke in at the bottom. If there is
a moderate quantity of pollen in them, I let them remain ;
if they are rather full of it, and I do not wish to destroy
them, I just scrape them down a bit before giving them
to the bees. — John Walton.
I cannot recommend the keeping of surplus combs
containing pollen over the winter. What could be better
than a_close-fitting box, either of tin or wood, to keep the
combs free from wax-moth ? A piece of camphor should
be put in the box. — J. Garratt.
All combs to be kept through the winter should, after
extracting the honey, be given to the bees to clean, and
for this purpose they may advantageously be placed
behind the back dummy of a needy colony, raising the
dumm}' j in. for passage. Combs containing much
pollen should be given to stocks which are being fed up
with S3'rup, or broken up for wax. When thoroughly
cleaned and dry they should be carefully tied up in
paper, putting a small piece of camphor in each parcel,
which will keep away the moth, and hang them at the
top of a dry, airy room. Any little pollen in the combs
thus treated may be left, and when given to the bess
they will soon decide as to whether it is required or not.
— !5. J. Baldwin.
Let the combs be perfectly dry and clean when ready
to put awa)'. Hang them in a warm, dry store-room, so
that the air can circulate round them, but protect them
from dust and insects. Any pollen soon becomes dry,
and the bees clean it all out when the combs are given to
them in the spring. I have never found any difficulty
in keeping combs in this way, and I always spray them
with sal. acid solution, as advised in the British Bee-
keepers' Guide-book , before giving them to the bees. —
M. L. Gayton, MuchHadham.
Combs should be cleaned by the bees after the honey
is extracted, the frames should be scraped clean and
hung in racks about two inches from centre to centre,
and several rows in height, in a dry room or cupboard
that can occasionally be fumigated with sulphur. If
there is a quantity of dryrhard pollen in the combs I
should melt them down. — John M. Hooker.
Keep them freely exposed to the air, or wrap them
closely in brown paper parcels, putting a little camphor
in each. Do not interfere with the pollen. — J. A.
Abbott.
Presuming the query refers to combs that have been
through the extractor, and cleaned out afterwards by
the bees at the end of honey season, I should store them
in a dry room or chamber where facilities for hanging
thein in same position as when in hive, or they may be
stored in the storifying compartment of the hive in a
dry room ; when the pollen in them gets perfectly dry
a great part will shako out, and the remnant may be left
to the bees for clearance.— W. Woodley.
A REVIEW OF THE BEE LITERATURE OP
GERMANY AND AUSTRIA.
(a.) Nordlinger Bienenzeitung , Editor, W. Vogel,
forty-fourth year. 2\'o. 4.
The most active contributor to this the oldest of all
b;e journals i-ince its commencement is Dr. Dzierzon, the
grandmaster of bee-keepers. As usual the number
referred to commences with an article by Dr. Dzierzon,
entitled 'The Hive Question,' in which the author dis-
cusses the bees' power of acclimatisation, which enables
them to thrive in very cold countries and exist e" in
in high northern latitudes where the winter is long rnd
severe ; it is even said that colonies of bees have been
discovered in the rock-caverns of Iceland. Although
this seems incredible, we have authentic accounts of the
possibilities of bees existing in an arctic climate. In
south Iceland there are some sheltered fertile valleys,
where during the short summer months the heat become*
very great, and where the bilberry and other arctic
plants grow in profusion. The shortness of summer is
compensated and equalised by the length of the arctic
day, thus giving time for bees to collect and store sufficknt
honey to last them through the long winter.
As a protection for the roots of plants against the
extreme cold in winter kind Nature covers the ground
there with a soft covering of moss, which, at the com-
mencement of winter is overlaid by a thick layer of snow,
below which the temperature generally remains station-
ary at about freezing point, whatever temperature the
thermometer may indicate above the snow.
The maximum of the climate of Iceland in summer is
26" II = 'JOj" Fahrenheit; the minimum in winter
— 20° R = 13° Fahrenheit below zero. The duration of
the longest days there is twenty to twenty-one hours, and
of the shortest four hours. Enormous tracts of country
are covered with heath and bilberries, which ripen in
September.
The same number of this Journal contains an interest-
ing account of ' The Importance of Honey to the Ancients,'
from the able pen of Mr. Bessler of Ludwigsburg,
the well-known author of Geschichte der Bienenzucht
(History of Bee-keeping), a work recently published. A
further article refers to Mr. Ludwig Huber, who died at
Niederschopfheim in the duchy of Baden at the age of
seventy-four. Shortly before his death Huber's popular
and extensively read work Der Dzierzonstock (The
Dzierzon Hive) appeared in its tenth edition. The
latter article is illustrated by a portrait of Huber.
(b.) Deutsche illustrierte Bienenzeitung. By C. F. H.
Gravenhorst , fifth year.
The February number of this Journal contains a
charming article on Flower i and Bees, by Miss Sophie
Warnken, entitled ' The highest intellectual Enjoyment,'
the authoress concluding with the remark that he who
wishes to experience an intellectual enjoyment should
' at once commence bee-keeping, a hive of bees affording a
never-failing source of pleasure; as one watches their
labours in the flower-garden, or in the woods and
meadows.' Then follow articles on the ' Bogenstiilper
152
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 22, 1888.
at the Upper Rhenish Industrial Exhibition at Freiburg in
Baden, by Mr. Roth, and ' The Dathe Hive ' by Mr. Dathe
of Eystrup. It will be in the recollection of bee-keepers
that the latter hive, containing three storeys in which
the frames have a width of 23"5 cm. = 9J inches, was
adopted as a standard for fixing the measurements of
bee-hives in Germany.
(c.) Deutscher Bienenfreund, by L. Krancher, twenty-
fourth year. No. 3.
Mr. L. Stachelhaussen of Selma, Texas, gives a de-
scription of ' The Construction of the La»gstroth Hive,'
as suitable for use in summer. He is decidedly in favour
of hives that can be manipulated from above. Mr. H.
Rabes, Secretary of the Niederhasslau Bee-keepers'
Association, gives a short ' Explanation in reply to Mr.
Koerbs,' with regard to this gentleman's new invention
of artificial combs — a general subject of conversation
among bee-keepers at present. Is this artificial comb
likely to prove useful and of real advantage in practice ?
The future will show.
(d.) Die (wiirttemberyische) Bienenpftege. Editor,
Mr. Baeh, tenth year.
No. 1 contains an article on ' Honey ' from the Letters
on Diet, by Dr. Job. Aug. Schilling, in which the author
gives an accoimt of what has been written about it, and
its use as a food and medicine.
(e.) Bienenvater (leien). Editor, Mr. J'ernges,
twentieth year.
No. - of this Journal contains a very interesting and
instructive article by Mr. E. Drory, entitled ' From my
Diary,' being notes on bees during atrip round the world.
The most entertaining of these are dated from the island
of Ceylon, where the learned naturalist made observa-
tions not only on the various kinds of bees, but also on
Meliponas and Trigonas, in the propagation of which he
displayed so much skill and perseverance during the time
he was editor of the Rucher at Bordeaux.
(/.) Bienenwirtschaftliches Centralblatt, Hanover.
Editor, Mr. Lehzen, twenty-fourth year. No. 3.
This number reproduces the speech made by Mr. C.
Liitzow at the second bee-keepers' meeting on ' The Eyes
of the Bee,' illustrated by numerous drawings. In
another article entitled ' A Lawyer's opinion on the Act
of Parliament of May 14, 1870, respecting the traffic in
articles of Food and Drink,' Mr. Letocha expresses
himself satisfied that the provisions of this Act afford
sufficient protection to bee-keepers and the consuming
public, as by ite enactments the former are very well able
to defend themselves against dealings in spurious hone)',
and the latter against dishonest tricks on the part of pro-
ducers and sellers of honey.
{g.) Oesterreic.h-iingarische Bienenzeitung. Editor,
Father Schachinger, eleventh year. No. 2.
The Rev. gentleman whose honey aerometer has been
declared to be a failure in his leading article in this
number defends his invention, saying that no reliable
experiments have been made to justify this assertion.
Mr. Franz Zavadil recommends the manufacture of
artificial combs with square cells.
(/«.) Leipzigcr Bienenzeitung, published by Liedlohf § Co.,
third year.
No. 2 of this Journal contains a description of the
' Twiustock Hive, the most suitable bee-hive of all,' by
Dr. Dzierzon, followed by a continuation of the 'History
of Bee-keeping.' The same number also reproduces some
forest regulations which were in force in parts of Germany
during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. There
is also an article, headed ' Formic Acid in Honey,' in
which the writer endeavours to prove that this acid is
a product of oxidation of the carbhydrates of plants.
(«'.) Allgemcines deutsches illustriertes Bienen-Organ,
by Mr. Felgentreu, third year.
No. 2 contains a description and illustration of the
Alberti hive, by A. Alberti. This hive is an oblong
box, one of the broadsides of which is accessible by doors,
while all the other sides are fixtures. The frames are
resting on a grating, and are kept at the proper distance
from each other, and from the walls and doors, so that
when the doors are removed, the frames are perfectly free
and may be turned to and fro. It is also possible to
take out of the hive any frame which it may be desirable
to remove.
(k.) Die Ilonigbiene von Briinn, tivenfy-second year.
Editor, Mr. It. Bull.
In No. 2 the editor publishes extracts from Mr. Denn-
ler's work Das Bienenwachs (Beeswax), on the subject
of adulterating and testing wax, and the employment of
wax for industrial purposes.
(/.) Miinchener Bienenzeitung, tenth year. No 3.
Editor, Dr Haulner.
In this number dronetraps are described as dangerous
appliances which should not be used in the apiary on
any account, as they frequently cause the loss of the
queen. — Dennleu, Enzheim, in Alsace.
ASSOCIATIONS.
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Annual REroRT.
The Committee have much pleasure in reporting satis-
factory progress during the past year in spreading a
knowledge of advanced methods of bee-keeping, and in
the work of the Association generally. The number of
members has also very largely increased, the total being
now 141, as against 85 in 1886. In spite of the injurious
effects of extreme drought, the year 1887 has been
marked by an exceptionally bountiful honey crop. This,
however, lias had its usual drawbacks, in the shape of
dull demand and low prices. Under these circumstances
the Association may be congratulated on the results of
the market established for the sale of members' honey ;
and great credit is due to Messrs. Carton Brothers, the
agents, to whose unremitting exertions the large measure
of success attained is mainly due.* The bulk of the honey
sold was in the form of one-pound sections. Two-pound
sections are most unpopular, but the few sent were all
disposed of.
Extracted honey, being apt to candy rapidly this
season, found so little favour with the public, that the
supply had to be stopped, but consignments already re-
ceived were sold at an average price of a little over 8^d.
for 1-lb. bottles, and about 4±d. a lb. for honey in cans.
Better results may be hoped for hereafter, if individual
members will join with the Committee in combating the
prejudice against candied honey, which even now is not
universal.
The average price of 1-lb. sections, taking good and bad
together, was a little over Id. For good sections the
following prices were obtained : — From January to June,
dd. to Is.; July, at first, 8rf. to SW., decreasing, as the
month advanced, to 6d, ; August, Id. to 8rf. ; September
to December, Sd. to 8^y carbonic acid, possibly drop from
their cluster to die.' This, I believe, explains the lament-
able mortality among Mr. Adcock's bees.
After reading what has been written on the subject,
and comparing it with the results of my own experience,
my advice to bee-keepers, in order to secure dry and
sweet insides to their hives in winter, is : — 1. Have your
floor-boards gradually sloping towards the flight-hole ;
2. Paint well the inside3 of your hives; 3. Give a flight-
hole in winter of nine inches long by a quarter of an inch
high. — II. W. Lett, M.A., Aghaderg Glebe, Loughbrick-
land, Co. Down.
HORNETS AND WAX-MOTH IN PALESTINE.
[1548.] All southern lands abound with hornets
( Vespa crabro), especially such places as afford good
nourishment. They thrive well in Palestine, living on
carcasses and on fruit. Hornets live in communities like
the bees. In spring the queen, the only surviving in-
dividual, comes forth from her winter quarters — in the
stem of a tree, old house, &c. — and takes possession of
either an old nest, or starts building a new one, in walls,
fissures of rocks, or in the ground, which she digs herself
by carrying out small stones and clods ; she has to do all
the work till the first young ones are out. Having pre-
pared a fit place, she builds her first comb horizontally,
the lower part only having cells ; she lays as many eggs
as she can easily care for, and flies out to carry home
food for her brood. The first workers appear in June ;
as soon as they appear, the mother remains at home,
having no more work left but that of laying eggs. As
the workers increase, fresh combs are built one below
the other, attached to the top comb by a stout central
column and by a lesser side column. All is built of mud
and some woody fibres ; some combs are as big as fifteen
inches in diameter, and five or six combs are often found
in one nest. Sometimes in August they have grown to
be very dangerous to the bees, and will destroy apiaries
wherever they get a chance to enter the hives. In Sep-
tember they lay drone eggs in the same cells in which
the workers were batched. New combs for queen-rearing
are now built; the cells are a deal larger, and very often
these combs are superior in number to the worker-combs.
In November all workers are gone; the drones too,
having fecundated the queens for the following spring,
disappear. This is a good time to destroy numbers of
queens at a time. We destroy every hornets' nest we can
get hold of by putting fire to the entrance'; and if in the
ground, open the nest by degrees to get out every one of
them. Naturally enough this is done by night, as it
would be impossible to attempt disturbing such a nest
in the day-time, as the hornets which are out would
attack you, and their long sting penetrates even through
March 22, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
157
the clothes. The badgers, too, help us by invariably
digging up such nests as are accessible to them ; they
open the hives, too — it is the brood they are so fond
of. Happily the hornets do not develop equally strong
in every place, nor in every season. In 188.) and 1880
the Plain of Sharon was full of their nests ; in 1884
and 1887 the mountains of Judea (around Bethlehem),
whither we take our hives for the thyme-blossom in
July, were full with tliem. Some parts near Jerusalem
are quite rid of them : it is there we resorted with our
apiaries. Mr. F. Beaton and myself killed numbers of
hornets daily at Beyrouth (Syria) in 1882. The method
we them employed was by taking a board fit to handle
and striking them as soon as they attempted to take the
bees gathering at the entrance. Last spring we killed
innumerable numbers c f hornet-queens, still the develop-
ment was very strong.
In 1880 — a very favourable year for hornets here in
Jaffa — I put down in my diary — ' Hornets killed : Sept.
30th, 2582 ; Oct. 1st, G08 ; 2nd, 003 ; 4th, 104 ; oth,
2604; Oth, 2037; 7th, 3302 : total of seven days, 12,700.'
Does not your correspondent (page 93) say : — ' In a
win ile year nearly 400 hornets were killed round the
hives 'i ' Hardly worth the trouble to talk about hornets !
I did not note the hornets killed either before or after
these seven days marked, but during two long months
have I been troubled with them sufficiently, and have
taken to every possible remedy : firstly, by killing them
by thousands almost daily ; secondly, by the ' Palestine
dodge of smoke' (a very good one, too); thirdly, by closing
the entrance of hives — the bees themeelves had no ob-
jection to being shut up from morning to just before sunset,
when I used to give them a chance of having a flight ; and
fourthly, by putting hives with combs and honey (no
bees) open to attract hornets ; by this method 1 sul-
phured on one occasion over 600 hornets that had gone
in to get the honey, repeating the same again and again
the same day. Another good method to observe is to
kill every hornet flying about from March to June —
they are the queens ; are much bigger than the workers,
are very easily recognised, especially later on when some
workers begin to fly. By striking a queen dead at that
time a whole nest is broken up. After that time they
no more appear till November. A few hornets killed
here and there almost make no difference to bee-keepers,
as I can well assert, for, after having killed 12,790
hornets in seven days, besides having killed just as many,
or nearly so, weekly during live or six consecutive weeks,
I hardly noted the difference. I suppose Malta is very
much in the same conditions for bee-keeping as Palestine,
as we read of orange, karob, and thyme blossoms, also
the way the natives keep their bees. We have single-
walled hives, one inch lumber, ventilating holes, two on
each side of the hive, which are made especially for the
moving to and from the mountains in June and Novem-
ber. We depend on orange-blossom in April, cactus in
May, thyme in July, the karob is too scarce to afford
any crop. Our hives are unprotected from the sun,
and though the thermometer goes as far as 95° Fahren-
heit in the shade, we never knew any full-built and
heavy combs to drop from the heat ; fixing the comb-
foundation with fat or waste-wax, to keep as long as the
bees have not fixed it, has no effect whatever on the built-
out comb later on, as it is fastened enough by a strong
colony of bees. The bees nowjbegin building foundation
combs, which we fix in the nailed frames. We have
about fifteen thousand frames in use, they are made of
Swedish pine-wood and never warp ; they will hold as
long as the comb is well preserved from the wax-moth,
a very serious enemy, which has to be combated by
putting in air-tight hives or boxes all surplus combs,
and sulphuring them once a-week at least during the first
month, and once a fortnight in the following two months,
then once a-month till the beginning of January ; they
are, then, almost safe, still occasionally looking for them.
The wax-moth will eat up and utterly destroy any
number of combs not sufficiently separated, i.e., hang
them two inches apart from centre to centre, and light
a piece of sulphur, put in some old plate and hang or put
it in a free space inside the store-hive or box, shutting it
tightly to have the combs well impregnated with sulphur.
Water is absolutely necessary (for bees) to be provided
for in such places as where fountains or pools are absent ;
a few hives are easily supplied with water, and bees find
their way to get water, any hour, in an inhabited place.
We now freely give stimulative food to prepare for the
orange crop, which is coming on very soon, in fact, too
soon to have the colonies sufficiently strong to get
surplus by letting them develop naturally.
We are five brothers, and own 080 bar-frame hives all
in one place ; we move all on camel-back, each camel
taking eight hives. — Ph. J. Bahlenspeuoeu, Jaffa, 7th
March, 1888.
CONSANGUINITY. (1520.)— VIRGIN OUEENS.
[ 1 541 •.] If 'A Cottage Amateur " has never tried keeping
a frame of eggs away from a stock in a July temperature,
a ' Platelayer ' has, with the result that the eggs hatched,
at least most of them, into dwarfs) cripples, stingless,
wingless insects. Of course the experiment with me
was accidental, and I am not likely to repeat it. — Plate-
layer, Ruckinge, Asford.
EGGS BY POST.— CONSANGUINITY.
[1550.] In my letter (1.520) occurs the following
passage :
' A Cottage Amateur " has never tried
keeping a frame of eggs away from a stock for forty-
eight hours, even in a July temperature, or he would
know that it would be equivalent to keeping a hen off
her eggs for forty-eight hours, and then expect them to
hatch.' These observations we made upon the strength
of two circumstances that came under my notice during
the last season, and were as follows : Upon removing
some frames containing brood and eggs from two hive>,
at different times, one was in each case inadvertently
allowed to remain behind the dummy-board until the
following day ; having replaced them in the hive, I
found that the fertility of the eggs was destroyed, they
failed to hatch. I think that such a position during July
or August would be found warmer and of a more equable
temperature than that which would be experienced in
sending them by post where, perhaps, the mail-bags may
be placed in a direct draught from under the doors of a
tram, perhaps travelling at the rate of forty or fifty
miles an hour, which would materially reduce the tem-
perature ; or being carried in early morning a few miles
on the back of some rural postman ; or, perchance,
lying for hours in a cold post-office. Of course it is
quite possible to send eggs if they are, by artificial or
other means, kept warm during transit. When reading
Mr. Edey's letter upon the above subject, I fully under-
stood him to mean sending frames of eggs together with
adhering bees, and which 1 now believe he means.
During the coming season, if any bee-keeper will re-
move a frame of eggs from a hive and allow them to
remain exposed to the variation of temperature which
must be experienced even in July for forty-eight hours, he
may safely depend upon their failing to hatch.
If our friend, Mr. Boyes, will inquire, he will find that
Mr. Bate's, and, in fact, all pedigree herds, were not pro-
duced by in-and-in breeding. Consanguinity is resorted
to by pedigree stock-breeders — which I have before
pointed out — not to produce a variety, but to perpetuate
certain features in a herd at the very frequent expense of
stamina. He will also find that all herds are recruited
from time to time by the introduction of fresh blood of
the same variety from other herds, in order to prevent
the ill effects of in-and-in breeding. I have advocated a
158
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 22, 1888.
cross to improve our bees, not to go 'jog-trot' on the
same lines as of old. If we can improve our stock — and
we most certainly can — why not do it ?
Mr. Woodley's advice, in the first part of his letter
(15.34), to all, to write what they have a knowledge of,
is truly rich, when in the last paragraph he writes the
absurdity of a crab-apple producing a ' pippin ' by
grafting. Allow me to inform him that it is the scion
that produces the ' pippin,' and this scion has been pro-
duced by cross-fertilisation before it was grafted to the
crab stock, the crab stock would only produce a crab if
allowed to produce anything. Grafting is a means of
perpetuating a variety already produced that it may be
of greater utility to the owner. — W. B. Webster.
JOTTINGS BY WOODLEIGH.
[1651.] I think my letter (No. 1634, par. G) will
answer Mr.' Useful Hints ' in his paragraph 'Olla-podrida,'
where he animadverts to my previous letters on con-
sanguinity, he will see that I do not advocate in-and-in
breeding. The object of my writing was to allay any
fears that the theories of Mr. Webster may have raised
in the minds of some bee-keepers, and to prove that his
opinions in the declining prosperity of the two cases
cited by him must proceed from some other cause than
in-and-in breeding. Mr. ' U. II.' has kindly given an
extract from a letter in Vol. V., p. 11, B.B.J., by 'A
Renfrewshire Bee-keeper.' Evidently our Scotch friend
was not conversant with methods adopted to keep his
stock pure, or he would not have had to bewail only
one instance of pure impregnation during many years,
and which he imputes to chance by having an unfer-
tilised queen at the head of one of his colonies. How
different from the results obtained by a great master in
the bee world, the great Dr. Dzierzon, who exhibited
the finest amongst many fine specimens of queens at the
Congress of Austro-German' bee-keepers that year, 188;!,
(vide Vol. X., p. 271, B.B.J.) and asserted by Dr.
Dzierzon to be a direct descendant of the first Ligurian
stock brought into northern Europe thirty years before.
Here is an instance of one of the first masters in bee-
culture in Europe keeping his race of bees pure.
As an instance of how easily bee-keepers are alarmed
by recognised teachers, take the case of 'Inquirer' (1522).
Here we have a bee-keeper with a stock of natural food
on hand, probably crystallised sections, and afraid to give
it to his bees because Mr. ' U. H.' says it would be
injurious, yet a fortnight later our Editor says it is not
injurious to bees, i.e., granulated honey. No wonder a
new hand was in a quandary over the matter, but if he
thinks my advice worth following, I say give the granu-
lated honey to your bees. If in sections place two
together with glass on the outsides, secured as in glazing
your sections for market, place over the feed-holes of
your hives, then wrap up in some soft, warm material ;
and if your colony is strong they will soon clear out the
honey, leaving you the combs beautifully clean, and
ready for refilling in June. I myself have been feeding
as above with sections that were solid by crystallisation,
and have not seen the slightest sign of dysentery, and
my bees have utilised every scrap of honey in the
sections.
It is only a reasonable deduction that if bees can
reduce hard cakes of crystallised sugar that they will be
able to liquefy crystallised honey ; and if honey so soon
granulated, that is gathered from the seed-farms of
Cambridgeshire, the bees in that locality must live on
hard slabs of crystallised honey the year through.
I trust bee-keepers will take the hint of Mr. Grffiin
(1524) re the Railway Bates for honey. It will be by
concerted action in the matter that we shall he able to
make our influence felt, and with the many patrons of
bee-keeping who figure in the various reports of the
County Associations, we ought to have any amount of
influence if the matter was brought before the different
Railway C ompanies by some of our patrons and sup-
porters.— Woodleigh.
FRESH BLOOD.— ITALIAN BEES.
[1552.] If ' Useful Hints ' does not eventually turn
all our bees into Italian hybrids it certainly will not be
his fault, judging by the persistent manner in which he
extols his favourite Ligurians in the Journal and de-
nounces our native bees ; indeed, he seems never more
happy than when lauding the praises of the former and
blackening (no pun, please) the latter.
Now, valuable as his instructions undoubtedly are on
most other subjects, on this particular one it seems to me
his enthusiasm gets the better of his judgment, and he
allows his hobby to run completely away with him.
Don't be alarmed, please, Mr. ' U. H.' I am not going
to condemn your favourites, only to point out what to
me seems like a little inconsistency in your last week's
contribution on this subject, which is this, that you
allow Mr. Webster to give two cases of supposed de-
generacy through isolation and interbreeding without a
word of comment ; but no sooner does Mr. Woodley
bring forth two other cases to show that no bad results
had followed isolation and interbreeding, than you at
once come down upon him ' like a barrow-ioad of bricks.'
I always thought that ' what was sauce for the goose was
sauce for the gander ; ' and there is no other reason for
supposing it otherwise — except that the one case was
favourable to your argument and the other was not.
What ' A Renfrewshire Bee-keeper' found out in re-
gard to his Italians crossing with the surrounding native
bees, and what you yourself advance on the same subject,
is perfectly well known to be true, and to be in accord-
ance with that general law which not only enjoins, but
provides for, the crossing of both animals and plants, and
to which I alluded on page 145 of last week's Journal;
but it is not necessary that the cross shoidd be of foreign
blood, any more than that an Englishman should be
compelled to go abroad for a wife to prevent consan-
guinity. All those bee-keepers have to do who keep our
native bees, is to get some driven bees or queens from a
distance (and I have gone and driven bees as far away
as thirty miles on purpose to get a cross), and there will
be no fear of too close interbreeding.
I have been most particular to make inquiries that no
foreign bees were kept within ten miles of where I have
got my cross. The very name of foreign bees is dis-
tasteful to me, because I cannot find out that the
foreigners take any pains to cross their bees or in any
way improve them, but concentrate all their energies on
producing queens in large numbers so as to reap the rich
harvest of English money which awaits them ; not only
so, but the disastrous results from foul brood, which
followed the introduction of Italian bees into the apiaries
of Mr. AVoodbury and others, should make us pause
before placing such a terrible curse amongst our bees. —
F. Boyes, Beverley, March YMh.
(fdj0.es ixam % gtbxs.
Vaison, Vaucluse, France, Mar. 10. — We have had a
long and severe winter, but the last four days have been
almost like summer, and my bees seem almost wild with
joy ! This afternoon I noticed pollen was brought in
large quantities ; the bees were so laden that they could
scarcely crawl iu through the surging mass of young bees
at the entrance. I should say quite thirty bees came
with pollen every minute. Our bills are covered with
box-trees, or, rather, shrubs, which are just coming into
bloom ; and a little later on there will be hundreds of
peach, apricot, cherry, plum-trees, &c, in blossom. We
have also acacias and lime-trees, and wild thyme
March 22, 1888.]
THE BKITISfl BEE JOUKNAL.
159
abounds everywhere, as well as wild mint and sage.
Near our house there are several fields of sainfoin and
lucerne. Do you think these ought to yield the best
honey ? What I had last year was most fragrant, and
had a delicious flavour; colour, pale amber. I am a
novice, and having no one here to help me, bee-keeping
being in its infancy (brimstone is the fashion), I have to
learn by reading and practising to the best of my ability
(a poor best at present). 1 much enjoy reading the
B. B. Journal, especially those passages relating to the
early experiences of bee-keepers. I have only one stock
at present. It was a first swarm last May ; consequently,
the queen is in her third year. As I cannot replace her, I
Hhall have to make an artificial swarm, and let the bees
raise a new queen in one hive, but I am puzzled how to
manage about the other, if I have to destroy the old
queen. I have not been able to see her majesty yet.
Yesterday I tried my very best, but the combs were so
covered with bees I failed to discover her. One frame was
so heavy I had to rest it on the edge of the hive, and
while reaching for a knife which had fallen beside me,
the frame slipped from my gloved fingers, and down
went frame, brood, honey, and bees ! I never looked, but
fled to the house before the infuriated bees had time to
recover from their surprise. Shortly afterwards I was
thankful to see they did not seem much the worse for
the shock they had sustained. I have bar-frame hives
(Abbott's); in time I hope to have some like Mr.
Cowan's, as illustrated and described in his book. All
the hives here consist of four planks nailed together,
which form a box about ten or eleven inches square and
five feet high ; two cross sticks are placed in the middle.
The bees are not fed, but are suffocated when the honey
is taken. All our neighbours laugh at me, and evidently
think I am a harmless lunatic, but I do not intend giving
up such a delightful pursuit, especially after having been
stung so many times. This place is twenty- seven
kilometres from Orange. It is very hot in summer, and
very cold in winter ; we have so much north wind,
which, I suppose, is very bad for bees. — Blanche G.
[Artificial Swarming and liaising New Queen in Old
Stock. — First divide your stock, ascertain which
portion has the old queen, taking care the swarm
has two frames of sealed brood almost ready to hatch,
and one frame of eygt, which can easily be obtained in
one of the frames with foundation, about twenty-four
hours after it has been inserted in the old hive. Wait
until the new queen has commenced laying in the new
hive, say, thirty days, then destroy the old queen,
removing all frames with larva) to the new swarm,
but leaving eggs in the old one ; they will then raise a
new queen under the best conditions. In both cases,
insert a frame of brood, not sealed, into the hive where
the young queen is about to hatch out. This should be
done about two days before the queen appears, and at
the same time destroy all queen-cells except one. You
would be doing well to purchase a new queen for the
swarm. Honey Supply. — We very much doubt if your
prospects of obtaining good - flavoured honey could
be much better than they are. We should be pleased at
any time to receive notes from you on any local system
of bee-keeping, and also to assist you in an}- way. We
regret your accident, and hope the bees did not lose their
queen. — Ed.]
Tinahely, March 13th. — Herewith find postal order as
my subscription to your Cottage Bee-keeper. It is quite
a boon to the agricultural community, and will (in Mr.
Cowan's hands) ' be up to the times.' Our Poor Law
Unions here are asking Government to give each of them
100/. annually as prizes for well-kept farms, best bulls,
minor industries, such as fruit-raising, bee-keeping, and
poultry-farming. I think your people ought ask a like
grant, as well as a Minister of Agriculture like our
Colonials. liee-keeping is spreading well here, but our
medicsl friends don't advocate well enough 'honey
as food.' — J. Traynor.
Alton, Hants, March 1 5th. — To-day the weather is
warm. The bees seem very strong and very numerous.
They are working on the crocuses. The weather has
been very serious for bees this winter. Being so warm
in January some of them started brood-raising. I find
one of my stocks, a very weak one which started brood-
rais ing, the whole lot are dead. It was a weak lot last
season, the queen being lost or killed; they raised a new
queen in place of the lost one, so I had been watching this
stook to see its progress, when, to my dismay, I found the
whole lot dead, with plenty of food. — F. G. Ayling.
Goole, March 17th. — During the past week we have
had a return of severe winter weather, snow and rain
having fallen rather heavily, accompanied by keen frosts
during the nights. It has been blowing a gale most of
the week, from the north and north-east. We are
wishing for a fine, warm day, to enable us to examine
two hives that we have some doubts concerning the
queens. — A. Woodhead.
Forfar, March V.)t/i. — We have had a severe snow-
storm here, which has put a stopper on everything.
Crocuses would have been in full bloom by this time if
the weather had kept as warm as it was before this
came on. Bees were flying as it was, but I saw no signs
of pollen being got. My bees were out yesterday too,
and I had to shade the front of the hives with boards.
1 saw many of the bees lying dead on the snow, and
many of them alighting on it. Food is getting scarce in
many hives, and 1 have had to feed several of them some
time ago with Saddler's candy, the first allowance of
which was soon eaten up. I may mention that the
whin (gorse or furze) has been in bloom here the whole
winter. I found it in bloom at the seaside in November,
and since that time here. Wishing you all success. —
1). Kydd, M.D.
Streetsrille, Canada, February 27th. — Our bees in this
locality seem to be wintering pretty well up to date, but
the trying time is to come yet, as bees that are in the
hives now were hatched last July and August princi-
pally. There have been a few days this month that bees
could fly in this part of Ontario. — W. Cousb.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking/or addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for tlie general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
M. D.- — Moving Bees. — Move them back about three
feet every evening of such days only that the bees have
been on the wing. Set a piece of board to lean against
the front of each hive so that the bees may mark their
new surroundings. Had you moved them, say in
November or December last, they could have been
shifted to their new stands direct.
Inquirer. — Salicylic Acid added to Bees' drinking water,
— It is highly improbable the bees would avail them-
selves of 3'our kindness.
D. M. — 1. Disinfecting Suspected Combs. — We should
prefer the spraying as much as possible for the simplest
plan, but, considering the present price of foundation,
it is positively unwise to use any combs about which
you have any suspicion. 2. Wiring Frames. — Cer-
tainly the bottom rail will bend if you put any strain
on it by drawing the wire tight. We hardly under-
stand how your wire slacks if you have }-our block the
right thickness under the foundation. We also refer
you to page 256 of B. B. J. for 1887.
160
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 22, 1888.
Kingston. — Plmiol in Drinking Water. — The bees will
not take it while they can get pure water.
J. R. — 1. Granulated Sections. — Cannot be restored to
their original consistency. 2. Storing Comb Honey. —
We presume you mean sections. They should be
packed away from the light, and kept, at an even
temperature of about 65 to 70 degrees. See recent
article by ' Amateur Expert ' on this subject.
J. Eodo. — Management of a Bar-frame Hive. — Hive a
swarm on, say, five sheets of foundation. As soon as
the outside ones are being drawn out, add a fresh
frame with foundation in the centre of the brood-nest.
Give full sheets of foundation unless you have a honey-
flow at the time of hiving the swarm; if so, give i-in.
starters only, place queen-excluder on the frames, and
a section rack with full sheets of foundation on top at
once, cover up warm, and place on stand of parent
stock. Watch that they do not run short of food if
the honey-flow suddenly ceases. Seven frames of
brood only will give the bees a better chance of storing
a surplus than ten. Give the other three at the front
with starters only ; they will only build them then as
they require them. We have found eggs laid within
twenty-four hours of hiving a swarm, although the
comb bad to be entirely built by the bees without the
aid of foundation. Unless you have exceptional ad-
vantages, you ought to get your sections finished and
removed by the beginning of August. About six
frames are sufficient for an ordinary stock to winter
on. There should be about twenty to thirty pounds
of either honey or syrup in these frames for winter
store. We should advise you to study Cowan's Guide,
also the back numbers of the B.B.J., from which you
will get much help. We will be pleased to help you
at any time.
W. M. E. L.— Will Strange Stock Fight?— You need not
fear to move your bees to the farm, neither need you
fear they would kill any swarm you might buy. Bees
are most peaceable folk. Ten shillings for a first
swarm in May is very reasonable. Second swarms of
course are not so valuable as first swarms, but local
circumstances must determine local prices. No doubt
if you take all swarms the farmer may have, you will
find no difficulty in arranging the price.
T.N. — 1. Zinc over Feed-hole. — Use tin by preference;
you can easily punch some holes iu it. 2. Space below
Frames. — About half an inch is quite sufficient.
2. Bees dead. — Probably cold or starvation, but it is
impossible to say for certain without either seeing the
hive as you found it, or else having a detailed descrip-
tion of packing, relative position of dead bees, and
their unconsumed stores, &c, 4. Bees Killing one
another. — This looks like robbing. Try placing the
hive mentioned in an entirely fresh position, and con-
tract the entrance to about i in. for a week or two
until they get stronger.
C. M. P. — The sample of sugar may do for the bees, but
you will not find it so suitable as Porto Pico.
National Co-operative Flower Show. — By an
oversight, amongst the prizes to be given was omitted
Turner's Cottagers' Hive, value 10s., presented by Messrs.
Turner & Son, Kadcliffe-on-Trent.
pgusiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Koad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Webster, W. B., Binfiekl, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand,
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
SniMixs, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER. W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDET & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS.. Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., W addon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLT, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WTrHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoeways' Printino Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 301. Vol. XVI.]
MARCH 29, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(^bitorial, ftoltas, #r.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Examination of Hives.
The time has at length arrived when it is necessary to
examine hives, so as to ascertain their exact condition.
The weather hitherto has been so cold and changeable
that wise bee-keepers have not disturbed their bees.
Xow, however, it is quite time to do so, that they may
note the condition of their colonies, and be able to settle
on the course to be pursued. Have everything that is
likely to be wanted ready at hand, so as not to keep the
hive open longer than is absolutely necessary. Although
the sun may be shining on fine days, the warmth is
deceptive ; the air is chilly, and brood long exposed to its
influence at this season is likely to suffer and become
chilled.
Having everything ready, we Temove the roof and
quilts, or chaff-box, and subdue the bees either with
smoke, or carbolic fumes, or carbolic-acid solution. If
smoke be used, it can be administered by gently turning
up the last quilt next to the tops of the frames, and by
blowing in a few puffs at the ends of the frames. We
prefer blowing in the smoke at the ends, because it will
travel right along the passages between each of the
'combs, and will reach every part of the hive much sooner
than if it strikes the face of the comb at the side of the
hive. Put down the quilt and allow the bees a few
seconds to gorge themselves with sweets. Then turn
over one side of the quilt, exposing one or two frames,
and give the bees another puff or two of smoke before
proceeding to examine them. "We have also used
successfully the carbolic sheet recommended by the Rev.
G. Raynor instead of smoke, and bee-keepers will find
its application very easy. The solution is prepared in
the following manner: —
Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid 1£ ounces.
Glycerine 1 J „
Warm water 1 quart.
The acid and glycerine should be well mixed before
adding the water, and the bottle must be well shaken
beforj lining the solution. Bee-keepers should keep this
solution always in stock, as it is useful not only for
manipulations but also in cases of robbing. A piece of
calico, or cheese-cloth, can be soaked in it, and after
wringing it is ready for use. Before opening a hive
moisten a goose-quill with the solution and pass, it over
the alighting-board and around within the entrance.
Then gently raise the quilt on one side of the hive and
pass the feather moistened with the solution over the
frames as far as the centre of the hive. Lay the quilt
down gently, and do the other side in the same way.
Then take off the quilt and lay the carbolic sheet over
the frames. The carbolic sheet can also be applied with-
out the use of the feather, by rapidly stripping off tho
quilt and laying the sheet in its place before the bees
have time to recover from their surprise. Afterwards
turn up the sheet and push the division-board on one
side, so as to give plenty of room for the removal of the
first frame. Take hold of the frame by the projecting
ends, and carefully lift it out of the hive without
crushing a bee. Then raise it to the level of your face
and examine it. If the bee-keeper \\ ishes to find the
queen he must look very carefully foi her, aa at this
season queens are very likely to escape notice, being
much more active than they are later in the season. Both
sides of the comb should be examined as rapidly as pos-
sible, and with a little practice dexterity will be acquired,
and the bee-keeper will be able to turn his frames with
tho greatest ease if he carefully follow our instructions.
Having the frame on a level with your face, lower the
right hand and raise the left until the top-bar of the
frame stands perpendicular. In this position the same
face of the comb will still be towards you, with the
bottom-bar of the frame towards your left. Now give
the frame a half-turn round towards the right. This will
bring the other side of the comb to the front with the
bottom-bar turned towards your right-hand side. Lower
the left hand, which is at the top, and raise the right so
as to bring the top-bar to a horizontal position. Now
you have the top-bar at the bottom, the bottom-bar at
the top, and the comb in the same place as it was
hanging in your hands when first taken out of the hive.
In this way the comb is reversed, and you are enabled
to examine the other side. To bring it back to its
original position, reverse the operation, always taking
care to keep the comb perpendicular. This method of
procedure applies specially to combs built in frames that
are not wired, as of course combs that have been secured
in wired frames are not liable to give way like ordinary
combs. If an ordinary comb is only fixed to the top-bar
and part of the way down the side-bars, as is generally
the case, when this is turned up, unless kept in a perpen-
dicular position, it is liable from its weight to break
from its attachments, and fall out of the frame. After
the first comb is examined, put it gently into the hive '
162
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 29, 1888.
and place it slowly into the rabbets so as to allow any
bees upon feeling the slightest pressure a chance of
getting out of the way. This frame is placed at the
proper distance from the division-board, and the next
can be taken out and examined in the same way.
Examine the combs from outside to the centre, then
cover them over and commence operations from the
opposite side.
When all the comb3 have been inspected, remove
those that are found to be superfluous, allowing the
bees only as many as they can comfortably cover.
Brood will be found in all strong hives. We examined
some hives about a week ago, and found five frames of
brood in one and six frames in another hive, there being
enough bees to cover eight and nine frames respectively.
These bees had been put into winter quarters in Septem-
ber, and not touched since. The centre combs had
brood to within a couple of inches of the end bars, and
there was a good deal already hatching out, and a great
many young bees in the hive. Such hives are in good
condition and do not require much attention, except a
little stimulative feeding to keep them going. When all
the frames have been replaced, push up the division-
boards, put on the quilts and cover up comfortably. Go
over all the hives in the same way, noting the quantity
of brood, the number of frames in each ; and if the queen
has not been seen make a note of this also, so as to be
reminded to look for her at a future examination.
Bees require now to be kept warm more than at any
other time because the nights are very cold, therefore
leave no more combs than they can cover. Be sure that
the bees do not run short of food, or have too much,
otherwise the queen will not ■ find room to lay her eggs,
and the development of the colony will be retarded.
The first examination should be done on a fine day;
and if the bees are inclined to rob, late in the afternoon.
Do not leave the hive open long, but keep it covered
with the carbolic sheet, which will generally keep
robbers at a respectful distance. Clean hives and floor-
boards may be given to any colonies requiring them,
although we prefer to defer this operation until warmer
weather sets in, as it takes much longer to accomplish
than a preliminary examination such as we have
described.
PRACTICAL HINTS FBOM COUSIN
JONATHAN.
(Continued from page 150.)
Mr. G. W. Demaree says, those about to start bee-
keeping on an extensive scale should s lect the most
suitable location. Then he goes into the most difficult
question of the
BEST HIVE,
which really means the one he is most used to ; hut ho
insists that hives must be light, substantial, and capable
of being ' tiered,' adding the
'tiering up'
is essential to the largest yield of the best quality of
honey. The best bees, he says, are the first crosses
between the Italians and the blacks. To successfully
winter and have stocks strong in spring, they must have
PLENTY OF STOKES,
bo that they require no interference till they begin to
gather honey and pollen in early spring. Then all up-
ward ventilation should cease, as bees require plenty of
water for breeding, and the moisture will do no harm,
but, on the contrary, be an advantage.
SECTION CASES
should be put on before the bees have filled the brood-
nest with honey, and partly built-out sections from the
previous year should he pared down, till the cells are
only half an inch deep, to givo satisfactory results. He
also advocates leaving the honey on the hive sufficiently
long to be
WELL RIPENED,
and that all should take pains to build up a home honey-
market, and not glut the great cities and towns and
bring down the price.
Mr. Eugene Secor says, Inferior honey is as great a
bane to bee-keepers a.i adulterated. Most of the blame
for the
INFERIOR HONEY
he lays at the door of the extractor in the hands of the
novice and inexperienced, who instead of honey extract
nectar. ' Instead of a rich, oily, aromatic delicacy,
whose fragrant memories will linger long after the joy
has passed, he has some sweetened water that will
hasten to convert itself into vinegar, as if ashamed to
attempt to counterfeit what it can uever equal.'
HONEY TO SELL WELL
must be well ripened, and put up so attractively that
the purchaser will delight to take it home when he or
she has company to tea.
Dr. C. C. Miller has discovered that every producer
should not only use
THE SIZE SECTION
that he can sell best, but stick to one size, and not
change without a reason, nor try to work two or three
different sizes. The doctor also writes about
OVERSTOCKING,
trying to settle the question as to how many stocks it is
profitable to run in one apiary. He finds it hard to fix
tho number as there are so many factors to be taken into
consideration, and at last sets it down as somewhere
between 75 and 125 stocks — a pretty wide range, as he
admits.
Mr. Henry Alley, the manager, as the editor of Api
modestly styles himself, comes last. He also writes
about overstocking, recommending bee-keepers to feel
their way slowly into the capabilities of their district.
He also gives a few hints about developing a
HOME MARKET,
which are very practical and well put. To find a
veteran of thirty years' standing recommending ex-
perimenting need not surprise us, especially in the
way of
IMPROVING THE STRAIN
of bees and building up colonies in spring. Foul brood,
he says, ' stamp out ' with merciless vigour — bees, combs,
hives, and all, and start with a fresh lot of bees from a
distance. The best
ARTIFICIAL TOLLEN
for feeding bees in early spring, he says, is wheat-flour.
He is unfortunate in being four miles from the nearest
bee-keeper, as he recommends all bee-keepers
TO BE SOCIABLE,
and meet as often as possible, and talk over the best
ways of wintering bees, marketiug honey, the best hives,
&c. &c, which certainly is the best advice that we can
endorse in closing theae lengthy extracts. — Amateub
ExPEBXi
March 29, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
1C3
USEFUL HINTS.
"What more can we say of the weather ? The chief
topic of conversation — the one subject of which English-
men never tire ? and truly our climate affords just cause.
Hut of late the extraordinary vagaries permitted by
^Eolus and other responsible deities have not been con-
fined to our island home. Europe, even to its remotest
corners, and America, the land of ' blizzards,' have been
alike visited by ' Africusgue, Eurusque, Nbtusque ;" and
blinding blizzards, with mountains of driven snow, have
prevailed everywhere to the discomfort of all, and
sounding, alas ! the death-knell of many. And what
about our bees in all this hubbub and turmoil of the
storm-gods ? Doubtless many a colony will fail to ' put
in an appearance ' when May with her floral induce-
ments fain would entice them forth to sip her ambrosial
dainties. For strong colonies, well provisioned, in strong,
well-built hives, we have no fear; but the weak ones,
located in the modern, cheap (?) ' tuppenny-'apenny-
'ives ' must assuredly ' go to the wall.' ' 1'enny-wise and
pound foolish' is still too much the order of the
day, which we fear many will find out to their cost.
' Right here' (Am.) let us ask a question : What is the
derivation of the word ' Blizzard P' We have sought all
our dictionaries— some half-dozen — through and through,
and in only one (Nuttall's) do we find the word given,
and there its meaning only, sic: ' A sudden, violent, cold
snowstorm [U.S.]' We 'guess' the derivation to be
thus traced : Blind (blink, blinker), blinder, bliudzer,
blidzard, blizzard — meaning literally a 'blinder.' Just
ns our word ' blinkard ' means one who blinks, so ' blizzard '
will mean a storm which blinds or causes to blink.
Pardon the digression.
Feeding, after the late severe weather, is of the
Utmost importance, and must not be postponed for an
hour. Before the advent of this latter ' cold spell ' bees
had commenced breeding, and serious inroads had been
made upon their store. Now, with many colonies, a
supply or non-supply is a matter of life or death, and
those which show in largest numbers on a bright, sunny
day are probably as near starvation point, or nearer,
than those which scarcely show at all. The more mouths
the greater. the consumption of food at this season.
Often have we found our most populous colonies semi-
comatose— sleepy, sluggish, languid — and at death's
door in the months of April and May from the absence
of food in hive and field. Let the food now be syrup,
made from loaf sugar or granulated sugar of any kind,
but it is not economical to buy the low-priced sugars.
The following is a good recipe for syrup for spring
feeding : —
White loaf sugar 5 pounds.
Water 3 pints.
Vinegar 1 tablespoon!' ul.
Salt 1 „
Salicylic acid solution 1 „
The salicylic acid solution is prepared thus : — ■
Salicylic acid 1 ounce.
Soda borax 1 „
Water 4 pints.
Mix with warm water, and shake well in a large stone
bottle. Syrup should never be given without this
solution, which is an effectual preventive of foul brood,
generally speaking. Feed at the top of the hive, to
prevent robbing. Any cottager may easily manufacture
a bottle-feeder for himself. Take a. block of wood, four
inches square and one inch thick, with an auger-hole in
its centre large enough to receive the mouth of an
ordinary wide-mouthed pickle-bottle. Tack a piece of
stout canvas over one side of the block, and place it
(canvas side downwards) on the feed-hole. The pickle-
bottle, filled with syrup, and having a piece of cheese-
cloth tied over the mouth, is then inverted; and its neck
inserted in the hole in the block, and we have a perfect
feeder which cannot leak, and from which the bees can
take food as required. No shovel is required when
inverting the bottle. An excellent food, used for queen-
cages, and by many preferred to syrup for early spring
feeding, is the following : —
Powdered sugar (confectioners' ' frosting ') 5 lbs.
Liquid honey (warm) 1 lb.
^Vell kneaded together for some time, until perfectly
mixed. _ Two pounds, spread on cheese-cloth and covered
with stiff paper, is kid on the frames, under the quilts,
and will last an average colony about a week at this
season.
Our advice is, — Feed all colonies, weak and strong.
If there is a superabundance of honey in any hive, by
uncapping a few cells now and then, turning aside the
quilt, without further disturbance, the bees are as
effectually stimulated as by syrup feeding. Pollen
supply must be continued, as recommended in last
'Hints,' for which see 'Manipulation' also. Iteration
of the same advice week after week is wearisome to all,
and reference to late ' Hints ' can always be made by
those who file their Journals, For this reason, we are
very anxious that every bee-keeping cottager should
have brought to his door our monthly Adnser to keep
for Ms own, and thus have it in his power to refer at any
moment to any particular piece of advice or suggestion.
We all know how much anything which we can really
call our own is prized. What a touch of nature is there
in the old nursery rhyme : — ■
' Oh, pretty new doll, it looks fine,
And its cheeks are all covered with red;
Oh, pray, may it always be mine,
And, pray, may I take it to bed ?'
Changing Hives. — When making the first spring
examinations it is well, if the hives have been fouled by
dysentery, to substitute clean, dry ones in place of the
damp, dirty ones. This is easily accomplished, thus: —
Remove the hive under examination from its stand — or
stand and hive altogether, as the case may be — a few
feet backwards, or sideways, and place the clean, dry,
empty hive exactly where it stood. Smear the entrance
of the occupied hive with carbolic solution and strip off
the quilts, quickly replacing them by the carbolised
cloth. Remove the frames which are unoccupied by
bees, one by one, to the same position in the new hive as
they occupied in the old one. Now you have the brood-
nest alone left. Remove this bodily by placing beneath
the ends of the frames pieces of lath, or strips of wood,
and, carrying it to the new hive, insert it as it was
before. We have often performed this operation on a
fine evening in April without causing a dozen bees to
take wing, and seemingly without the bees knowing that
any operation at all had been performed upon them or
their hive. Let the old hives be scraped, cleaned, and
thoroughly disinfected by washing with carbolic-acid
solution — 1 oz. of acid to 1 pint of warm water — then
dried, and placed ready for further use.
Confining Bees to as many combs only as they can
fairly cover is certainly advantageous, especially in the
case of weak colonies. Their domain can be enlarged
at pleasure, as required, by moving back division-boards,
on either side, and inserting combs, one by one, at
intervals longer or shorter as demanded.
Uniting weak colonies has never availed much in our
hands ; but of course mnch depends upon the queen, as
dwindling is often caused by an unprolific or aged queen.
We prefer taking a frame of brood from our strongest
colony, and placing it in the centre of a moderately weak
one ; but this must not be done too early, before there
are sufficient bees to brood it well. Very weak colonies
are not worth the trouble or expense of nursing. By this \
We mean those which cover a couple of frames only. If / '
such possess a good queen it will bo best to place her at
164
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 29, 1888.
the head of another colony, whose queen requires to bo
aiijK reeded, or to keep her at the head of a nucleus in
case of further need. Queenless colonies should be
united to those having fertile queens and requiring
bees.
Continue to keep all hives well protected from cold.
Where the enamel quilts have not been given, they
should be supplied at the first opportunity, and covered
with several other quilts, of felt or carpet, chaff-
cushions, &c. Warmth now, to breeding colonies, being
of the greatest importance.
Olla Podrida, &c. — In consequence of going to press
somewhat earlier than usual — in anticipation of the
Easter holidays — we are compelled to omit our notes
under this head, but shall hope to return to the sub-
jects of Messrs. Woodley, Boyes, and Godfrey's
courteous letters, at no very distant date. Meanwhile,
we beg to assure Mr. Boyes that we have not the
slightest, wish to apply a ' sauce to Mr. Woodley and
to withhold the same from Mr. Webster ; albeit, so far
from classing these gentlemen under the title anserine
we consider them amongst the foremost of modern
apiarists.
As regards Italians and hybrids versus blacks, our
opinion has been formed on a twenty-five years' expe-
rience. And since we do not plead guilty to riding a
hobby, we do not see how it can have run away with us.
According to Mr. Gradgrind's dictum, ' Facts are stub-
born things,' and on these, so far as they have come
within our own knowledge, our foundation is laid and
our edifice raised.
Stkctcb <$xixrg.
[C] — If only starters, two or three inches deep, *re used
instead of whole sheets of foundation, in the brood-nest,
how is the production of drone-comb prevented?
By preventing (if possible) the too-rapid incoming of
honey, naturally the formation of drone-comb is, in a
sense, accidental, depending on the honey -How — if
meagre, the bees will build worker-cells as a rule ; but a
glut lasting a few days will cause them to build store, or
drone-cells to receive it. — 0. N. Abbott.
By placing the frames at a distance of lj in. from
centre to centre, instead of the usual distance of li in.,
and by confining the bees to as many frames only as
they can cover, giving mure room by adding frames as
required, in the case of newly-hived swarms. — Gkoboe
Raynor.
By placing the starters \\ in. distance, and having
colonies or swarms in a normal state (with the queen in
prime condition) to carry out the work. Unce in our
experience we set up a strong swarm, which (then un-
known to usj was headed by a virgin queen. Next
morning's examination showed us drone-cells worked, at
the lj distance, upon worker foundation. My astonish-
ment revealed the probable cause, and I now espied the
slim Tirgin rushing about ' all life and gay.' A frame of
hatching brood was given, and the hive well marked for
the queen's return from mating. Forty-eight hours
after I again examined, and found the queen had mated,
and the bees, with their instinctive knowledge of the
fact, had returned to worker-cell production. My super
crates were placed, and all went well. I mention this to
prove 'No rule without exception.' — Joun II. Howard,
Holme, Peterborough.
I have never tried starters for many years, so cannot
say. — John Walton.
I am unacquainted with any way, if the arrangements
are of a normal kind. Possibly crowding the frames
closer together might act as a preventative, but I am not
prepared to say that it would.— J. Garratt.
I do not think it can certainly be prevented ; but if
only a sufficient number of frames are given for the
bees to cluster upon and entirely cover, in the first
instance, provided food is coming in, either naturally or
artificially, regularly and not too fast, while comb-building
is gorng on, worker comb will probably fill the frames.
A swarm usually builds sufficient worker comb for the
bees to cover, and then they surround their brood-nest
with drone-comb. Hence the advisability of having
large swarms and crowding tho hive as much as possible
in the first instance. As soon as the frames are all built
out the bees will gladly avail themselves of surphu
room, where, perhaps, drone-comb will not be an ob-
jection. Swarms headed by young queens do not appear
to be so anxious to build drone-comb as those headed by
older ones. — M. L. Gayton, Much Iladham.
If starters only be used in the frames it is absolutely
necessary that they, the starters, should not be placed
more than lj in. apart to prevent drone-comb being
built. — S. J. Baldwin.
By keeping the frames \\ in. from centre to centre,
using Mr.W. B. Carr's metal ends, or those made by Mr.
Godman, which obtained a medal at Newcastle, either of
which will keep the frame! li or \\ in. from centre to
centre as required. — John M. Hooker.
The bees are sure to commence with worker-comb, and
so long as they continue to build without a check they
will not build drone-cells, but when they stop building
they will not generally recommence until they are short
of storage room, when they are liable to build drone-
comb. Therefore they should be fed in bad weather till
the hive is filled with comb, but it is best to use old
foundation. — J. A. Abbott.
By giving only a part of frames at first, then inserting
the remainder as required in centre of hive, I have found
that some swarms build more drone comb than others
treated on same lines, though I cannot say yet if it is
an hereditary propensity or the result of some occult
influences. — \V. Woodley'.
ASSOCIATIONS.
STAFFORDSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The Annual Meeting of the Staffordshire County
Bee-keepers' Association was held on Thursday, March
loth, in the Guildhall, Stafford. Major-General Buller
pre-ided, and about forty members were present, includ-
ing Mr. A. II. Heath (the Hon. Sec), the Revs. J. D.
Glennie, A. It. Alsop, and G. R. Bailey, Messrs. W. B.
Yarde, Lieut.-Col. Mort, H. H. Pratt, J. R. Critchlow,
Eliliu Clowes, II. Wood, A. W. Rollins (expert of the
Association), &c.
Mr. Heath read the Annual Report, as follows : — ' The
work of the Association during the past year has been
carried out on much the same lines as in the previous four
years of the Association's career, commencing in April last
v ith the spring tours of the experts, Messrs. Rollins and
Clowes, in the south and north of the county respec-
tively. 141 members were visited, 151 skeps and 482
bar-frame hives were examined ; and the cost of the
tours was 10/. 17s. lOjrf. In the autumn the experts
visited 153 members, examining 172 skeps and 572 bar-
frame hives, and the cost of the tours was 10/. 4s. 9^d.
Thus the average cost per member visited in the spring
tour was 2s. id., and in the autumn tour 2s. Qd.
' From their reports we are led to believe that bee-
keeping in Staffordshire is carried on on the most
approved and scientific principles. The one feature
which is unsatisfactory is the prevalence of toul brood
in certain districts. This is a serious matter, and should
occupy the attention of all bee-keepers in districts where
the disease exists; the cures for it are well known, and
larch 29, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JO JliNAL.
165
should be applied without delay, so that the infection
may not be carried into every quarter of the county.
'The bee -tent was engaged at eight shows or fetes,
and left a balance in hand of 12/. 4s. \NS11IKE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
At a special meeting of the Committee of the N. B.
K. A., held in All Saints' Schools, Northampton, on
Saturday, March 17th, called to consider the advisability
of supplying the Bee-keepers' Adviser gratis to members
or for a slight remuneration, it was decided to send the
Bee-keepers' Adviser gratis to members who subscribe
2s. 6d. and upwards, and to cottagers paying a subscrip-
tion of l.«. Sd. per annum in advance (to all members who
desire to have the Adviser). And it is earnestly hoped
that by making this concession the Association will gain
many new members, especially among the artisan and
cottager bee-keepers, who at present hold aloof from the
Association, but who, indirectly, are reaping a benefit
through the diffusion of the knowledge of advanced bee-
keeping made known through the Associations, and those
members who devote time and energy in furthering the
aims of the Association.
All who desire to have the Adviser are requested to
send their subscriptions to the Hon. Secretary, Mr. R.
Hefford, Houghton, Northampton, or the several district
secretaries at once.
It is also advisable to state that any member of the
N. B. K. A. can have the B. B. J. through the Associa-
tion at cost price, viz., 8s. 8d. per annum, paid in ad-
vance—half-yearly if preferred. By arrangement the
Journal is sent direct to subscribers from the office
weekly, causing no delay. — A. T. Adams, District
Secretary.
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The Committee of the Lancashire and Cheshire Bee-
keepers' Association held their first meeting of the year
at their room, 2 South John Street, Liverpool, on the
19th March, 1888, when twelve members put in an
appearance and unanimously elected the lie v. J. F.
Buckler, of Bedston Rectory, the Chairman for the year.
After passing the accounts to date, and arranging
several details of work for the year, there was a discus-
166
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 29, 1888.
sion whether it was advisable to make a county compe-
tition a feature of the show to be held in conjunction
with the Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and North
Lancashire Agricultural Show to be held at Lancaster
from the 5th to the 7th of September, 1888, when it was
decided to set apart 151. to be offered in prizes for the
best exhibits of honey staged by Counties affiliated with
the B. B. K. A. — W. Lees McClube, Son. Secretary,
The Lathams, Prescot, March 19th.
WORCESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
We are glad to be able to announce that Mr. E.
Davenport, the expert to the above Association, who,
for private reasons, sent in his resignation to the hon.
sec, has reconsidered his position, and will continue his
duties for the current year. His address will be, as
before, at Tontine Buildings, Stockport.
imngix.
BELGIUM.
If we are to judge from the tenour of a communication
which has reached the Revue Internationale d 'Apiculture
from M. Karel de Kesel of Amougies-les-Renaix, Bel-
gium is at last not only becoming alive to the importance
of apiculture as a means of improving the condition of
farmers and others engaged in agricultural pursuits, but
is about to take such practical stop.-; as will place it
at no distant date in a lino with other European
countries. We cannot do better, therefore, than place
before our readers a translation of M. Karel de Kesel's
communication as published in the Revue Internationale
d 'Apiculture, and which is to the following effect: —
'I am in a position to inform you that our Minister of
Agriculture has just approved a report upon Practical
means fur spreading the knowledge of keeping bees in
our country, and decided to at once give effect to the
following two recommendations, viz. :—
'First. — To hold an International Bee Exhibition in
Brussels in the course of the present year, of which I
will send you later on the prospectus.
'Second. — To order fifty lectures to be given in the
most suitable Belgian districts for successful bee-keeping.
' In order to spread as much as possible the knowledge
of bee-keeping it has been decided that for this year no
more than one lecture is to be given in each district.
This first lecture will deal merely upon the rudiments of
bee-keeping and manipulating, so as to initiate into
correct principles those who have already acquired a
natural instinct in the management of bees.
' The lecturer will be furnished with horse and trap.
In these he will carry about with him, among other
things, a stock of bees to be used for practical demon-
strations at his lectures. An adequate r mount of pub-
licity will be given, to the effect that a bee expert is
about to arrive with an ambulant apiary, that he will
bring with him bee-hives on the moveable bar-frame prin-
ciple, that the combs will be removed from and replaced
into the hive at pleasure, and that the bees will be seen
working through glass. Mention will also be made
that the lecturer will bring with him bees of several
breeds, as well as bee-hives, from which as many as
75 kilos of honey can be obtained in favourable seasons ;
and that, in fact, he will show them sundry bee-furni-
ture of the latest invention, &c. It will also be made
known that editors will be supplied gratis with a sum-
mary of the lectures, together with a lithographic
design of an improved bee-hive, together with explana-
tions and a list of the most approved books on
bee-keeping. The explanations and documents which
you have sent me, showing how a Bee Association could
best be organized in Belgium, will be of great assistance
to me. Again M. Vernieuwe, attached to our Ministry
of Agriculture, himself an amateur bee-keeper, has
received the particulars which you aud Mr. Cowan have
■sent him.
' We shall soon send out to all the bee-keepers known
in Belgium an invitation to a general meeting, ia order
to agree upon the main point of a proposed association.
' 1 have perused over and over again all the numbers
of your Revue Internationale d Apiculture for 1887.
For me it has been a very useful and encouraging
reading. For years I have had to do as best I could
with my bees without the assistance of a reliable guide;
hence it is only since I adopted, three years ago, large
hives with strong colonies that I have been able to
obtain satisfactory results. When I look upon the past
I cannot help thinking of the many things that I have
learned at my cost, and of the money that 1 could have
saved if 1 had known of the existence of the Revue
Internationale d'Apiculture from the first. (Signed)
Karel de Kesel.'
ITALY.
The Board of Management of the Central Bee
Association held recently a meeting at their head oiliee
at Milan for the purpose of electing and reappointing
honorary representatives at home and abroad. Mr. .lohn
B, Camaschella, of Forest Hill, S.E., was re-elected
representative for Great Britain and its dependencies.
Mr. Camaschella has held this honorary appointment
ever since 1877.
dTorrcsuonaena.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
bj his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com*
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the piper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, rejiorts of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Reviewt
£c, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Oirtme, IV. C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
4c„, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*t* In order to facilitate reference. Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, Will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
THE ODOUR OF NECTAR,
[1553.] I dare say much of what I say on this subject
will interest tho»e who have made horticulture a hobby
rather than bee-keepers, whom it affects only in a slight
degree, and that little is purely of a scientific character.
We take it for granted that the odour of flowers is the
odour of the nectar, and that it is given off by the plant
at certain parts of the day or night, more at one time
than another, according to the surrounding atmospheric
conditions and in proportion as it requires the visits of
such animals as are useful to it in securing cross-fer-
tilisation, for whose services the plant is bidding, with
its seductively attractive perfume and its deliciously
flavoured food, the nectar.
It is only in keeping with a law of nature (affecting
not alone individuals of the vegetable kingdom) that
peculiar degrees of heat and moisture, together with
certain unknown electrical currents or conditions, per-
haps also accompanied by seismic fluctuations, produce
activity in those parts of flowers which are destined to
play an important part in securing for its kind a future
on the earth. The ovaries, the pistil, the stigmatic sur-
face, the anthers and pollen-grains, are all distinctly
acted upon by the suitable surrounding conditions, and
in the same measure is nectar secretion copious when
an agitated, irritated state is produced by such sur-
March 29, 1888.]
1?HE BKtTISH BEE JOURNAL
16?
roundings. The nectarlike, perfume-laden breeze has
only become so by gently brushing; about the pendent
catkins and flowers against leaves and branches until the
agitation stimulates an extraordinary nectar flow or
transudation through the cells of the nectaries. In
order to test the question as to irritation increasing
nectar flow, it is only necessary to fillip with the finger
the stem of a perfume-bearing plant in bloom, and the
increased scent is distinctly perceptible ; the nectar will
continue to be secreted by the flower so long as the
atmospheric conditions remain suitable, or until its seed
has been fertilised. A very interesting study may be
made of the mechanical contrivances found on various
plants, which are used by them to assi*t or prevent insects
visiting the parts of flowers where nectar is lodged.
Amongst these protective appliances I may name prickles,
ha IPS, and sticky exudations, and these are generally found
at the nodes or parts where branches join the stem, where
branchlets join branches, and where leaf-stalks join the
branchlets.
Nature is far more sparing of original elements than
one would at first suppose, but she is multitudinous in
her combinations of those elements; products arc given
which in no manner resemble the parentage. In colour,
every hue is made by the intermixing of red, blue, and
yellow ; every tint, from rosy dawn to golden sunset.
In music we have a similar trinity of notes, the inter-
mediate shades and combinations of which give us the
the grand harmonious notes of thunder rolling amongst
the mountain-tops, the seemingly discordant screeching
of the storm rushing through the forest or beatiug its
waves of wind and sea agaiust Nature's rugged breast;
the sighing of the wind amongst ttie tree-tops, the weird
noises through the night of the myriads of falling pine-
cones, the startling cracking of the tree trunks as the
rising sap of spring bursts the bark and splits the stems ;
these, down to ' the utterances of the insects,' merely vary
in combination or intensity, the few simple primaries of
sound formation. In the sphere of chemistry the com-
pounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, are innumer-
able, and have become a distinct branch of study.
We are shown how to obtain the most dazzling tints
from coal-tar, the brilliant aniline dyes locked up in a
piece of coal. We are obtaining from the same source
most enticing flavours of raspberry, strawberry, pine-
apple, pear, apple, &c, sweetened with saccharine, itself
a hundred limes sweeter than sugar; perfumes follow-
on in the same line, and all from a bit of Nature's carbon
compound ; and here we come back to the nectar and
its odour. Now, instead of being at the trouble — tj
say nothing of the difficulty — of mixing various nectars
in order to obtain new combinations, let us experiment
with sprigs of the flowers themselves; you may then,
perhaps, agree with me in my assertion that Nature is
311st as chary and economical in her elementary perfumes
of nectar as she is in those other objects which appeal to
other senses besides smell and taste — I mean colour and
sound. The perfumer uses very few bases, but he builds
up new scents (to which he gives startling and at-
tractive names) by scientific combinations alone. Let
us do this for ourselves with a sprig each of mignonette,
wallflower, and garden-pink; these three, or, indeed,
any other three, will give a blend, in which — if tested
fairly — it is most difficult to recognise the separate com-
ponents ; so it is with our honey, it is only recognisable
when one component predominates over another.
In order to show how the same flower (nectar) scents
repeat themselves throughout nature I will give you a
list of notes I made on February 20th, 1883, comprising
plants — principally orchids — from all round the belt of
the earth, with the associations they gave me to other
odours.
La'lia anceps (orchid), scent of honey.
Cattleya Mossiie (orchid), two petals, seent of honey (lip
no scent).
Hyacinth (pale blue), like a vanilla pod or like Stanhopoa
Tirgrina (orchid).
Zygopetalum Mackayi (orchid), Hla3-coloured, scented
like lifac.
Odontoglossum Halli (orchid), like a bcanfield.
Orange flower, stamens and petals like j ismine.
Orange flower, stigma, of orange.
Odontoglossum pulchellum majus (orchid), of May
blossom.
Mormodes piirdinum (orchid), of sandal-wood.
Dendrobium heterocarptim (orchid), of Windsor soap.
Ccelogyne cristata (orchid), of May blossom.
Cytissus fragrans (yellow), like Cattleya citrina (an or-
chid, also yellow).
Cattleya citrina (orchid), of lemon or citron.
Dendrobium crystallinum (orchid), of heather honey.
Epidendrum fragrans (orchid), of plum stone kernels or
hydrocyanic acid.
Kpidendruui virens (orchid), of chopped hay, slightly of
bergamot (like a manger).
Lselia albida (orchid), of sweet honey.
l'ilumna fragrans (orchid), of weak vanilla.
Odontoglossum maculatum (orchid), like Daphne.
Odontoglossum blandum (orchid), disagreeably of
jasmine.
Polyanthus narcissus, disagreeably of jasmine.
Orange blossom, disagreeably of jasmine.
Azaleas, of pinks.
Skimmia Japonica, of Daphne.
Lily of valley, weak Daphne.
1'ancratium caribba'Um, sweet Daphne indica.
Criuum Careyanum, vanilla.
Dendrobium fimbriatum (orchid), red inky or creasote.
Dendrobium primulinum (orchid), lilac and honey.
Dendrobium Wardianum (orchid), wild rose.
rhalienopsis Schilleriana (orchid), of daphne indica and
violets.
Ccelogyne flaccida (orchid), urine of horses.
(i deandra Devoniana (orchid), heather.
So it is, almost throughout the floral world, the in-
numerable changes are rung on comparatively few bells.
With us, our honey, mixed by the bees, changes its
character with almost every section where one kind of
flower does not strongly predominate in bloom; and in
this case, who has not found a friend who simply could not
bear the flavour of honey from one source alone, clover,
lime, or heather, the intensified flavour of which per se
is decidedly objectionable ? A good mouthful of clover-
honey reminds one of the smell of a mill-pond on a hot
autumn evening, the lime, like re^in or varnish, and a
comb of heather highly suggestive of a farmer's boy
drying his damp fustian or cord before the Are. At-
tenuated or blended, I don't care which, the same sub-
stance produces on the palate what, without blasphemy,
may almost be called a divine sensation. — K. A. II.
UitiM.siiAW, Sbrqforth, near Leeds.
NEW ARTIFICIAL CO.MB-FOUNDATION.
[1654.] I have read your article on 'One-side Cell
Comb-Foundation,' on page 138 of the B. 11. J. for this
year, with much interest, as I had myself, when in
convers.i'ion with Mr. Alfred Neighbour some six weeks
ago (about Mr. Marshall's inventionl, suggested that the
fixing the foundation at the side of the frame or section
would fulfil the objects Mr. Koerbs proposed to obtain.
1 think the one-side cell cjmb-fouudation can be
readily made by any one having an ordinary comb-
foundation mill, which will answer both purpises at
a small additional expense. For the one-side foundation,
the upper roller in the mill has simply to be taken out
and replaced with a smooth one. The sheets of wax are
prepared exactly as before. A piece of calico washed free
from dressing and dried is placed on the wax on the table,
and about half an inch is turned down under the sheet of
wax. The handle of the machine is turned round once
or twice, to lubricate the under roller, and the wax-
168
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 20, 1888.
sheet, -with the calico on the upper side, is then fed
through the mill. Directly the pressure comes on the
calico, the end turned under is embedded in the wax,
prevented from slipping, and when passed through
the machine, comes out with a hacking of calico on one
side, and the usual impression of foundation on the
other.
It can, I think, also be fixed to thin board or card-
board, or anything that will bear the pressure of the
rollers. I have not tried to make foundation in this
way, not having a mill, but I feel pretty certain it will
answer. I hope some of the makers of comb-foundation
will experiment a little and say what they think of this
plan.
The reason the bees may bo expected to build on one
side only is that there is no wax on the other to induce
them to start building, and as the space between the
foundation is about li inches, they will_ not attempt to
insert one.
Nothing but careful experiment will enable us to be
certain how the bees will act, and at present no opinion
can be formed as to whether or not there is any advan-
tage to be gained.
If the bees will build out the comb and fill it with
honey only, combs with a backing will be much stronger,
and when extracting, less liable to break, as there will
be no weight of honey on the other side of the midrib
endeavouring to fly from the centre, tending to break the
comb, — John M. Hooker.
two coats of paint I can assure you it is not at all a bad
hive, and it costs me next to nothing, and there is plenty
of room to put sections on one above the other, and making
these appliances is a far better occupation on a winter
evening than going to a public-house.
Well, after I had made this, I bought a swarm the
beginning of June 1886, for which I paid twelve shillings,
and put it in. The first year I took nine pounds of honey
from the bees, and showed it at our local show, got a
prize of two shillings, and sold my honey for nine more
shillings. I thought I was getting on famously.
When 188? came I had iuy one stock strong and
healthy, and on June 15 it threw out a swarm; and
such a swarm it was, it weighed six pounds of bees good
weight, and I hived them in another of my own manu-
facture, and let them stand about a fortnight and put on
some sections, which were soon rilled ; and from my swarm
I took twenty-four sections and a glass ; the glass weighed
a little over four pounds, and I sold from both my hives
over two pounds worth of honey at tenpence a pound,
and have both my stocks strong and healthy ready for
1888. — A Cottager.
BEES FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT.
[1555.] Seeing in your first number of Adviser, which I
by chance got hold of, that you would gladly correct any
mistakes, &C, and put in shipshape any commentary
which you might receive from any cottager, I gladly
take the opportunity of giving [my little experience in
bee-keeping. I have received very valuable assistance
through Gardening Illustrated.
I started some six or eight years ago, and of course
with the old-fashioned skeps, but I did not succeed, for
after a year or two all my bees died, and so I determined
to try a.bar-frame, so I bought]an|old one for five shillings
as a pattern, as I wanted my bees more for pastime than
anything else. I determined to make all my own hives
and everything connected with them. And this is how
I proceeded : I got an old tea-chest, which is inside
measurement 16j inches square, then 1 made a false
bottom and cut a slit in one side for an entrance for the
bees, 6 inches long by half inch wide. Of course the tea-
chest not being thick enough to keep out the winter,
makes it require the extra bottom; then I take two pieces
of wood (I do not mind about thickness), cut them 10j
inches long, and 85 inches deep, and nail them fast inside
and outside about one inch from front and back. Of course
the front one must have a little taken out at the bottom
for an entrance. Then I take two other pieces of wood, 8£
inches deep, and cut them just to fit so that they can be
moved backwards and forwards at pleasure. This makes
my hive like two boxes, one inside the other, the inside
one being about an inch smaller than the other ; the ad-
vantage of this is I can stuff a piece of sacking, or
hay, or sawdust, down the side for winter. Then I
make my own frames, I make them of such size first to
allow quarter of an inch betwixt the side of the hive and
the frame ends so that the bees can pass at the ends of
the frames ; and I make them &\ inches deep : I find I
can get seven frames in such a hive, which is sufficient
to keep the stock through the winter. 1 had forgotten
the landing stage. Well, I nail a piece of wood in front
for landing, and a piece above slanting downwards to
shade and cast off the wet, then I make ends for the roof
and take three pieces of board like most wooden hives one
sees, and my hive is complete except the painting. Of
course it requires a certain amount of putty, and with
ARTIFICIAL FECUNDATION.
[1556.] As a skilful bee-keeper here in Denmark
Mr. P, 0. Berg, Torring) has in the last two seasons
tried some very interesting experiments in this direction,
I shall relate these to you, as they may, perhaps, lead
to some very important discoveries on this head. Mr.
Berg's experiments were made at the same time as
i Professor MacLain's in North America, but without his
knowing the latter, and the former are in several
respects better arranged.
Mr. Berg has not caught his drones among the
multitude of drones in a strong stock (as did Mac-
Lain), but at the entrance of the hioe, at the moment
when the drone intended to take a wedding flight. This
accounts for MacLain's complaint that most of his
drones were not fit for the purpose, while with Berg
every one of his was suitable for fecundation. He
seizes the maiden queen by her wings with the thumb
and forefinger of the left hand. In this situation the
queen will bend her abdomen downwards towards the
thorax. Then ho seizes with the right hand thumb and
forefinger the drone on both sides of the thorax, and
cautiously pressing the abdomen, the desired effect is
produced, and fecundation may be accomplished. Mr.
Berg tells us that the queen when released will disengage
herself in some fifteen minutes. He has in this manner
artificially fecundated six queens in the season'1880, and
four in the last season, and in all ten cases with an
excellent result.
As these very remarkable experiments, if they are
i confirmed, undoubtedly will lead to very important pro-
! gress in apiculture — that is, to an easier and more sure
' fecundation of the queens — I hope that you are willing
to acquaint your readers with them through your
I valuable Journal. — Hans Ebslev, Editor of the Danish
Bee Journal.
QUEEN-RAISING. (1500.)
[1557.] ' A Cottage Amateur,' in writing on the
the above subject, appears anxious to put the matter on
a practical footing, so that all may be ready when the
host of bee-keepers will be wanting cells and young
queens for expected swarms. This is all right, and as it
should be ; but the next question, ' What will such a
comb cost ? ' is a matter for consideration, the more so
as ' A Cottage Amateur ' so pointedly refers the question
to me, as the writer of the previous article. Now, I am
quite willing and ready to quote on learning his bona
fides, but the mere thought of naming prices in these
columns, sacred to correspondence, is enough to shock
March 29, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
169
any manufacturer, not to mention our courteous editor.
If ' A Cottage Amateur ' will write his name and place
of abode on a post-card, I will then tell him in whose
catalogue he can find the prices of ' Wired combs con-
taining brood, eggs, &c.,' first published in 1884. As
eggs only are wanted in this case, if he deducts, say,
o3£ per cent, or one-third from the value of a comb in
its normal condition in the brood-nest, he will arrive at
a fair price for what is asked. Again, if he wants same
comb to contain eggs from different queens — say, Syrian
or Cyprian on one side, and Carniolan on the other (and,
by the way, this cross will be hard to beat for business) —
let him then add one-third to these figures, and he will
then arrive at ' What such a comb will cost.' — John
Edky, St. Neots.
[This letter should have appeared in our last issue. — Ed.]
HONEYED EOOD.
[1558.] The aim of your new venture would, mayhap,
be furthered by the gathering together of receipts for
eatables in which honey forms a part.
In the hope that you will find room for such, and that
others of j'our readers will add to the stock, I send the
following by way of beginning: —
In Miss Gordon-dimming s Wanderings in China,
wherein she describes a Chinese dinner, occur ' ham
stewed in honey,' and ' pears sliced in honey,' ' crab-
apples and chestnuts preserved in honey and dried.' We
are not told what kind of pears are used, but our stewing
pears seem suitable.
It does not appear whether the ham is cured, or stands
for ley ; but perhaps the latter, for we have it, in his
own Confession, that St. Patrick found fresh pork
seasoned with honey so luring that he ate more of it,
than was good for him. Being on board ship, where
they were short of provisions, at last they fell in with a
herd of swine, of whom, killing many, they ate their till,
seasoning the meat with an opportune find of wild honey.
As might be expected, St. Patrick had night-mare. This
was not due to the honey, but to the surfeit of pork to a
starved stomach.
"Your readers are advised (1) to try such of the Chinese
dishes as they have a chance, and (-!) to take warning by
St. Patrick.— G. O. Whay, LL.D., Bedford, March 22.
DRONES.
[1559.] Since writing my last article I have had the
pleasure of seeing the first volume of Mr. Cheshire's ad-
mirable contribution to the Physiology of the Honey-bee.
Without defining the time when the drone is disposed
to mate, Cheshire demonstrates, microscopically, that
it must be at least several days old ; and my observa-
tions show that sexual desire comes much later.
Mahan, as stated in my work, first made the im-
portant observation that drones, leaving the hive to
mate, have a large supply of honey, which is found on
their return to have been almost entirely consumed. I
failed to ascertain how many marital excursions drones
would average in a single day ; but as they are often
flying about three hours in favourable weather it is
probable that they make three such trips at least. To
do this they must consume twice as much honey as a
swarming worker that carries off in its honey -sac almost
a week's supply. The importance of preventing any
overproduction is therefore obvious without any further
comment. Let me here make some suggestions to those
who aim to exclude all drone-comb from most of their
stocks. I say suggestions, for, after having been pre-
cluded by sickness from the practical management of bees
for most of my time during the past fifteen years it
would ill become me to speak in too confident a manner.
In limiting the production of drones to just as few as
we think will be needed for tb.3 fertilisation of our
queens, may we not err against that wise precept,
' There is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it
tendeth only to want ? ' It is easy to take for granted,
that every bee in a healthy populous colony will do all
that it can to enrich its home, even in the entire absence
of any drones ; so it is easy to assume that every wo;ker
in an artificial swarm will work just as well as it would
in a natural one; but who, after a large experience with
both methods, can deny that, for the production of
comb honey at least, the natural swarm lias that spur in
the head which it never gets from our artificial processes '?
'jls it not reasonable to think, that, for its highest pros-
perity, every colony of bees should be in a normal, that
is to say, a natural condition Y What can be more
certain, than that strong colonies with few or no drones,
in the very height of the honey-harvest, when such
colonies show that they crave them so much, are not in a
condition which stimulates them to do all that they are
capable of doing ? Their owner may know that, in the
apiary, there are drones enough for all needed purposes ;
but how is he to impart this formation to his droneless
colonies, when, by the fiat of the Creator, every healthy
stock seeks to be in a condition that would be best for
it, if there were not another family of bees on the face of
the whole earth ? So far, therefore, from grudging to
any colony a goodly number of drones, I prefer to see
that one-third of one central comb in each stock hive has
choice drone-cells.
I will conclude this article by giving some facts which
show that, to ensure the mating of queens, many more
drones seem to be needed than are commonly thought
enough.
During the period of my observation in 1885, adrought
had so cut off the secretion of honey that I had no reason
to suppose that any drones could be found for the mating
of my queens, except such as I had bred, and kept alive
by daily stimulative feeding. For over two weeks 1 had
more than a dozen young queens which flew nearly every
day, and some of them, I knew, made several excursions
on a single day. I had over two hundred drones, and
yet only one of those queens laid any eggs. When the
weather became too cool to expect any favourable results,
I found, by dissecting the other queens, that none of
them had mated ; yet when my apiary was largely
devoted to queen- breeding, and I had thousands of
drones, I had good success at the same season, under
circumstances in to respects more favourable. — L. L.
Langstroth, Dayton, Ohio, Feb. 10. (Gleaninys.)
CHEAP AND EFFECTUAL FEEDER.
[1560.] Take a common round tin coffee-canister,
stick a piece of rough brown paper on the bottom, to
give the bees foothold, and with a darning-needle lightly
tapped, make a tiny hole (or holes, as required) through
the brown-paper and bottom of the canister, place it
over the feed-hole in the board, remove the lid of the
canister, and pour in syrup as and when required. There
is no need to remove the canister to replenish the syrup.
It will only have to be taken off if it is required to make
more holes, or to stop a hole with a fine wooden peg.
Cover the canister with a good-sized flower-pot, with
the hole stopped. This answered with the writer last
autumn as well as the regular feeders, and cost practically
nothing, and it was thought that the bint might be
acceptable to those who have to take care of the pence.
— T. H. H.
A SMALL COTTISWOLD APIARY.
[1561.] I have been a bee-keeper more or less since
March, 1871, also a slight contributor to the B. B.J. in
its early days. In 1875 I had some forty stocks in
Woodbury hives : I had purchased eight Ligurian
queens, joining seven successfully, and had bred queens
from them, but could not keep them pure. This year
170
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 29, 188$.
(1875) wa9 fine until June, and they increased fast;
then it set in wet until September, and I had to feed
them all from July onwards. In the autumn foul brood
appeared, and I lost them all ; since which I have kept
a few stocks of Blacks.
In 1876 I came to the conclusion that the ' Woodbury'
would be better deeper, that a strong stock required
more brood space; so I experimented on two stocks by
deepening the frames to 1(H inches ; last summer No. 4
stock, which had wintered on eleven of these frames, and
No. 2 on eight, each gave me somewhat over 100 lbs. of
honey in 1 lb. and 2 lb. sections and other supers, leaving
them a winter supply ; besides which No. 2 worked out
the three frames of foundation.
Finding these two were my strongest stocks last
spring, I iifted up three more and placed similar hives
(only containing ten frames instead of eleven, and which
1 have christened the ' Bannut Hives ') under them.
They treated the upper ones as supers, and drew out the
foundation and filled the Bannut hives with brood and
honey, and, so far, have stood the winter well. Besides
these five I have one Woodbury containing three driven
stocks, and one skep containing one driven in July last ;
they gave me last season •'! cwt. of honey, the surplus of
•which I disposed of at dd. per pound. I do not, as a
rule, allow them to swarm, and if I want a swarm I
make one out of two hives, as recommended by Lang-
stroth. I do not find a ready sale for honey in sections,
and generally extract it, leaving stock hives undisturbed.
I make my own hives and appliances, place the hives
on separate fixed stands, with loose floor-boards and
outside cases fitting over the stands, and very similar to
an ilustration in II. B. J. of April 8th, 1886, on doubling.
I keep these outer cases on always, well painted, lower-
ing them to top of hive in autumn. The air circulating
round the hive keeps it dry. The hives are not painted,
live inside planed, and the outside left rough. The
honey-flow last year lasted about five weeks.
My principal object in writing to you is to relate
what seems to me an extraordinary occurrence. On the
0th February last, being a fine, warm day, the bees were
flying freely ; and as I was watching them with great
interest I heard the buzz of a drone, and saw one enter
No. 2, amongst rather a large flight of young bees ; and
on 6th inst. I saw another in the same hive, and on the
14th two drones. The queen is one of 1886, and a very
prolific one, and the hive well stored.
Last September a small swaim (perhaps a pint of
bees) came and settled in a small bush. I put them
into a three-frame nucleus hive witli some honey, but
they would not stay. I hived them three or four times;
my hees cleared out the honey, and I found the queen —
a very small one — dead. Next day I think most of the
bees joined my hives.
I have tried the Ligurian, but did not find them
better honey-gatherers than the black ; the largest
surplus I got from one of them was 70 lbs. in supers ;
and as to the first cross with the blacks, I had to put on
veil and gloves, and still got quite used to the stings; but
with the blacks I find a whiff of tcbacco or a little
carbolic suffice ; and I am satisfied with the returns, and
then they cost but little. — Fkitz.
A VOICE FROM A COTTAOER.
[1562.] I have been keeping bees for several years on
the bar-frame principle, having obtained the book of
Modern Bee-keepiwj, and started to work and made all
my hives (of course they were rather rough at first,
being a bootmaker) from old packing-cases, which I
bought cheap, and have been very successful every year
obtaining first prizes at several of the shows. The first
year I began I think I must have been very venturesome,
hot having seen any honey in sections or bottled for
show. I bought one swarm, took sections off top, and
extracted from the lower frames. I entered at the
Romsoy Horse and Poultry Show, and was fortunate
enough to obtain two prizes.
Mr. Editor, I am glad to see we have a journal
that will come within the reach of everyone, and, by
what I see of your first number, it is likely to bo a very
useful one. I hope it will be taken in largely. I hope
the cottagers will take it in, and well study it and work
from it, and see if they cannot find a much better plan
than the old sulphur pit. I was pleased to see the
account of the Village Blacksmith. In a place like this
one has to do the best he can ; there not being anyone
keeping bees on the bar-frame principle for upwards of
twenty miles round. We can get an expert twice in a
year by paying a small sum, which one is loth to part
with in these times. I have in all twenty stocks, that
being my number last year.
Being the most experienced in bee-keeping about here,
I go to some of the people round to assist them, and am
willing to tell them what little I know. I went to a
friend last year to look at some bees just in the height
of the honey season, as he was in difficulty about them,
the distance being about eight miles. When I reached
there and looked into his hives, to my disgust I found
some of his hives not made up full of frames, also supers
put on, and no covering at all placed over. Some
sections were well filled, some 4j by 4i by 2 were
filled to the weight of two pounds, no dividers beiag
used, some dividers only half wide enough, some
crooked and broken. The bees had taken possession of
the roof of the hives, and had put in a lot of honey. I
asked him the reason that no coverings had been used.
His answer was no one had told him, and also he had
not seen any instructions in any book. The clergyman
here used to take tho Bee Journal in, and lent it to me.
I thought it a most useful journal, but being too expen-
sive I could not afford to take it in. Do you think that
at these shows if a bar-frame hive was shown full of
comb and bees and supers on, and show the cottagers
how they are managed, it would bo of service towards
getting them to take to the new method ? — Village
Shoemaked.
[We think such an exhibition would be of great
service at a show, and would be a practical lesson to the
spectators — Ed,]
PHOTOGRAPHIC GROUP OF BRITISH
BEE-KEEPERS.
Abbott Brothers are preparing a large photographic
group of the most eminent bee-keepers in the United
Kingdom, and they would be pleased to receive any
assistance from those who take an interest in bee-
keeping, so that the group may be rendered as represen-
tative and as complete as possible.
Lecture on Bees and Bee-Keepino.^-Ou Monday,
March 12th, an instructive and interesting lecture was
delivered by Mr. W. J . Anstey (Oxford Secretary of the
Oxfordshire Bee-keepers' Association), in the schoolroom,
Yarnton. The room was quite full of villagers. The
Rev. J. A. Balleine, Vicar, presided. A large supply of
appliances were on view, and the lecture was illustrated
by diagrams and dissolving views.
Leicestershire Bee-keepers' Association. —An
interesting lecture in connexion with the above Association
wasdelivered at Sheepshed,near Loughborough, on March
Kith, by Mr. J. II. Howard. Mr. Ward occupied the chair.
Much interest was shown by a very attentive audience.
At the close Mr. W. P. Meadows advocated the cause
of the Association and the good work they were doing,
and advised all interested in lee-keeping to join, so that
more funds might be placed at their disposal, and more
lectures, &c, given. The more general use of honey was
also advocated, and the advantages it possessed as a food
and medicinei
March 29, 1888.J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
171
depots from % Jibes.
York, March 17. — I have done and will do uiy best
to promote the circulation of your monthly Journal
■which was much wanted, and ought be extensively sub-
scribed for. — J. II.
Llanerch, March 18. — Weather exceedingly cold, with
north-east wind, and an occasional shower of snow, the
bees are kept in ; and I think that those hives that have
bred freely during February will lose a lot of their
brood. During a heavy storm of wind and rain that
passed over this county on the 9th instant, some of
my hive-covers were blown off and the quilts got
■wet through, so in giving them dry warm quilts I
could not resist the temptation of examining them.
They had brood on several frames, one had five frames
well covered with brood, several of which were hatching
out while I held the frame in my hand. My stocks, fifty
in number, have wintered well so far, with the exception
of one Italian hive, which is suffering from dysentery.
This hive suffered the same last year, and I had to unite
it to another, and being in too much uf a hurry to unite
properly, the other bees (which were blacks) killed all
the Italian workers, but kept their queen and killed their
own. I find the Italians difficult to winter. — II. P,
Jones.
East Yorkshire, March 20.—
Bluff Iioreas breathes his bitter, biting, baneful bla-st,
Blizzarding with icy breath all plants and trees —
Bold Frosty Jack in iron grip holds fast
Benumbed Nature,
Blighting for the present hopes of men and bees. — ■
F. Boyes.
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington, March
-Since
my last, the weather has been very severe, with scarcely
any exception. The north-east wind has been like a two-
edged_sword, cutting every way. In the early part of last
week, I was looking round amongst the hives, and
noticed one stock with a lot of dead bees at the entrance,
I uncovered them, and found 1 was only just in time to
save them from starvation. I took them into my honey
place, and got a paraffin stove and warmed it, and poured
a little thin warm syrup on the bees, when they soon
began to show signs of reviving ; then I placed a bottle
of syrup over the feed-hole, which was taken down
during the night, and next day they were as right as any
of the others. In the autumn I had placed them in a
hive composed of two sections in height, six inches in
depth each of them ; and as they were on Standard
frames they did not reach the bottom within about three
and a half inches: but at the time I placed them in I
considered they had honey enough to winter on, it may
have been that the empty space caused them to consume
more food. At all events I do not think it advisable for
so much space to be left. The 21st was a lovely day,
causing the bees to be very busy, and they were out
very much after water and on the crocuses, also the pea-
flour, which they went in for in great numbers. As it
was a bit milder I looked over all my other stocks, feed-
ing any that I could not see with sealed food in the
combs when I uncovered the quilts, but not separating
the combs. I consider I was very fortunate in thus
doing, as on Sunday morning we had a deep snow, and
it was also very cold, though it soon melted. Then again
last night and this morning there was more snow, and as
I had looked them over and fed where I considered neces-
sary, I can feel comfortable about them and not be afraid
any more that they will be liable to starve. As far as I
could see, stocks seem in good order, more especially as we
have had such sharp weather. Have been busy of an even-
ing getting extra hives, &c, made. — John Walton.
Sutton, Hudbg, Yorkshire, March 20. — We have had
very bad weather sinee January, only had two cleansing
flights in about eight weeks. Snowing almost every day,
but we have not had very hard frosts. Bjes wintered
very well so far, I only kmw of about throe or four
stocks dying in the district. I wish the weather would
break up so as we could make a thorough examination to
see if they have plenty of stores. — John Baixbiudoe.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS ft INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon.
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giuing such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
nterest will be answered in this column.
A. B.— Bees proving a Nuisance. — ' In the event of the
gentleman and his friends getting stung,' we consider
that the question of nuisance, should be determined by
your views of neighbourly courtesy. It may be that
your neighbour has no right to compel you to move
your bees, but as in the course of events humans are
penetrating into, and reducing, the domains where
bees had once the priority of range, the result will h I
that the latter must succumb and go farther a-flelJ.
Your bees, however, may not prove the nuisance you
seem to anticipate, and therefore there is no reason to
cross the bridge before you reach it.
Joseph Brine. — Honey-comb Designs, — You will find a
communication, with illustration, on honey-comb
designs in B. B. J. of May 1-th, L837, from William
M'Xally, Ulenluce, and in number for May li'th, the
advertisement you are in search of, from Kichard
M'Nally, Longforth, (ilenluce.
Geohue E. ConnYN. — 1. Excluder Zinc. — In Mr.
( 'o wan's pamphlet on Doubling and Storifying, he says :
' We have long since discontinued to employ excluder
zinc, as we have found it interfered with the work of
the bees, and that we always got much more honey
without its use than with it. 2. Carbolic Cloth
Recipe. — li ozs. Calvert's No. 5 carbolic acid, 1J ozs.
of glycerine, 1 quart of warm water. The acid and
glycerine to be well mixed, and the bottle to be well
shaken before using. The cloth should be steeped in
the solution, wrung dry, and spread over the hive on
removal of the quilt.
II. Inston. — Apply to Mr. J. Huckle (Secretary of the
Herts B. K. A.), Kings Langley, Herts.
Alex. Jack. — Sections in travelling by rail have a
strange tendency of having the combs broken and
separated from the wood. We should advise you to
use in future a spring travelling crate : this holds
twelve 4j x 4j x 2 in. sections, and it is fitted up com-
plete with glasses, springs, dividers, &c. Thanks for
your kind wishes.
J. J. Shipman. — Foul Brood Solution. — The proportions
given in Guide Book are quite correct. No. 8 being one
ounce toone pintof water equal in round numbers toone
in twenty. No. 9 is one ounce of No. 8 to one pint of
syrup, also one in twenty, consequently there is one of
absolute phenol to four ounces of syrup. l'oucan get
phenol in crystals for about 3s. Gd. a pound, and make
your own absolute phenol, and then you will be cer-
tain to have the proportions right. The crystals are
taken by weight, and in all cases of solutions the
measures are fluid measures. Twelve ounces of pure
phenol crystals dissolved in three ounces of water
make the absolute phenol No. 7 in Guide Book. We
do not know why Mr. Cheshire adopted the plan of
introducing the phenol cure in the manner he did, but
presume a certain mystery attaches to the preparation,
and bee-keepers were obliged to procure it through the
medium of dealers( and were supposed to only get the
172
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[March 29, 1888.
genuine thing if guaranteed by Mr. Cheshire. We
think every bee-keeper should make his own solution,
and if he will purchase the pure phenol crystals and
carry out our instructions, he will see there is no such
mystery about it, and that he will effect a considerable
saving, and pocket the profit.
W. W. — Mode of fixing Foundation. — Appears a good
idea, but turn the prongs the other way.
Llancaiach. — Baubling. — We have had excellent
results without any excluder zinc between. Some
prefer placing the top set at right angles to the lower
set. About three-eighths of an inch is sufficient space
between upper and lower. The stock referred to can
be increased to the extent you wish with good manage-
ment. Uncap some of the honey in the hive to stimu-
late them to breeding. The pollen referred to can be
given to your remaining stocks.
Jo. Ro. Lo. — Answers will appear in our next.
J. Cubbie. — The comb sent is very suspicious. We
should advise you to destroy it.
H. S. H. — Transferring. — This is not the time to transfer
bees from a skep to a moveable-comb hive, and any
interference now they would not get over until quite
late in the season. We would strongly recommend
that the bees should be left in the skep until they
show signs of being crowded, when an artificial swarm
could be made or the skep could be placed on the top
of the frame-hive (as you suggest), which must have
full sheets of foundation in the frames, or they will
build a large proportion of drone-comb in them. If
the skep is a bought one, or is not in the exact position
it is wished the frame-hive to stand, it should at once
be placed there just before dark; a piece of board
should be put before the hive that the bees leaving
may take notice of the altered position of things, and
so find the hive on their return. The bees will be
better able to keep up the warmth of the skep, and
will increase faster than they would in a larger hive,
and with increased numbers and fine weather, will
soon make up for the delay in being placed in it.
Query.— What is the experience of those who have
used ' Heddon's ' or other invertible frame-hives, during
last season P Give results. — A. T. A.
Keceived from Messrs. Abbott Brothers two samples of
fancy cardboard boxes for holding sections, lined with tinfoil,
which will render them honey-tight, and capable of being
washed.
Amebican Cloth Quilts.— I have tried these for
the first time this winter, and find them not nearly so
good as the old bed-tick ones — those colonies wintering
under them have lost far more bees from death than
those wintered on the old-fashioned plan, especially have
large numbers of dead bees been thrown out after severe
frosts — out of all proportion to what have been ejected
from hives with ordinary quilts and chaff-cushions. —
F. Boyes.
^Business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Bakes, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bubtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. P., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Mbadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holbora.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Boad, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn,
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Lyon, F., 94 Harleyford Road, London, S.E.
Meadows, W. P. , Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent &. Oo., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Bookseller^ and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER. W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street. Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE J. R. W., Tarrlngton, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLT, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON. C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A.. Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
British
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 302. Vol. XVI.]
APRIL 5, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(&hitaxhlt Sottas, tit.
IN-AND-IN BREEDING.
' To breed from closely related animal of the same stock.' —
Webster.
Our valued correspondent, Mr. W, 15. Webster, favoured
us recently (pp. :j;J, 48, 61) with a series of articles op
' Consanguinity,' the gist of his argument being, that it
is detrimental to the interests of the bee-keepers whose
object is to ' make his bees pay,' if ho force (or allow)
them to continue inter-breeding in near relationship, and
that to prevent as much as possible this consanguinity it
is advisable to import (not necessarily from abroad) new
blood into the apiary occasionally — Cela va sans dire.
Truly our Journal has been read to little purpose these
many years if it has now become necessary to hammer
this fact ho.me to British bee-keepers of 1888.
It is well said that ' Nature abhors self-fertilisation,'
and she takes sure steps to prevent it all through the
range of animated things, from the bacterium to the
elephant, from the jelly-fish to the oak. In the botanical
world we are astounded at the devices made use of by the
plant, under Providence, to prevent self-fertilisation, or
any reasonable approach to consanguinity ; and as our
honey-bee is perhaps of all agents the most-used cross-
fertilising instrument, surely bee-keepers ought to be the
last to deny her the benefits of a system by which she
confers good upon so many varieties of beautiful and
useful plants — benefits palpable to every thinking mind.
Even atheists admit the operation of great fundamental
laws which pervade the whole of the animal and vege-
table kingdoms, one of which is that of which we are
speaking, e. g., that in-and-in breeding is deleterious, and
cross-breeding beneficial, if we seek for the development of
higher powers. When we instance the breeding of
domestic animals in support of the in-and-in breeding
argument, we stultify ourselves by admitting an imper-
fect acquaintance with the customs of breeders. The
Chillingham wild cattle have been mentioned, but these
animals, through continued in-and-in breeding, have de-
generated (so we were told by a recent eye-witness) into
a herd of only some fifty or sixty comparatively small
animals. In breeding short-horns the parentage is so
arranged that consanguinity in a near degree is avoided.
The very particular animals themselves, so much prized
by connoisseurs, are the results of studied crosses, the
original of which are resorted to at times for the re-
importation of typical points.
We are sorry to find Mr. W. Woodley the parent of
the following remarks on page 00 : — ' I feel sure that in-
and-in breeding does not deteriorate the race of English
bees as regards their size, working qualities, or prolific-
ness, though it should run on decade after decade,
generation after generation;' and we think he will, after
a little further investigation, admit his error, or that ho
misunderstood the meaning of the term in-and-in breed-
ing as used by him and Mr. Webstor. It is too lato in
the day to doubt the firmness of the ground on which
Mr. Webster's articles are based, now that we obtain
'honey by the hundredweight' from bees, which, accord-
ing to excellent authorities, have ceased any longer to be
the old English or German brown bee by reason of tho
numerous importations from abroad.
It is difficult to see how any objection can be taken to
Mr. Webster's argument when he distinctly tries to pro-
tect himself from misunderstanding by saying on p. <'>•';:
' I do not mean to assert that an apiary in the British
lands could be annihilated through the owner neglecting
to introduce fresh blood, but each consanguineous cross
militates (against) the chances of successful venture in
bee-keeping. Indeed we will go further than our corre-
spondent, and assert that the owner of a single hive of
bees would not have to wait many years for tiie extermi-
nation (or, what is quite as bad, the worthlessness to be
proved) of his bees, supposing it possible that they could
be perfectly isolated. Mr. W. VVoodley's case (p. 01)
of the old man whose ' father and grandfather in the lone
valley,' left him a pure, inbred, immaculate strain of bees,
tells somewhat against his argument in our opinion, for
they did not ' go forth and multiply ' much if, after a
century aud a half, they only yielded the owner an annual
profit of 6/. ; whereas if an occasional queen had been
introduced from beyond them, we suppose that valley
would have been full of somebody's bees by this. Then,
again, we are led to infer that there was a proximity of
stocks, for ' the farmer's widow gave the man a second
swarm of bees, and we have had them ever since.' This
argument is little support in favour of in-and-in breeding
unless there be some evidence (beyond that of the old
bee-keeper alone) that no other bees had been kept within
a radius of six to eight miles during the century and a
half.
Mr. F. Boyes (p. 144) gives us one of his usually
interesting articles : but we take leave to say he misun-
derstands the question at issue. The question of keeping
to the English bee as it is, or of importing foreign bees, is
scarcely germane. Our native bees can be used for
cross-fertilisation to any extent without the necessity of
importing a single foreign bee; such woidd not be con-
sanguineous breeding, the germ of Mr. Webster's argu-
ment. If Mr. Boyes exchanged any special variety of
pigeon with Mr. Webster for breeding with his own,
such a mixture could not be called in-breeding, and would
be productive of good, indeed it would be a most advan-
tageous infusion of new blood such as is not only
advocated in these daysof high breeding, but insisted upon ;
it would be, in fact, just such an importation of fresh
174
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 5, J 888.
■vigour as is advocated by Mr. Webster, and is recognised
as one of the canons of scientific bee-keepiDg'. But if we in-
terbreed the tv/o/irst relations of any animal, we pn ibably
find some sign of degeneracy at once; and if the system
be adhered to, of narrowing the parentage, so to speak,
instead cf expanding it, for a few generations, we accen-
tuate such signs and enforce either the necessity of
infusing new blood, or being face to face with what
means ultimate extermination. A good, all-round bee
might be produced from an admixture of Ligurian,
Carniolan, Cyprian, and English blood in fifty apiaries
at once in this country, and in one or fifty years, if such
bees were interbred this would not be consanguineous
breeding, exactly as our own English bee in its wild or
domestic state can intercross without interbreeding.
Mr. Webster's position will be much simplified if we
take him to mean that the interbreeding of different
families of the same (or different) variety of bee is to be
commended and advocated, whilst the interbreeding of
blood relations (near or remote) is to be deprecated and
condemned. Those who do not agree with us on this
point find the grossest fault with that All-wise order-
ing of things which brings about by natural selection
' the survival of the fittest ' (that common and much-
prostituted phrase). Else there were no necessity for
either queen or drone to retain their wings for the pur-
pose of taking their well-known high and wide flights.
This great circuit-flying alone shows us the efforts made
by the bee to secure cross-fertilisation, as also does the
impossibility of obtaining fertile queens in the hive and
the difficulty of accomplishing artificial fertilisation.
It is also shown in the evident necessity of aerial
fertilisation in order that a queen may have a distinctly
probable chance of meeting a strange drone.
We have no desire to stifle the discussion in our
columns of any moot points, the ventilation of which may
give new ideas to our readers, and throw new light into
dark corners, but when we see old and valued contributors
mistaking the points at issue, and meandering away from
the true subject ; by this means also somewhat puzzling
those who are trying to follow them as to their real
meaning, it is only meet and right that the points in
dispute should be sifted out and re-iterated in such a
manner that there should be no mistake possible on the
part of those who are likely to be affected by the nature
of the correspondence.
CELLAR AND CLAMP WINTERING OF BEES.
In northern countries, where Winter holds high
revel, and Frost seizes everything in its icy grasp,
cellar or ' clamp ' wintering of bees is an absolute
necessity. Nowhere is this system more extensively
practised than in our own Colony of Canada, as well as
in the northern parts of the United States. We have,
fortunately, a winter climate usually of so mild a character
that any necessity for bee-keepers to go to the expense
of a bee-cellar rarely presents itself. In Canada and the
United States the bee-keeper, at the approach of winter,
removes all his colonies from their summer stands, and
with a deal of labour packs them away in a frost-proof
house, leaving them thus until the advent of summer
weather ; they are then removed, and placed again in the
positions occupied by them during the preceding
summer. Often it happens that, even with these great
precautions, many colonies are lost ; the reason of such
is mostly an enigma. Many colonies also, after removal,
are subject to that bane of bee-keepers, spring dwindling,
though the cause of this latter is mostly traced to the
unsuitable quality of the food stored by the bees during
the preceding autumn.
Until the year 1887 we had no record of the presence
of a properly-constructed bee-cellar in England ; in this
year Blr. W. B. Webster, being introduced when on a
lecturing tour to a gentleman, Mr. Greenhalgh of Nuwtun-
le- Willows, Lancashire, an old Canadian colonist, was
informed by him that he had constructed a cellar upon
the same lines as those used in Canada, and of which he
had had considerable experience. Mr. Webster, having
received an invitation to view this cellar, availed himself
of the opportunity, a report of which visit was pub-
lished in this Journal, (p. 270 of last volume). Unfor-
tunately, Mr. Greenhalgh neglected to weigh his colonies
before placing them in the cellar, but he expressed an
opinion, upon removing them in February that there was
a scarcely perceptible difference in the weight, perhaps
from two to three pounds each. Tho foregoing led Mr.
W. B. Webster to try, during the winter just passed,
what would be the effect upon a colony placed in a
'clamp ' in much the same manner as potatoes and other
roots are preserved in England in what are called
' graves.' For this purpose he dug a circular hole in the
earth 3 ft. 6 ins. in diameter, and 1 ft. in depth upon the
clay — we should consider this, being damp, rather an
unsuitable place for such an experiment, but Mr. Webster
had no other — the bees, in a straw skep,were, without
floor-board, placed upon four stakes driven into the clay,
the ends being four inches above the level of the bottom
of hole ; over the hive were ranged some rough branches
in the form of a dome, then a layer of straw, about two
inches, and over all the earth piled to the depth of
eighteen inches. This was done on the 10th of last
November, and the bees left quite undisturbed and with-
out any ventilation, except that obtained through the
porosity of the earth, until a fortnight ago, when, upon
removal, they were found in a most flourishing condition,
and, that which is of the greatest moment to us in Eng-
land, had only consumed two pounds of stores during
their four and a half months' incarceration.
We do not feel inclined upon these experiments to
recommend an universal system of cellar or ' clamp '
wintering in England, but to direct attention to a
subject that has engaged the attention of apiarists for
many years as to the least amount of stores a stock of
bees can be safely wintered upon. It has been universally
recommended that from 25 to 30 lbs. is the safest amount,
though 20 lbs. will mostly suffice for a good colony ; but
if these same bees were ' clamped,' and only consumed
2 lbs. in four and a half months, they would have more
stores than could be consumed before the advent of
spring, and as a consequence this surplus might be con-
fiscated by the bee-keeper. The question would then
arise, whether the surplus thus obtained would be
sufficient to pay the apiarists for, first, the trouble of
removal into winter quarters and subsequent placing on
summer stands ; and, secondly, the expense of building a
cellar or constructing ' clamps ? '
Our opinion at the present time is that these pro-
ceedings, taking into consideration the price of honey,
would not pay at least to ' clamp ' them, as each year
these 'clamps' would have to be renewed, though the
expense would simply be the labour. A cellar if
properly constructed would last for years, therefore this
expense would be distributed over an almost indefinite
time.
Our American friends in more southern latitudes
rarely cellar their bees, where, owing to the mildness
of the climate, they are not necessitated so to do, we
may therefore take a hint from them, remembering at
the same time that honey fetches in the United States
but a little more than half the price it does in England.
We will therefore leave this interesting subject to the
consideration of our readers, who in making further
experiments may discover some method whereby a
colony can be deprived of a larger amount of stores,
and yet at the same time be safely wintered, thus
bringing in a little more profit to the bee-keeper.
April 5, 1888. J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL-
ITS
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
On, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Wouds
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
Abdomen, n. (/.. from abdo, to conceal.) — The
lower part of the body, united to the middle part, or
thorax, by a stalk or petiole. It is divided into seg-
ments and rings, on the sides of which are small spiracles,
by which the insect is enabled to breathe.
Abdominal distension. — This is a swelling of
the abdomen produced by the bees eating too much pollen
during winter, which they are forced to do to keep up the
temperature in hives not properly protected, and are
unable to fly and discharge their fieces.
Abdominal plates. — The upper and lower plates
of the abdominal rings. In the worker only, there
are on each of the ventral plates, except the first and
last, two irregular-shaped discs or depressions called
'wax-pockets,' because it is here that the wax produced
by the wax-glands collects.
Abdominal ring's. — The belts of chitine forming
the abdomen, each composed of two plates — the dorsal
(on the back) and the ventral (on the lower side).
Drones have seven rings, whilst workers and queen have
only six.
Abductor muscles. (Z. abduco, to lead away.) —
Those which pull one part of the body from another, in
opposition to the adductor muscles, which diaw together.
Aberration of instinct. (L. aberratio from
dberro, to go astray.) — Wandering from the right way.
Sometimes bees will swarm without making the usual
preparations by commencing queen-cells, by trying to
raise a queen from a drone-producing t-^j, ; or a queen
will refuse to accompany a swarm. Such cases being
out of the usual course are assigned to aberration of
instinct.
Abnormal bees. (L. ab, away from, and norma,
a rule.) — Irregular, deformed, sometimes containing the
characteristics of the two sexes in one individual;
hermaphrodite.
Abnormal swarms, — Such as leave the hive
under unusual conditions or contrary to known laws.
Aborted, p.p. {L. aborior, to miscarry. ) — An organ
whose development lias been arrested at an early stage is
said to be aborted or atrophied.
Absconding- colony. (/.. ab» and condo, to hide,
i.e., to withdraw.) — A colony of bees which deserts its
hive in a body.
Absconding- swarm. — Part of a colony which
swarms in a natural manner, and goes away to some
distant place either before or after first settling in a
cluster, or sometimes cvii after being hived.
Absorption. ;;. ( /.. ab and sorbeo, to suck in.)—
The act or process of taking in or imbibing bythe mouth
or other parts, as in the case of thelarvsB. The imbibition
by the tissues of nutritive materials.
Acarus. n. ( > rV. acares, a morsel.) — A genus of
Arachnidse belonging to the order Acarina, usually
called mill's.
Acarus favorum.— Found on old honeycombs,
which are sometimes entirely eaten up by these mites,
leaving a dust and their east skins.
Accepted, p.p. or a. (L. accepto, to take or receive.)
— Sometimes applied to the favourable reception of a
strange queen by tin- lues of a queenless hive; — kindly
received.
Acclimatise — Acclimate, (fir. clima, a zone,
clime.)— To inure, or to habituate to a climate different
from tin- native one (or not indigenous).
Accommodation cells. — Irregular-shaped cells
of variable size placed between worker and drone cells.
Ti-an.it/iun cells. — In building comb bees pass from
worker to drone cells by constructing from one to six
rows of such cells, and these sometimes have from three
to seven sides. In joining two pieces of comb together
bees build accommodation cells to fill up the interstices.
Accouplement. n. (Fr. couple, to couple.) — A
coupling, or connecting, or pairing between drone and
queen.
Acherontia atropos. — Latin name for death's
head moth, a lepidoplerous insect of the family
Sphingid.-e, an enemy of bees, doing much damago in
southern Europe, where it enters and plunders bee-hives
with perfect impunity.
Acid. (£. acidus, sharp, sour, literally piercing ;
Br. akis, akidus, a sharp point.) — Sour to the taste.
Honey after fermentation turns acid, and may be made
into vinegar. Honey also contains a minute quantity of
formic acid, but not in sufficient quantity to make it per-
ceptible to the taste. This acts as a preservative.
Acoeton. n. (Butler gives its derivation as Gr, a,
not, and l«iit<,s. u bed, hence without lees or dregs ' which
form the bed or ground whereon wine and such liquors
lie ;' virgin honey, so called because ' it runneth of itself
as new wine and oil.')— Name given by ancient writers
to virgin honey — the very first that is taken from new
comb. 'This acoeton or finest nectar, for his incorrupted
puriti, is called virgin •honni.'—C. BuTUSB.
Acrid, a. (Fr.aere; L.aeer; Gr. ak-e, a point.) —
Pungent, bitter, sharp or biting to the taste.
Adapting- board or Adaptor. ( L. ad, and
apto, to lit.)— A board placed on the top of a hive, wit li
holes or slits in it to allow the bees to pass into the supera
placed upon it.
Adaptor zinc. — Sheet of perforated zinc with
holes just large enough to permit workers to pass
through into supers placed there, but too small to allow
the passage of the queen.
Adductor muscles. (L. addueo, to draw to.) —
Those which draw one part of the body to another.
Adjustable entrance. — Entrance to a hive
which can be enlarged or contracted by means of slides
or blocks.
Adjustable floor-board.— Loose tloor-board used
in hives on legs, which can be raised or lowered at will.
Adulteration, 91. (L. from adulter— ad and alter,
other.)— To corrupt or make impure by an admixture of
less value for tin- purpose of deception or getting a greater
profit. Substitution of a cheaper article tor the genuine
one.
( To he continued.)
ASSOCIATIONS.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The first meeting of the newly-elected committee was
held at 105 Jermyn Street on Wednesday, January 21.
There were present the lion, and Rev. II. Bligh.the Rev.
Dr. Bartrum, the Uev.li. Raynor.the Rev.F.S. Sclater,
Captain Campbell, J. M. Hooker, W. O'B. Glenme,
Treasurer, and the Secretary. A letter was read from
Captain Bush regretting his inability to be present on
account of illness.
Mr. T. W. Cowan was elected chairman, and the Hon.
and Key. II. Bligh vice-chairman, for the' ensuing year.
The following sub-committees were also appointed,
viz ' Finance:' the Key. Dr. Bartrum, Kev.R. Erriiigton,
176
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 5, 1888.
and Mr. H. Jonas. 'Educational:' Hon. and Rev. H.
Bligh, Dr. Bartrum, the Rev. G. Raynor, and the Rev.
E. Clay.
Exhibitions : Captain Bush, Rev. R. Errington, J. M.
Hooker, H. Jonas, Rev. F. S. Sclater, Rev. J. L. Seager.
County Associations: Rev. F. S. Sclater, Captain Bush,
Rev. G. Oddie, Rev. J. L. Seager, and Captain Camp-
hell.
The chairman was elected an ex-officio member of each
sub-committee.
It was resolved that committee meetings be held on the
third Thursday in each month.
On the motion of the Rev. F. S. Sclater, it was resolved,
' That a sum of ten pounds be voted for prizes in classes
(open to members of the British Bee-keepers' Association
only), at the comity shows of affiliated county associa-
tions— such prizes to be offered only in cases where
county associations will give facilities free of charge for
the staging and care of the exhibits, the same total not
to exceed 21. in each case.' The matter was referred to
the Exhibitions Committee to make the necessary arrange-
ments.
The Secretary reported that he had received a com-
munication from the President in reference to the bills
ahout to be presented to Parliament relating to the
teaching of agricultural and kindred subjects in elemen-
tary schools. Her Ladyship considered that it was very
desirable that the Association should endeavour to
obtain every possible information which would tend to
demonstrate the benefits which the nation derived from
the industry of bee-keeping.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
Notice to Local Districts.
The Hon. Sec. of the Gloucestershire Bee-keepers'
Association desires to draw the local secretaries' attention
to the following new rule, and will be glad to hear at
once from those that wish to avail themselves of it : —
That all local secretaries who are not appointed by
the district associations shall be appointed by the general
committee for the districts where they may be deemed
desirable, and that the general committee may fill up all
vacancies in its own body which shall occur during the
year.
Moved by Mr. Brown, seconded by the hon. sec,
That members of the Association be recommended to
form themselves into district associations, mutually
arranging the boundary of their districts, should any
difficulty arise as to the question of boundary, the matter
shall be referred to the general committee, whose
decision shall be in all cases final.
That district associations shall subscribe to the
county Association one-fifth of the total amount of their
annual subscriptions, and render an account of all their
receipts and expenditure to the general committee.
That each district association shall hold an annual
meeting early in January, when it shall appoint a local
secretary and other officers it may deem desirable, but
subject to the approval of the general committee.
That the Association shall aid the district associations
as follows, and in any other manner within its power ;
viz.. by lending its bee-tent on conditions fixed by the
general committee, by providing sufficient annual reports,
and by supplying receipt-books, and members cards.
WORCESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The address of Mr. E. Davenport, Expert to the
Worcestershire B.K.A, is ' Tontine Buildings, Stourport,'
not Stockport.
(fcrtspnfama.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn, on separate pieces 0/ paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
&c, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.G.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c.t must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any Utter or query preuiously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
GLASGOW INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,
1888.
[1503.] Having had full charge of negotiating with
Irish bee-keepers, in connexion with samples of Irish
honey for above, allow me, on behalf of my brother and
myself, to thank all those who kindly sent samples from
Ireland. Our best thanks are due to the hon. secretary
of the Irish Bee-keepers' Association, Henry Chenevix,
Esq., who kindly supplied a list of the best known bee-
keepers in the various comities. I put myself in com-
munication with many of these, and am happy to state
I have received samples from Ireland sufficient to prove
that they are advanced in the science of bee-keeping, and
are keeping pace with their English and Scotch friends.
Of the various lots I purchased I would specially mention
the samples received from Miss E. E. Rutherford, Ghan
House, Carlingford, and Mr. George Turner, Revlin
House, Donegal. Of the other samples I received, I
have to state many of them arrived in a terrible state of
havoc, which was due in many cases to careless packing.
Altogether, the Irish produce will have a creditable ap-
pearance. Should an}' Irish bee-keepers have any speciali-
ties, which they would like included in the Irish collection
they will kindly forward the same at once to the
under-noted address. — John D. McNally, 30 Miliarbank
Street, Springburn, Glasgow.
SECTIONS.
[1564.] Much has been written in your columns as
to the most suitable size and width for sections, and
also as to the desirability of four bee- ways or two bee-
ways ; but as far as I have seen the question of the
most suitable width for these openings has never been
discussed. I would much like to get the opinion of
some experts on the subject. My own opinion is strongly
in favour of full bee space sections. Last year I tried,
by accident rather than by design, half bee space and
full bee space both two and four way, and came to the
conclusion that the best were the two bee way with full
bee space. The separators need only be plain strips of
tin or wood. I found that the cutting out for the half
bee space very much weakened the separators, and as a
consequence they required more time and care expended
on them in manipulation. Besides I thought — for on this
point I am not certain — that with full bee space the
sections were better finished. Unfortunately last year
very few of my sections were really well filled, owing
I suppose to the peculiar season. Though it was only
last year that I took notice of the difference arising from
the different bee spaces, yet I have had full space section
in use for three years, and always liked them, but last
year settled me in the belief that they were best.
Another thing I would like to mention, viz., that no
firm of dealers, so far as I know, state in their catalogue
the width of this bee space in their sections. This must
have caused mnch trouble to buyers who sometimes have
to order in a hurry without seeing samples. I know it
has to — Gbobge D. Clark.
Aprils, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
177
QUEEN REARING.
How Some of Them do it in America.
[1565.] Noticing the query by Mr. Stevens and your
reply thereto in the Feb. 9th No. of the British Bee
Journal I am constrained to offer the following, chiefly
because it is very different from the method laid down
in the article referred to, and is withal so very simple,
only expressing the hope that it may be new to some of
the readers of the British Bee Journal, and may help
Mr. Stevens or others in the rearing of their own queens.
Every Yankee is supposed to be in a hurry, and I
believe we apiarists are no exception to the rule. From
April 1st to October 1st finds every day filled full of
work for the man with 100 or 150 colonies on his hands,
iu a good locality for honey production. But queens
must be had to prevent in-breeding, to replace old or
worn-out queens or inferior ones, or to remedy queenless-
ness. Here queens cannot be reared and fertilised much
before June 1st, so if we need queens in spring we buy
tested queens of those who have them for sale. This gives
us new blood, and from these and two or three others of
our best queens we must prepare to rear all queens
needed for the summer's use. Of course, since they are
the best queens we have, their stocks will be strong, but
they can be stimulated by a little syrup-feeding, or by
giving them extra sealed brood from other colonies.
When the time comes put on the supers, but do not give
them all the room they want, crowd them a little. With
this management one of the three or four will be sure to
swarm early, casting a fine swarm. Hive this and givo
them all they can do gathering honey — we are now after
the queen-cells to be found in the old stock. At the end
of six days they will be ' ripe,- when we go over the hive
and cut them all out except one, to provide this colony
with a queen. Handle the cells thus obtained very care-
fully, for they contain royalty. These cells are then
placed in the ' nursery? This is simply a brood-frame
one and a half inches wide, divided into compartments
thus: —
On one side of this frame is tacked wire-cloth over t he
whole side ; on the other are slides for each row of boxes.
The cells should then be carefully placed one in each
compartment. It is not necessary to suspend them.
'Ibis frame is then to be placed in the centre of a good
colony in such a manner as not to interfere with the
supers much. Examine this daily, and as soon as a queen
hatches remove her through the slide door at the back to
a queen-cage, and introduce her to any colony which
from any cause needs a new queen.
As the colonies from which you have prepared to rear
queens swarm one at a time, we are supplied with cells
for our nursery frame until the close of the honey harvest.
Last season I introduced some twenty queens from one
mother, reared in the manner described above. With us
hurried Yankees the loss of time to the colony until the
new queen is fertilised is more than compensated for by
having to make no nuclei. Then, again, the loss in brood
to the colony, to which the virgin queen is introduced, is
not felt (with us) until after the honey season is over,
and the young queen will provide a good strong colony
for winter, which is all we de-ire.
But how do we obtain the few queens needed in the
autumn? Why we just return some natural swarm
having a good queen, and if her wing is not clipped we
first place perforated zinc over the entrance, and watch
for her as the bees go in, and when we find her make a
nucleus with two frames of bees and brood and the queer
from the parent stock. Two or three of such nuclei will
generally supply all queenlessness in tlfe fall of one
hundred colonies.
Of course, the method outlined above must be carried
out on a smaller scale in a small apiary ; but I have prac-
tised it with as low as sixteen colonies. We find it the
simplest and the cheapest, both in time and money, as
well as the best, for the queens are all reared by natural
swarming, and we can pinch off the heads of small queens
or those leaving no jelly in the cells.
By buying a few tested queens each spring an',
breeding from them we avoid that in-breeding so much
discussed in your excellent paper the British Bee Journal
— J. H. LiAitnAisKE, Larrabee's Pt., Vt., U.K. A.
FIRST ATTEMPTS.
[1666.] I am much obliged for your comments in the
B.B.J, of January 26th, 1888,011 the sample of honey
I sent you. When writing you with sample, I promised
to send you later on an account of my first attempts at
bee-keeping. Here it is, if you think it will serve any
good purpose in your interesting Journal.
I had been reading your valuable Journal the whole
of the winter preceding my ln-ginning a start with bees
in the spring of ls~~, obtained Mr. Cowan's Guide, and
Root's A Ii C. In April I bought from a bee-dealer
two lots of condemned bees in a twin hive, described as
strong', healthy, and breeding. On arrival, I had them
examined by a friend of mini', a large bee-keeper in this
neighbourhood, who gave me the consolation that one
stock was too weak to pidl through the spring, the other,
he thought, -would be all right; and so it turned out.
I thought I would start with two stocks, so ordered a
swarm which came late in June : and now my troubles
began. I had never hived a swarm in my life, and only
saw it done once, and then by an expert. I was quite
alone the evening the bees arrived, and could not possibly
turn them out of swarm-box before '.'.15 p.m. — rather
late. After unscrewing the cover, in my haste to get
them out, I forgot to bump the-box so as to get the
bees into the bottom of the box before throwing them
out. I turned the box over, and the bees being close to
the unscrewed wire gauze, their own weight bent the
same, and they rolled out 4| lbs. strong. I saw my
mistake instantly, and though in anything but a confi-
dent mood, with hundreds of bees flying about me, gave
the box a good thump to get out what remained, and
stuck to my standing. I next helped them towards the
entrance of the hive with nearest tool to hand — a stick
— and then did a little painting with a feather and some
carbolic to keep them within boundary -line of the sheet
in front of the hive. It was now getting dusk, and to
help them cluster quicker, I sprinkled them with a little
water from a rose-water pot; when doing this the
handle came off, and half a pot of water went over the
bees. Oh ! I thought, if this lot gets through all right,
it certainly will not be due to any help I have rendered
them. However, the dry ground and sheet soon ab-
sorbed the extra moisture, and in about twenty minutes
they were all in.
At ten o'clock I lifted the hive on its stand and bade
them good-night. Lost a good teacupf ul of bees — dead.
Result of my evening's performance — bees on the brain ;
could not get a wink of sleep. A fine beginning this, I
thought. But how about the queen ? Had I drowned
her Jubilee Majesty? — that's the rub! I put them on
ten frames of full sheets of foundation. When 1 ex-
amined for the first time, which was in the course of live
days (could nut get near them before, they had been 10
badly handled that they fairly drove me off tin.' first I WO
attempts I made to examine them), I was ven pleased
to find proof of her majesty's presence. At the end of
the season the swarm had drawn out twenty combs, and
178
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April o, 1888.
gave me 17 lbs. surplus beautiful honey, such as sample
sent you. By the time they had the super combs well
out, the honey glut was over, and then it simply became
hand-to-mouth work with them. I may say 1 did not
take but one outside frame from brood-nest, which was
without brood, leaving the rest for the stock to winter,
and in September gave them 15 lbs. of syrup in addition.
The condemned lot before referred to filled my four-
teen-frame twiu-hive with bees, and gave me but one
frame of honey. This was through another blunder of
mine. If I had limited the brood-nest, surplus honey,
instead of a box full of bees, would have been the result.
However, I packed this lot also in September, and fed
rapidly. To-day, March 2nd, the bees are out in large
numbers for a cleansing flight, and looking remarkably
strong and healthy as far as a novice can judge. I intend
to-morrow, if as fine as to-day, to give them a cake of
candy for safety, though I do not think they are short.
' How many stings did you get in hiving your swarm
so clumsily ? ' asks some one. ' Not one ! ' ' Did you use
gloves?' 'No.' 'Veil?' '\es.' Further, to encourage
the timid — of whom I am one — I did all the manipu-
lating throughout the season without a sting. Perhaps
I should have said, both lots of bees are blacks — the
swarm not of the sweetest temper by any means. —
J. W. Paul, Westbrook Villa, Neath, South Wales,
March 2nd.
'with the aid of modern
bee-keeping:
[1567.] As your correspondent, 'A Voice from the
Cottage,' I have taken the B. B. J. for twelve months,
and have not seen anything of a bond fide cottager.
Well, sir, I don't think we can expect much from them
if it is the same all over the country as it is in this part
— West Sussex. There are a great many cottage bee-
keepers about here, but. all on the old style. They
winter one or two stocks and destroy the rest. I had
the good luck to save six stocks from death last year.
An old cottager, who is past work, asked me to take
his honey for him ; after a good deal of talk I got him
to let me drive the bees out and have them for my
trouble. He was very doubtful about it ; he has kept
bees all his life and had never seen such a thing done.
However, with the aid of the B. B. J. and Modern Bee-
keeping, I drove them very well and pleased him
much. He says the honey is the best he ever had. But
to myself. 1 am a cottager, groom to a farmer two
years this summer. I bought a late swarm of bees and
a straw skep ; gave 7*. for the lot, and was told that it
was bad luck to give less than 10«. I did not know any-
thing about bees. 1 had a mile to carry them. I got them
home all right, placed them on the stand, and left them
all that summer. The next spring I got Modern Bee-
keeping ; in that little book I found out all about bees.
I made a super to lit the top of my hive with eighteen
sections, crown-board, and roof. At the beginning of
.lime 1 placed it on and had a glass to look in. In three
days they were up and at work. I had quite a show for
a while, people kept Coming to see the bees work ; and
by changing the sections I took thirty-one pounds of nice
white clover honey. I had no trouble to sell it at 1(W.
per pound.
I had never seen a frame-hive, and I could not afford
to buy one, so, with the aid of Modern Bee-keeping, I
made a very good cottage hive to take eight frames; I
only put six in, and when I put my driven bees in I tied
some unfiuished sections in the frames ; but I put the
frames too wide apart, and the bees have built up
between them. I put two lots into that hive, as I had
no time to drive any more then. The next week 1
bought a straw skep and put the other four lots into it,
Then 1 wanted a feeder : I got an empty syrup tin, made
some holes in the bottom, tied a piece of coarse paper
over them, placed it on the frames, and another over the
hole of the straw skep. I only had to pour in the syrup
and put (he lid on, and it has answered well. I could
put on two pounds at a time, and so far my bees havo
done well. I have three stocks to work tins summer,
and as there is a lot. of white clover sown about here, I
think I shall get a nice lot of honey. I have made a
good frame-hive this winter; it has ten frames, one
dummy, quilts, two section-crates, moveable floor-board,
and porch. Next month I shall drive one of my straw
hives, cut the combs out, and tie them into the frames
with tape. I have got a good smoker, and can manage
them pretty well now. — E. PiAvbn, Norton, Selsey.
WHAT IS A COTTAGER?
[1568.] Now when many people want everything at
least possible expense it is absolutely necessary to pass
a rule defining the cottager. With keen trade competi-
tion, appliances, &c. are within the reach of all. The
principal point, therefore, I consider, is time to give the
bees the necessary attention when required. Take, for
example, an agricultural village: the schoolmaster, the
shoemaker, carpenter, and blacksmith, are in a certain
sense their own masters, are always at home ; yet these
enter as cottagers. What wonder if the labourer com-
plains that he stands no chance at the local shows ? I
believe there is nothing like fair competition for keeping
up an amount of interest necessary for success in bee-
keeping, but the man who is always at home has an
advantage over his neighbour who is away the whole
day. — North Devon Kustic.
NOTES FKOM MALTA.
[1560.] I have at last hit on a satisfactory method of
driving the bees from the native pots, but not until I
almost lost two stocks. The combs are built sometimes
across, but more generally very nearly fore and aft;
and my plan was this, I gave them a puff of smoke at
each end, and followed up by sprinkling from both ends
with thin warm syrup. After some minutes I stood the
pot, big end up, in a broken chair, and put my smoker
underneath witb its mouth just inside the small end or
muzzle of the pot, so that the smoke went curling up
slowly through the combs. A skep being held above as
in ' open driving,' the bees ran up beautifully, and in a
very short time I had the pot clean, and then hired them.
I have never had to do with bees before, but can't help
fancying that these are smaller than usual, because after
hiving 1 stood the pot above the hive as a super, in order
that they might hatch out the large quantity of brood
there was, inserting excluder zinc between ; but, lo and
behold ! when some days after I opened up to examine,
the hive was deserted, and the pot full. Queen and all
having gone up, and the performance bad to be gone
through again, and this time I cut out and transferred
three combs. They have drawn out almost all the
foundation, and her majesty appears to approve as she
is not content with a patch in the centre, but has literally
filled the frames from top to bottom. I never saw such
sheets of brood, and as level as a board, and the young
bees somehow seem bigger. May it not be that founda-
tion causes them to build larger cells than they naturally
do?
I find great difference in their temper— one hive I can
hardly go near unless fully gloved aud veiled, while
another got from the same apiary are like lambs, and I
find that smoke enrages them to an extent that I have
almost given up using it. The scirocco wind makes
them heavy and dull. Drones are already flying, and
white capping is visible oyer honey here and there.
Clover being now in blossom.
I have just ordered a hive on Heddon's plan, as I find
April 5, 1888.]
THE BKITISH BEE JOUBNAL.
179
trouble with the eight-inch sheets of foundation ; they
warp so, and when really hot weather comes I think his
shallow boxes will act better, but I doubt his system of
contracting and wholly trusting to artificial feeding in
winter, especially for an amateur who cannot always be
among his hives.
1 have discovered a carpenter who has frame-hives,
about twenty, and gets his things from Turin. He was
astonished at my whole sheets of wax, as he had only
used starters, and I don't fancy has any section super
arrangements. — M alia.
-f. DRONES AND THE FERTILISATION OF
QUEENS.
[1570.] Last year I had a stock of Carniolans headed
by an unfertilised queen. This queen was reared late in
the autumn, and the weather turned out very cold
so the drones refused to come out.
About the end of March I examined my hives and
found this hive with plenty of drone-brood, but no worker
brood. As I wanted to get purely mated Carniolan
queens, I thought it would be a good chance to have
them mated with these drones before other drones ap-
peared, so raised queen-cells at once, and by the end of
April they were placed in nuclei to be mated.
There are no bees within two miles of my apiary, and
I attend to those, and I did not see a single drone. The
queen did not begin to lay until the end of May, but she
must have been mated with these drones. I intended to
give it a further trial this spring, but the queen that I
reared late last autumn got lost, as I cannot find her iu
the hive. I should like to have the experience of
others. — H. P. Jones.
WELSH BEES AND FOUL BROOD.
["1571.1 Having acted as an expert for the Mont-
gomeryshire Association, and having been all over Merio-
nethshire, and parts of Denbighshire and Cardiganshire,
and having manipulated several hundred stocks of bees,
I have not seen the slightest trace of foul brood,
except in one case, and that I aiu glad to say was not a
bar-frame hive, but a skep ; nor were there bees kept in
bar-frame hives within eight miles. This goes far to
prove that the bar-frame hives are not the cause of foul
brood.
Having noticed the great difference in colour of our
native bees I do not wonder as to there being a dispute
as to whether to call them black or brown bees. I have
noticed that there are two distinct kinds in Wales, one
black and the other brown.
The black bees (or the darker-coloured ) are more fierce ;
their queens are not so prolific, but the workers are better
honey-gatherers, and are tearful robbers, nearly as bad
as Italians which attacked one of my stocks, and actually
met the workers cm the alighting-board and made them
deliver their honey, and if they refused, they killed
them.
The brottm (or the lighter-coloured) are very amiable,
their queens are very prolific and beautifully marked,
very much like Carniolans, and then- workers have light
hands around them, but are much smaller than Carniolans,
their only fault is they do not defend their hives well.
I think that one of these queens mated with Carniolan
drones would make a good useful bee. — H. P. Jones.
PAINTING HIVES— WIUEI) FOUNDATION.
[1672.] I doubt whether Mr. II. Adcock may think
my Ipraetice any better than ' painting ' the inside of
hives. However scorned, years' experience proves that
it answers. It is to give two dressings of boiled linseed
oil. The first dressing will sink into pine wood and
entirely disappear in a few hours. The second will dry
in a day or two, and make the hive impervious to wet
or damp, and is much to he preferred to any kind of
paint, the base of most of which is either white lead or
white zinc, and this, I think, is injurious to bees.
Probably this may partly account for so many of Mr.
A.'s bees dying, but more was owing to the hive being
set perfectly level. No matter what the kind of hive,
whether on the rectangular or parallel system, to
carry off the water, it should be inclined a little to
the front, but only very slightly. But if Mr. A. wishes
for a hive iu which it is impossible for wet to gather,
let him try a modification of Mr. Blow's Anglo-Cyprian.
1 made myself one a few years ago bv way of experi-
ment, but instead of placing the flight-hole' at the end
of the hive, and entirely closing the lower angle, I
made the flight-hole at that angle, and along the whole
length of the bottom of the hive with corresponding
slides, and an alighting board nailed to the legs on the
front side twelve inches broad, coming down nearly to
the ground. Although it might be objected to in
another respect, it certainly has the merit of being
always thoroughly dry, and the bees have done very
well in it.
A good deal has been written and done about wired
foundation. I entirely object to it, except in the case
of sending a hive and stock (especially a recent swarm)
to a distance by rail. If you want, as is not unfre-
quently the case, to cut a comb out of a frame, it is
mosl inconvenient to have cut through five or six wires
at top and bottom. The same object, viz., keeping the
foundation sheet straight can be much easier
effected as follows : — Bore two small holes a
quarter of an inch apart in Troth ends of the
frame exactly equidistant from the middle of
the end, and about an inch above the lower
edge of the foundation sheets. Then with a
needle draw a piece of strong cotton or linen
thread through the holes from end to end of
the frame, but taking care to cross the thread as
soon as it is through the wood end, so as to
clasp I he foundation close by ; return the thread
to the end you began at, and tie tightly. This
will keep the foundation quite straight and
in the centre. The bees will draw it out, and when
they come to the thread will gnaw it in two, and
drag it out of the hive, or the bee-keeper mav do that
for them. Under this method I have never known the
foundation to buckle or twist. The dark line represents
u
Lr
0
the foundation, and the dotted lines the thread crossed
at each end; the whole a section of foundation, thread,
and frame ends. — J. H., York.
DROUGHT NOT THE ONLY CAUSE OF A
LIGHT HONEY-CROP.
[1673.] It appears to be a very general complaint
from almost every quarter that the honey-crop of 1887
has been unusually light, ami the cause is almost unani-
mously attributed to drought, but 1 apprehend that the
dry weather was not the only cause, nor do 1 think it
was the principal eause of the failure of the honey-crop.
If such were the case, how could it happen that the best
flow of honey that we had last summer came during a
few days right in the very driest time in the whole
season : while just before and immediately after there
appeared to be very little or no nectar in the flowers.
That is the way it worked in this locality as near as I
could discover, and I watched things pretty carefully, or
at least I tried to. I think it was the late Moses Quinby
that said that the best time for bees to store honev is
180
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 5, 1888.
■when the farmers begin to complain of the need of rain,
or words to that effect, and my experience coincides
with that sentiment. Now, in this immediate vicinity
it was not so extremely dry during the past summer as
to effect the field-crops very badly, although more rain
would, no doubt, have been beneficial to them, yet the
honey-crop was no better here in June and July than in
many other places. And the same condition of things
appears to have existed in other localities also. In the
American Bee Journal, page 613, W. J. Cullman, of Mt.
Sterling, 111., makes the following statement : — ' We
have had this year, without exception, the largest wheat
and oat crop that was ever known in this section of the
country, and I see the same recorded for Missouri and
other States. We had a fair crop of hay, and will have
more corn than we had last year. We have double the
yield of clover seed than was ever known before. It is
true the honey-crop has been a partial failure.' I
desire to call special attention to Mr. Cullinan's state-
ment wherein he says, ' We have double the yield of clover
seed than ever was known before.' Now, the complaint is
almost universal from Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and
many other places, that the yield of honey from white
clover was very light indeed, notwithstanding the fact
that clover bloomed profusely and yielded seed abun-
dantly, at least in some places where the honey-crop
failed*. From the foregoing, I draw the conclusion that
it was not altogether the lack of rain that cut the honey-
crop short the past season. A pertinent and interesting
query very naturally arises at this point : What then is
thr reason the flowers did not supply their usual quantity
of nectar? If I were called upon to answer this question
I should freely admit that I do not know. But judging
from appearances, I have formed the opinion that the
failure did not result altogether from the want of rain,
but was also equally due to some peculiar state of the
atmosphere, which 1 do not fully understand, and there-
fore cannot explain satisfactorily even to myself. I am
not a scientist. The secretion of nectar in the flowers
is a very delicate process, achieved only by the spon-
taneous action of natural laws which are dependent upon
suitable atmospheric conditions for the fulfilment of
their functions; and are very sensitive to any interruption
of, or changes in, those conditions. Even the changing
of the wind from one point of the compass to another
will sometimes appear to suspend the operation altogether
for the time. We can understand the effect, although
we may not be able to comprehend the why and where-
fore concerning it.
Every one that has had much experience with maple
sugar is, doubtless, familiar with the fact that the flow
of sap from the trees is governed almost wholly by the
state of the atmosphere. When the conditions of the
atmosphere are just right ti ere will be an abundant flow
of sap ; when they are not right no sap can be obtained,
although there may be no visible difference in outward
appearances. Is it not reasonable to suppose that the
flow of nectar in flowers is equally as much affected by
atmospheric conditions as is the flow of sap in the sugar
maples ?
With your permission, friendly editor, I should like to
see this matter mentioned through your columns. Per-
haps, some of our scientific people will be kind enough to
enlighten us upon this interesting subject. — Joshua
Bull, Seymour, Wis.— (From the American Bee-keepers'
Magazine.)
A PLEA FOR LARGE FRAMES.
[1574.] It seems to me that the most important
feature of bee-culture is either ignored or carelessly oyer-
looked, in the bee-lore of our best modem apicultural
writers. It is a fact that none will dispute, that we
measure our harvest by the strength of our colonies
numerically ; and to achieve the best results in this
direction should be the guiding star of the apiarist, and
the brood-chamber should be constructed in accordance
with the natural laws governing the household economy
of the honey-bee.
Let us take a peep at the bee in its natural habitation,
where they become their own architects in the construc-
tion of their own combs, and what do we find ? I havo
transferred hundreds of colonies, in all kinds of hives,
nail kegs, log hives, box hives, and from bee-trees in the
woods, and the same principle that governs one governs
all, in the main, and that is large, deep, roomy combs,
with stores above, brood beneath, and combs spaced
from one and a half to two inches from centre to centre.
In the early part of the season sealed brood can be found
in the centre of the combs, next to which can be found
larvse in all stages, and on the outside of all, eggs,
showing conclusively that the queen first commenced her
laying near the centre of the comb, and, like a spider
spinning her web, she plies her vocation from centre to
circumference — Nature's most economical method of
time-saving to the queen in her vocation of reproduction.
We should imitate Nature in the construction of our
hives, especially in that of the brood-chamber, that we
may bring about the greatest strength possible, numeri-
cally from the prolificness of the queens. To accomplish
this, I contend that the most essential point in apiculture
is, our combs should be so arranged that not one second
of time need be lost by the queen in her onward march
from cell to cell, depositing in the height of her fecundity
about two eggs per minute, or nearly 3000 eggs in
twenty-four hours. In order to do this, she should not be
confronted with horizontal bars and bee-spaces in the
centre of her brood-nest, as they are certainly a great
barrier against her fecundity, being contrary to the laws
of her natural domain. Being thrown out of her
natural circuitous orbit, she loses time in passing over
bars and bee-spaces, and shifting from side to side, thus
losing the benefits of the queen's functions, which means
a serious detriment to the strength of the colony.
Mr. lleddon has the lasting gratitude of the apicultural
world for his many discoveries and substantial inventions,
and we certainly have no desire to rob him of his justly
earned fame ; but we do take issue against a shallow,
sectional brood-chamber, for reasons heretofore men-
tioned, and sincerely believe that had he exercised his
ingenuity and inventive powers on a hive with combs of
larger dimensions, he would have come nearer ' the hive'
that will come to stay, and would have opened a new era,
far in advance of that realised by his present device.
My argument is not altogether from the reasoning of
Mr. H.'s departure from the theory governing their
household economy, but years of practical experience
with small and large hives has confirmed my statements
in every particular, as regards the superiority of large
combs over small ones, for obtaining strong colonies.
Let those who doubt my statement try an equal
number of colonies with queens of equal fertility, and
report. It is said that ' the proof of the pudding is in
the eating thereof,' and if Messrs. lleddon, Hutchinson,
and others, can give reports of larger yields of honey
from the sectional brood-chamber than can be given
from hives of large, roomy combs, I will have to
acknowledge the fallacy of this article. I wish to get at
facts, and if ' the new must give way to the old,' and the
time is near at hand when ' we will manipulate hives
more and frames less,' we wish to know by actual test
the reasons, whys and wherefores. — J. M. Hambaugu,
Spring, Ills. — (From American Bee Journal.)
NOTES ON BEE-IIIVES.
Fertile Queen Introduction.
[1575.] The art of queen introduction may be ex-
plained by considering the subject under two heads, or
cases — (a) A stock of bees queenless; (b) A qutjtrj
subjectless.
April 5," 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
181
A stock of bees may become queenless naturally or
accidentally, or may be made so artificially ; among tbe
former cases a queen leaves the hive and is theu subject
to the dangers of being destroyed by birds, insects, or
reptiles; or it may miss its way, or may not be hived,
&c. It may die of old age or disease, or may become a
prey to some parasite. The weather, the time of year,
or a lack of drones, may be against the successful union of
the sexes, and so make the queen useless and worthless —
merging into so-called fertile workers.
Amongst the reasons for artificially deposing the
queen may be mentioned the desire for a queen of
greater prolificness, bees of greater amiability or other
qualities, or of a different race.
When bees discover that they are queenless (either
artificially or naturally so made) they at once set upon
the work of raising a queen from any worker larvae in
the hive not more than three days old, if virgin queens
are not being raised. If they are rendered queenless
while eggs or larvae less than three days old are in the
hive, and they begin to raise queens or build queen-cells
upon those, it is difficult to queen them, but still this is
not impossible. The queen-cells should be allowed to
develop until a day or two before the queens are likely
to hatch, and should then all be cut out — i.e., the queen-
cells — and the place brushed over with carbolic acid
solution, except one cell, upon which the alien queen
might be caged after the larva, or nymph, has been de-
stroyed. The queen may be liberated at dusk the next
day. This deceives the bees, so far as we are able, and
causes them to believe their own endeavours have been
successful.
There are objections to cages of all kinds — «.. from L, albus, white.) —
Drones with white heads and white eyes, quite devoid
of colour. Sometimes the eyes are red. They ar • not
uncommon amongst crosses of black bees and Italians,
are perfectly blind, and are supposed to be diseased.
(British Bee Journal, vol. xv. p. 18.)
Albinos, n. — The term is applied to a variety of
Italian bees lighter than usual, and which have distinct
rows of white hairs. Professor Cook says they are not a
distinct race, and that he has often noticed among Italians
the so-called albinos.
Albumen, n. (L. from albus, white.) — This enters
largely iuto the composition of the body, and is that form
of nitrogenous food which goes to construct the nerve
substance. Bees derive it from pollen. Albumen, in
the shape of white of egg, has been long used by the
Germans as a stimulant in spring.
Alcohol, n. (Ar. al. the, and kohl, fine powder.) —
A pure spirit which can be produced by distillation from
fermented honey, and is the intoxicating principle in mead,
rnetheglin, and hydromel. It is used by bee-keepers to
dissolve salicylic acid or thymol (remedies for foul brood),
and being a ready solvent of propolis is also used for the
removal of this from the hands.
Alien queen. (L. alienus, fr. alius, another.) —
A foreign queen, or one belonging to a strange hive.
Alig'hting'-board. n. (A-Sa.v. lildan, alihtan, to
descend, alight.) — The projection of the floor-board in
front of entrance ; that part on which the bees alight
before entering the hive.
Aliment, n, (L. alimentum, fr. ah, I nourish.)
— Nutriment ; food which nourishes.
Alimental. a. — Supplying food that nourishes, as
chyle, is alimental.
Alimentary canal. — The duct by which the
food is conveyed through the body and the useless parts
evacuated. It commences, in the bee, at the mouth,
and consists of the oesophagus, honey stomach, chyle
stomach, small and large intestines, and ends with the
anus.
Alternate, a. (L. alternatus, fr. alterno.) — Dis-
tance-pins and broad shoulders are put on opposite sides
of the ends of top bar, aud are said to be placed alter-
nately.— To change one frame for another reciprocally, as
in uniting two colonies.
Alveole—alveolus, n. (Fr. L. alveus, a hollow
vessel.) —A cell in a bee-hive.
Alvine. a. (Fr. L. alms, the belly.) — Relating to
intestinal excrements.
Ambrosia, n. (Gr. ambrosia, food of the gods, sup-
posed to give immortality, fr. a, not, and brotos, mortal ;
ambrotos, immortal. It was often confused with nectar,
the drink of the gods, one of the ingredients of which
was honey). — The name given to pollen and bee-bread
by C. Butler and other ancient writers ; also called ' leg-
honie,' because of the pellets of pollen carried on the legs.
Ammonia, n. (So called from Jupiter Amnion,
near whose temple it was first discovered.) — A volatile
alkali used in solution in water and called liquid ammonia.
Used by some to relieve pain caused by the sting of a bee.
(To be continued.)
ASSOCIATIONS.
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The annual general meeting was held on the 5th iust.
The chair was taken at first by Mr. Tipping, afterwards
by Rev. Thos. Lindsay. There were present also Miss
E. E. Itutherfoord, Rev. P. Kavanagh, Dr. Knight, Mr.
Millner, Mr. Read, Mr. Sproule, and the Hon. Sec. Mr.
Ohenevix. The report and balance-sheet for the year
1887 were adopted with a vote of thanks to the auditors.
Votes of thanks were unanimously passed to Dr. Traill
for the gratuitous use of his rooms for meetings, and to
the press for great services kindly rendered to the
Association. Lord Ardilaun was re-elected President.
The Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, and Secretary, were also
re-elected. Miss E. E. Rutherfoord was elected as an
additional Vice-President, and Messrs. Gillies and Read
were elected auditors.
Mr. Sproule and Mr. Read were appointed scrutineers
to examine the voting papers for the election of the new
committee. This was no light task, as fifty-four of these
papers had been sent in. The result of the examination
was that the following were declared elected as the
acting committee for 1888-9: — R. Sproule, Rev. P.
Kavanagh, A. Traill, LL.D., J. M. Gillies, J. K. Millner,
E. P. O'Farrell, M.D., M. H. Read, S. K. Twigg, C. F.
Knight, M.D., John Jones, M.D., J. O'Reilly, D.L., T. G,
April 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
189
Barlow, E. Byrne, J.P., Rev. R. Seymour, J. Barnes.
After some discussion it was resolved that in Rule VII.
for the words 'in the second week in February' be sub-
stituted the words ' not later than April.'
There was an interesting debate as to the best method
of forming depots in various parts of the country for the
sale of members' honey, in addition to the depot which
already exists in Dublin, and the Committee were author-
ised to grant sums of money in aid of such local depots.
Copies were distributed at the meeting of a circular,
which Messrs. Abbott Bros., the Association's agents for
the sale of honey, are issuing, with the sanction of the
Committee, to grocers and other dealers in Dublin.
The following have been appointed Hon. District
Secretaries for the counties prefixed to their names. For
Cork, Mr. C. E. Beale ; King's Co., Mr. R. T. Croasdaile,
J.P. ; Fermanagh, Rev. D. E. Dickson ; Waterford, Mr.
W. E. L'Estrange Duffin; Wexford, Mr. T. Elderkin;
Sligo, Miss L'Estrange; Mayo, Mr. W. Morony ;
Tipperary, Mr. T. G. Barlow ; Louth, Miss E. E. Ruther-
foord ; Meath, Rev. It. Seymour.
BEDFORDSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
A meeting of the above Association was held in the
Blue Ribbon room, Bedford, on Saturday afternoon,
March 24th, under the presidency of the Rev. Dr. Wray,
of Bedford. Amongst those present were Mrs. Edwards,
Messrs. E. E. Dymond, Sydney Street, W. James, Turtle,
Johnson, J. Pestell, and the Hon. Sec. (Mr. W. Rushton,
of Felmersham).
The Chairman stated that the meeting was called
mainly for the purpose of drawing up the schedules of
prizes to be offered at the various shows during the
season. On the motion of Mr. Johnson, seconded by Mr.
Street, it was agreed ' That there be an additional class
for cottagers, in which prizes shall be offered for the best
six 1-lb sections of comb honey.' Mr. Street proposed,
Mr. Johnson seconded, and it wras carried unanimously,
' That prizes in Classes I. and II. be all of money as in
the other classes, and that the silver medal be offered
for the best exhibition of comb honey in any class, and
the bronze medal for the best exhibition of extracted or
run honey in any class.' Mr. Johnson moved and Mr.
Turtle seconded, ' That two prizes in money be offered
at the Bedford Show for the best exhibition of bees-wax.'
— Carried. It was resolved on the motion of Mr. John-
son, seconded by Mr. Pestell, ' That the prizes offered at
the Sandy Show be equal in amount to those offered at
the Bedford Show.' Mr. Johnson then suggested ' That
the medals (silver and bronze) given as prizes by the
B. B. A. be offered elsewhere ; ' but it was decided to
discuss the matter at a future meeting. Mr. Johnson
proposed, and Mr. Dymond seconded, ' That the same
amount in prizes be offered at the Woburn Show as last
year.' — Carried nem. con. A short discussion then en-
sued in regard to the entry fees, and it was ultimately
agreed on the proposition of Mr. Johnson, seconded by
Mr. Pestell, ' That the same entry fees be charged at the
Woburn Show as at other shows.' Mr. Johnson moved
the following resolution, which, having been seconded by
Mr. Pestell, was carried unanimously: — 'That the expert
be requested to report any cases of " foul brood " he may
meet with, and ascertain on what terms the owner would
allow the infected stocks to be destroyed, and that the
Secretary be authorised to pay a fair amount in com-
pensation.'
J)0mrpt.
BELGIUM.
An interesting Apicultural Exhibition will be held in
Brussels from the 11th to the 23rd of August next.
There are seventeen classes in six divisions, and the
prizes consist of medals and money. We hope some of
our manufacturers will make a show because, owing to
the circulation of the French translation of our Guide
Book in Belgium, many bee-keepers have there adopted
our plan of hives and methods. Application for space
must be made before loth May next, and full particulars
may be had by addressing Monsieur le Secretaire des
Concours Internationaux d' Apiculture, Jardin Botanique,
Brussels. Exhibits coming from other countries than
Belgium pay half rates on Belgian lines.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
The honey-bee was introduced into Southern California
in March, 1855, by Mr. 0. W. Childs, who purchased a
few colonies in San Francisco, paying $100 per colony
for them at that port. Under his care and management,
the bees multiplied |and produced large quantities of
comb honey, which he sold readily at $1 per pound. His
success started a boom in the bee business, and in three
years afterwards nearly every American resident in Los
Angeles city had bees to sell, but the pri«e was a shade
lower than that paid b}' Mr. Childs in San Francisco, for
many were anxious to sell their bees at $5 per colony.
The price of honey had [gone down to 15 cents per
pound. Swarms of bees had escaped from the apiaries
and located in hollow trees, clefts in the rocks and holes
in the ground, so that the laud was literally flowing with
honey. About this time the fruit-growers began to com-
plain that the bees destroyed fruit, and most of the bees
were removed to a distance from the city and located in
the foothills and at favourable spots, along the foot and
sides of the mountains. In their new homes the bees
produced a better quality and a much greater quantity
of honey, found in the bloom of the black and white
sages that abounded in the hilly and mountainous regions,
besides the nectar-yielding indigenous shrubs and plants
so abundant in Southern California in those days. From
400 to 500 pounds of honey per hive was considered a
fair yield ; and as the quantity of honey increased the
price decreased, so that 4 and 5 cents per pound was
about all that good honey would command. Most of the
honey was shipped by sea to foreign countries. A small
quantity' found a market in New York. The crop of
honey in 1S7C was enormous, thousands of tons being
gathered in Los Angeles county alone, and equally large
yields were produced in San Diego county, one person
being credited as the owner of G000 colonies of bees and
producing $50,000 worth of honey and beeswax. The
next year, 1877, proved most disastrous by reason of an
extremely dry season. Thousands of colonies of bees
perished for want of food, and the spring of 1878 found
many apiaries entirely destroyed. Discouragement took
a fast hold of the average bee-keeper, [and to such an
extent that he quitted the' business in disgust and never
embarked in it again. Low prices for honey have been
the rule since 187G until the present year, when, by
reason of a short crop, and the meagre supply of honey
on hand, both in California, the eastern States, and the
West Indian Islands, the price of honey has gone up
nearly one-half more than it was one year ago, and this
right in the face of low-priced sugar, an article that has
heretofore governed the price of honey to a great extent.
Amongst the men of means now pouring into Southern
California in search of a salubrious climate and a rich
soil, that has never failed to give a fine crop of fruit in a
hundred years, no doubt many may be found who have
in their "old homes handled the honey bee, either for
profit or pleasure— that pleasure derived from investi-
gating the habits and peculiar instincts of the most
wonderful creature in animated nature, seemingly en-
dowed with an intelligence that man himself can hardly
measure. To such men, coming, as they mostly do, from
northern latitudes, where winter care of bees is often
greater than the care and labour bestowed in summer, I
190
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 12, 1888.
would say, Take hold of the bee business in this land of
sunshine, where, on an average, there are not 15 days
out of the 365 of the year in which the bee is not on the
wing — in this land of perpetual bloom, where the honey
bee may gather nectar every day in the year. Take hold
with your experience, and, keeping step with the progress
and advancement that permeates every other branch of
business, help the honey bee to gather and store the
unlimited quantity of nectar that burdens the bloom of
millions on millions of flowers in this favoured land of
ours, and save from the wild winds this wealth of sweet-
ness that would otherwise be for ever lost to mankind.
The health-seeker can hardly find a business so conducive
to perfect restoration of health, and the student of science
can nowhere find a field that will afford a more inter-
esting and absorbing study than that furnished by the
apiary. Very many of our prominent bee-keepers have
turned their attention to town sites and corner lots,
quitting a business that has heretofore yielded them
health and wealth, without the risks of speculation, and
to-day there are fewer men in the business than there
were fifteen years ago.
The orchard and vineyard, the grain field and town site
have displaced many a splendid apiary that was con-
sidered a good property three or four years ago. Our
extensive mountain-ranges afford an abundance of bee
pasture in localities where the plough, the orchard, and
vineyard can never go, and the very best use that such
places can be put to is to make them the home of the
honey bee. San Diego, Ventura, Los Angeles, Santa
Barbara, and San Bernardino counties ought to maintain
500,000 colonies of bees, that would produce $5,000,000
worth of honey and half a million dollars' worth of bees-
wax per annum. Nature furnishes the raw material ; the
honey bee, under proper handling, will throw in the
necessary amount of industry, if man will take the trouble
to throw in a little industry and skill to give to commerce
this vast amount of wealth that would add so greatly to
the pleasure of the palate, as well as to the health of
humanity. For it is a fact that pure Californian sage
honey contains medicinal properties that, properly used,
will add greatly to the health of most people. — C. N.
Wilson.
feMSpoittmxa.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
jEc, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c}o .Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c.t must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*»* In. order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
OUR HONEY IMPORTS.
The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom
during the month of March, 1888, amounted to 2841.
[From a return furnished by the Statistical Department
H. M. Customs to E. II. Bellairs, Wingfield, Christ-
church.]
CYPRIANS AND CARNIOLANS.
[1576.] From Great Britain and from America letters
similar to the following have so often been received by
me that I deem the answers of sufficient general interest
to warrant their publication on both sides of the Atlantic.
They are given in accordance with my experience and
honest convictions. I would explain that I sent Mr. Group
mported Cyprians in 1885, and again in 1886, direct
from Cyprus by letter-post.
Ranchtown, Pemu, U.S.A., Feb. 23rd, 1888.
Me. Fkank Benton, Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Dear Sir, — 1. Are the Carniolan bees as good honey-
gatherers as the Cyprians ?
2. Will they at all times defend then- hives?
3. Are the queens as prolific as the Cyprian and Syrian
queens ?
4. Do you consider them as well a defined strain or race
as the Cyprians? The Cyprians, according to my experience,
are a far better defined race than the Italians. When
crossed their markings are transmitted much farther. I
am inclined to give the Germans the next place. I have
experimented with the German, Italian, and Cyprian races.
5. How do the Carniolans winter in confinement ?
I would like to have this information as early as possible,
but should Mr. Benton not be at home, I will esteem it a
favour if the receiver hereof will transmit it to him.
Kespectfully,
John W. Groit.
Answers.
1. No; but they are good both as honey-gatherers and
comb-builders, and they seal their honey in such a
manner that the combs look whiter than those sealed by
Cyprians, Syrians, Palestine?, or Italians.
2. No. If made queenless, they are thrown into
greater excitement than are other bees under the same
circumstances, and if deprived of their brood at the same
time are frequently so disconcerted as to neglect for the
time being the defence of their hives. At other times,
that is, under ordinary circumstances, they are most
excellent defenders of their hives.
3. Carniolan queens are not, as a rule, as prolific as
Cyprian and Syrian queens, but are far more prolific
than black or Italian queens. The best Carniolan queens
do not fall far short of Eastern queens as regards pro-
liricness.
4. I do not. Mr. Group is quite right in saying that
' the Cyprians are a far better defined race than the
Italians, and when crossed their markings are trans-
mitted much farther.' And the same thing is true of
Cyprians as compared with Carniolans or any other
known race. Cyprians are the ' thorough-breds ' among
bees — the only ones whose pedigrees are pure, and their
long line of ancestors bred in pent-up Cyprus, under
conditions that must necessarily have produced a won-
derful race of bees, reproduces its individuals to our
admiring and covetous gaze, — admiring because these
bees transmit their markings and great beauty, and
covetous because they transmit also, even should their
pure blood be adulterated by several generations of cross-
breeding, their wonderful energy in collecting honey.
Among European races of bees, Carniolans, according to
my experience, are, in all points of importance, decidedly
superior, no matter whether we consider their qualities
as honey-collectors, or their ability, if their working-force
be so directed, to increase rapidly ; their readiness to
enter surplus receptacles and ability to build and seal
over snow-white combs; their gentleness of disposition
— their quietness under manipulation, and inclination to
adhere to the combs, yet the comparative ease with which
they can be brushed or shaken off; their ready defence of
their hives under all ordinary circumstances, both
against moths and robber bees; their quiet submission
when confined for shipment; their readiness in construct-
ing numerous queen-cells ; the great prolificness of their
queens; the indisposition the workers show towards
gathering propolis to daub up sections and glue frames
solid; the greater size and individual strength of the
workers; their ready submission upon the application of
smoke, if perchance they may have been aroused by
rough manipulation ; their disinclination to attack any
one who merely enters the apiary ; their hardihood,
enabling them to withstand the severest climates and
April 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
mi
their quietness and compactness in their winter clusters
making them remarkably good winterers ; if we test
them in regard to any of these points, side by side with
/any other commonly cultivated European race of bees,
all must yield the palm to the silver race of Carniola.
Mr. Samuel Simmins, in his excellent work, A Modern
Bee-Farm, published last autumn, tells the whole story
in one sentence when he says of Carniolans, ' Scarcely
a fault can be found with them.'
I concede for the blacks what Mr. Group intimates he
is inclined to credit them with, viz., transmitting power.
The Carniolans are also well endowed in this respect,
but if the blacks or Germans have, in comparison with
them, nothing that is superior to transmit, pray of what
use is the bare power to transmit, even supposing that
to be greater than is possessed by any race except
Cyprians ? To transmit, forsooth, their tawny, shaggy
coats, their black tails, their proclivities for robbing,
their kindly disposition toward moth-larva;, their keen-
ness in spying out, the moment they stick their heads
forth from between the top-bars of the frames, a soft
spot in the back of any man's hands, and their agility in
getting there, while their fellows left in the hive do
mostly come on the scent of their predecessors' tails?
Or is it to hand down to the coming bee that trans-
cendent quality or sense whereby this aforesaid German
bee invariably and instantly becomes aware of the
intrusion of a strangers nose within twenty rods of its
alveary domicile, and the unexampled self-forgetful uess
it exhibits in the punishment of this offending but other-
wise very respectable human member? But enough of
this. Americans should have no prejudice in this
matter, for we have no native race of bees ; all are
imported foreigners ; and it only behoves us to select the
best to build upon. And are we to remain idle, while
breeders of horses, of cattle, of sheep, of swine, of
poultry, of fancy pigeons, and even of pet stock, by im-
porting, selecting, and combining, are producing almost
any and every form and quality desired ? And for us to
commence with the common black bee — the ' scrub '
among bees — would, I consider, be equivalent to the
cattle-breeders going back at the present time to the
' scrub ' among bovines, because forsooth he may have
discovered that his developed breed will not bear the ne-
glect that his common stock would, and still preserve the
character it had when he first made its acquaintance ; or
it would be like the horticulturist who should ignore the
splendid fruits already existing, and persist in cultivating
the sour, gnarly natural fruit ; or the woollen manufac-
turer, who should go back to the spinning-wheel and
hand-loom, because the steam-loom costs a deal of money
and eats up tons of fuel, or because, perhaps, its tre-
mendous clank and clang do not please him ! No, friends,
though all these old things had their uses, and, doubtless,
there are many still for whom such things are best
adapted, those who lead must have what produces the
best result — what yields the greatest returns. These can-
not afford to ignore any of the progress the world has
made in their respected branches. No more can the
breeder of bees, who, by selection and combination,
expects to attain greater and more satisfactory results
than have heretofore been reached, afford to ignore the
great value of the breeding material which the past few
years have placed at his disposal. And as Nature
herself has kindly done part of the work, he cannot
afford to go over it again, but should begin with the
races she has partly perfected.
5. Excellently. They have been developed in a cold,
mountainous region, where snows are deep in winter
and rains often prolonged and even cold during the
summer season. The past winter bees have been con-
fined here without a good flight for four months
continuously. Snow has been over two feet deep in the
open country, while mountain ravines are drifted full.
The thermometer several times indicated 13° Fahrenheit
below zero. Very possibly this question is meant to
refer to wintering in cellars or special repositories. In
Carniola bees are not wintered in cellars, so far as I
know. The native bee-keepers pack their shallow box-
hives (which are C to 8 inches deep, 12 to 18 inches
wide, and about 3 feet long) side by side and one above
another in old-fashioned bee-houses or sheds, and sur-
round them with moss or fine hay, letting a mat or trap-
door close the front during intense cold or when the
ground is covered with light snow and the sun is bright.
In this sort of repository colonies, with abundant stores,
winter well. — Frank Benton, Laibach, Upper Carniola,
Austria.
GRIQUALAND BEES.
[1577.] I send you some bees from this district, and
would you kindly inform me, through the columns of
your Journal, what kind they are ? They work fairly
well, but are very troublesome when the hive is doing-
well, as they sting a good deal then. Another question
I should like answered, and that is, I found, on opening
a queen-cell on two occasions, a worker-bee only inside,
and dead, and on another occasion only some stuff
inside which appeared to be a mixture of wax and
pollen ; these cells were sealed, and to all appearance
just the same as the ones that contained queens. Only
this summer have I and a few others gone in for bee-
keeping. I think we shall do well when we get into it.
Both your Journal and book are of great assistance.
We have no foul brood to contend against, nor the wax-
moth. I only hope foul brood won't be brought into the
country through foundation-comb, some of which we
have on the way out.
We have about seven months' summer (our seasons are
not well marked here, and we have practically only
summer and winter) and a dry, though cold winter. So
I think in time, and with experience, we will go ahead. —
Rf.uij. TviutELL, Griaualand East, Cape (Mony, South
Africa, January, 1888,
[The hive-bees forwarded are the same as those de-
scribed by Dr. Stroud, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, see
B. B. J., vol. xiv., p. 188. Dr. Stroud would be pleased
to give any advice required as to treatment. Most of the
bees have three yellow bands, as Ligurians, Cyprians,
&c. The queens and drones are the usual size. Like Dr.
Stroud's South Africans, the workers are smaller than
those of any other cultivated race, and the presence of
darker bees shows them to be hybrids, though generally
well marked. It is not unusual to find workers in queen-
cells. After the queen is allowed to hatch, the worker
goes in to clear up ; its ' friends ' kindly seal the cover-
ing, and the poor inmate, forgetting its first cradle, fails
to find an exit — and dies. — Ed.]
RAILWAY RATES.
[ l-">78.] Our thanks are due to Mr. Griffin for bringing
this subject so practically to our notice. It is one which
presses very heavily on all our home productions. I am
glad to hear he has been so successful in his negotiations
with the Railway Companies in his district, but I fear so
long as Railway Companies are allowed monopolies — and
they take precious good care to be well represented in
Parliament — we shall never see the tariffs put on a much
more liberal basis.
With respect to Railway Companies and their rates,
I will, with your permission, Mr. Editor, mention a case
where your humble servant was nearly made to smart
dearly for the carriage of his hives and bees. Well, I
wanted to send some of my hives to the heather — over
fifty miles away — so I ordered a van for their conveyance
in the usual way, and at the usual cost, and took thirty
hives to the moors through which the Company's line
192
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 12, 1888.
passed. All went well, not a single hitch or mishap of
any hind, and the bees did wonders, for in about a
fortnight many of them were hanging out as if pre-
paratory to swarming, and the fronts of the hives, too,
were covered with bees. Of course those in this con-
dition had filled all up, sections and everything (though
the sections were not yet sealed over). I returned home
in high spirits at the very cheering prospect, determining
to send up another consignment of crates filled with
empty sections, when, lo ! at home there was a note fra-
me, a notice from the Railway Company, stating that I
should not be allowed to bring my hives home again
unless I paid the ordinary parcels rate on them. I made
a rough guess, and made the cost on that scale come to
about 20/., falsing in the weight of hives, combs, &c.
Well, this was a damper. What to do I did not know,
but decided not to send any more crates — no use mailing
the hives heavier, there would be enough to pay on them
already. Well, September came, the weather broke,
and I wanted my hives home, but the Company, or
rather the official who had charge of this district, was
obstinate. In vain I referred them to the price stated
in their own time-table ; in vain I stated I was paying
the price always chaiged before; in vain I protested
against having been allowed to take them unless they
were prepared to bring them back at the same rate — he
was obdurate. Well, October came, the days much
shorter and the nights colder ; it became a necessity for
me to have my bees somehow, so I did what I ought to
have done at fh-bt if I had only thought of it. I got the
station-master who had charge of them to order a van
for their return home. I ought to state that he was
under another official, a gentleman at head-quarters,
whose name was highly spoken of whenever 1 heard it
mentioned. Well, I went over and fetched all away,
paying the station-master the usual charge, which he
took without a murmur. But I was not out of the wood
yet, for on arrival at Beverley I was met by the booking
clerk, who told me I could not have my bees unless I
paid the demand of parcels rate. However, I was ready
for him, and handed him the receipt for the carriage.
He then said they could not be delivered that night — in
fact, not until he got orders from his superior, the
ounoxious official. I replied that unless I got my hives
out of the van not only that night but at once, the bees
would all be suffocated, and that to save them I should
open all the doors and let them out, and compel the
Company, as I had paid the carriage on them, to deliver
them at my garden, adding that I pitied the men who
had to enter the van next day to get them out. He
then stated that under the circumstances I had better
take them ; so, having two men with a spring cart in
waiting, I quickly landed them safely into the garden,
and so ended as disagreeable a piece of business as I care
to have to do with, and all through the obstinacy of an
official who I afterwards heard was — shall I say it — yes,
a jealous bee-keeper.— F. Boyes, Beverley.
RAILWAY BATES.
[1-579.] Replying to inquiries on this subject, in
reference to my previous communication, p. 133, the
classification on which the charges for honey are based
are the regular Clearing-house rates, which are, or
supposed to be, the guide for all railways throughout
the United Kingdom ; but these are subject to alterations
from time to time when agreed upon under certain
circumstances.
I mentioned on the previous occasion three classes.
The following are the rates between two particular
stations on the G.W.R. system : —
Class 2 would be at the rate of . .
. 10s.
Class 3 „ „
. 12s. lid
Class 4 „ „
. 15*. 1(W
Or take two other stations at a greater distance : —
Class 2 would be at the rate of 34s. 2d.
Class 3 „ „ .... 39s. 2d.
Class 4 „ „ .... 49s. 2d.
From these figures it will be seen that it is worth
moving in the matter, as the saving would be considerable.
But although the various lines work on the Clearing
house classification, yet quantities of honey under 5 cwt.
are charged on a sliding scale ; and here again we get
considerable variation, as many lines have a scale of their
own, and other railways have a sliding scale which they
use for competitive places (where other lines touch) and
another for their own stations where they are masters of
the situation.
As far as I can ascertain the G.W.R. and the M.R.
have only one scale for all stations, but the L.S.W.R.
have two, and the S.E.R. work on a different system.
For instance, 28 lbs. to be charged at the rate of 40s.,
by the G.W.R. would be Is. At the same rate by the
L.S.W.R., if to a competitive station, would also be Is.,
but if to another place the charge would be Is. 3d.
The alteration to Class 2 will, I hope, soon be an
accomplished fact. The G.W.R. are doing their best.
I hope others interested in the matter will not discon-
tinue their efforts ; they must remember that one or two
applications will not carry the day. — Wm. N. Gbiffin.
DIPLOMAS.— SECTIONS.
[1580.] The remarks of ' East Grimstead ' on ' Hon-
orary Awards' in your number of March 22nd, seem to
me worth the consideration of the B. B. K. A. Of
course, I speak from an outside point of view, and do not
know how the suggestion might work. One can imagine
his being ' posed ' on being asked if he had a certificate,
and being mortified also at being obliged to confess that
he did not possess one. At the same time, he might have
been well worthy of it, though it must be allowed that
(as in the professions) the diploma, or whatever it may
be called, is the security to the public. In some respects
the parallel does not hold good, and I venture to think
that it would be a graceful and much-appreciated com-
pliment if the B. B. K. A. were to formally confer the
title of Honorary Expert on certain persons who might
be recommended by their county committees, on notice
being given that they were prepared to receive names.
I loiow of an old bee-keeper who has acted as third-
class judge, though not certificated ! (The first cer-
tificated man must have been examined by one not cer-
tificated.) His relations to others would make it improper
for him to incur the risk of a closed eye through not
wearing his veil. Yet, if there is a queen to be found I
think he can find her, and the ordinary manipulations of
fifteen or sixteen hives are common things enough to him;
while not only the county bee-tent, but many literary
associations, have called on him (not in vain) for lectures,
and no one who wants information seems to hesitate to
apply to him for it. Now if such a one held the title of
(say) second-class expert it might deservedly save him
from a similar unpleasant fate to that which befell ' East
Grinstead,' and spare his association at the next ex-
hibition from a suspicion of weakness.
The power to produce a novelty in sections must, one
would think, be well-nigh exhausted. If foundation is
to be fixed in the sides one is inclined to ask, Which is
the side of a 4j x 4j- four-way section ? There is, it may
be admitted, the advantage that they can be turned any
way, inverted or semi-inverted. The principle of a clip
between the two halves of a side was surely that of
Abbott's old long sections of ten years ago, where the
top was formed of two laths, moveable, kept in place
when fitted by small brads. We have now a little slit
in the top of a one-piece section, or a fair kerf from end
jo end of the quarter in which is the dovetail. Will no
April 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
193
One advance a little further ? I never let my dovetail be
seen on top. How shall I keep them at the bottom, and
yet have as much security for a full piece of foundation
as is given by the new inventions ? 1 do not think I
have one slip in a hundred of the (about) half-size pieces
which I use, but I might wish to use full pieces and not
show the dovetails. I think of a plan, but I have neither
leisure nor appliances to work it out. — S. C.
AN IRISH EXHIBITION IN LONDON.
[1581.] An Irish exhibition is to be held at Olympia,
Kensington, to open on the 4th of June, and to close on
the 27th of October. Lord Arthur Hill is the Secretary.
Department A is devoted to Agriculture ; hives, and bee-
appliances, manufactured by Irish firms, will be admis-
sible in section 4, and in section 5, ' Products,' the following
are named: — Milk, cream, butter, cheese, eggs, HONEY,
bread, biscuits, flour, vegetables, cereals, roots, hops, seeds,
tinned meat, compressed animal food, foods of all
kinds.'
This will be a good opportunity for the Irish Dee-
keepers' Associations to show how the country has
benefited by the visit of Messrs. U. N. Abbott and W.
Carr, who, under the auspices of the B.B.K.A., made a
lecturing tour through Ireland, the expenses of which
(soma 80/.) were borne by that Association. It will
be early for this year's honey, but that of last year
will be eligible, and can be supplemented by this year's
honey later on. — J. M. Hooker, April 7.
KOERBS' COMB FOUNDATION.
[1582.] With regard to the new Koerbs' comb founda-
tion, has it occurred to any of your readers, that inas-
much as there are cells on one side only, not more than
one half the number of bees usually working on the
ordinary comb, would be able to work on the Koerbs'
foundation ; and moreover, that it is probable that the
bees would be prevented from manipulating either the
comb or their honey on cells of double depth with that
speed which they would be able to exercise on the
foundation now generally employed? — W. J. Mucin. f.y,
Loweswater.
SUGGESTIONS.
[1583.] In your issue of March 1, your correspondent,
Mr. Shea, gives a few ussful hints to bee-keepers in his
communication (1510) under the above heading, and I
hoped some one more capable than myself would have
given in return a simple mode of shading the entrances
from the glare of the snow ; but as no one has replied to
his request I shall be pleased to give him my experience
if he will accept a hint from a working man. He says,
'Porches I have discarded as not necessary ;' true, they
are worse than useless as often made, but if they com-
prise a slanting board not less four inches wide, and are
placed rather low across the entire front of the hive,
you have always a shade on the entrance and a dry
promenade for the bees in all weathers.
Another plan, very effective, though not so simple as
the above, is to make the alighting-board work on hinges,
fastened to the floor-board, and which may be hooked to
the porch as soon as winter commences, and which need
not be lowered until spring, as the bees can go in and out
freely at either end of porch. — Yorkshire Novice.
GARDENERS AS BEE-KEEPERS.
[1584.] I have just been reading your new monthly
paper, and most heartily congratulate you on its issue,
and also wish you every success. I was much pleased
with the letter of the ' Village Blacksmith,' and it put the
idea in my head that perhaps you might rind space in a
future issue for my experiences as a bond Jide cottage
bee-keeper.
I am a gardener, and I think every gardener ought to
keep bees. I have kept some now for six years, the first
four of which I kept them in straw skeps, and used
supers on the top, but got but little honey. Then a change
came o'er the scene. A shining light arose in the shape
of a new school-master, who not only knew something of
the modern systems of bee-keeping, but was willing to
share his knowledge with anyone else. Under his tuition
I learned some of the mysteries of the bar-frame hive,
and also how to make one — rough, certainly, but still it
answered for a time. I have made several since then ;
but I now buy 9- inch deal boards, and make them
18x20 outside measurement, and use a doubling box on
the top.
In the autumn of 1880 we commenced driving, and I
got stung so badly that I thought I would give it up, but
still I persevered, and can now drive bees with anyone.
I had four lots, which I placed in two hives ; they
wintered well, and came out very strong last spring.
One I worked for sections, and the other for extracted
honey. I commenced extracting June 21st, and got
20 lbs., and by tin1 end of July my hive had yielded me
95 lbs., and the other about 50 sections, so I think on the
whole my first season turned out well. I am now the
happy possessor of seven colonies, and hope to give you
a further account of my experiences later on. — Kentish
Bee.
[We shall be most pleased to receive the account of
your experiences, and we would fain hope that the day
may soon arrive when all gardeners will be bee-keep-
ers.— Ed.]
FIXING FOUNDATION.
[1585.1 I forward you a description, with sketch, of
the way I fix foundation in my frames for insertion in
the Journal if you think it of sufficient interest.
Cut two strips of wood Jxfx length of inside of
frame, and nail them to the top of the inside of frame on
each side of the foundation, pressing the strips well against
the foundation. Nail with J in. wire shoe nails. If half
sheets only of foundation be used, this plan works
perfectly. I have never tried it with whole sheets
without wire, for I always wire the whole sheets with
diagonal wiring, one wire passing on each side of founda-
tion. I embed the wire with an 8d. brass wheel, which
cooks use for cutting out pastry devices. There could
not be a better embedder, so I think. The f in. strips
need not be the full length of inside of frame ; 8 in. in
length works well, if wire be used, or three blocks 2 in.
in length spaced along the frame would do. Strips the
full length of frame have the advantage of strengthening
the top-bar. In my opinion no part of the frame should
be of less than § in. stuff. — Hive.
WIDTH OF SECTIONS.
[1586.] In discussing this subject, in which we find
considerable diversity of opinion, we must carefully
weigh the advantages, or otherwise, of narrow v. the
two-inch width. For my own part, I am strongly in
favour of the latter, for reasons which I shall briefly
endeavour to point out. It has been decided that the
4j x 4j section is the best for many reasons. The l|-in.
and lj-in. width sections have their supporters ; they
look neat and are a handy package ; but the cost will be
the same as a 2-in. section. The foundation, See., will
be the same, and as the quantity of comb-honey they
contain is less, the cost of production will be greater.
If the bee-keeper works his bees for exhibition purposes
and his honey for home consumption, then he will be
the best guide as to which width is preferable ; but if
the apiary is to be a paying concern, and the sections
194
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 12, 1888.
are worked for sale, then my experience would strongly
he in favour of the full-width sections. We have noticed
that the cost of production is the same for a narrow and
wider section ; therefore, if the chances of all were equal,
then the 2-in. section would produce the hest profit. But
where a sale for one narrow section is obtained, a market
is open for six of the wider. Many firms will not look
at a narrow section, and as supply and demand must be
considered, it devolves on bee-keepers to take the wants
of the public as a criterion, and to decide on onlv having
4j- x4Jx2 sections. As I am now only alluding to which
width section will find the best sale, I will not speak of
the merits of two or four bee-way sections, as long as the
2-in. width is adopted, either of these plans will not be
against their market value ; and this allows the bee-
keeper some diversity of metho'ds of working. — Wm. X.
GrtlFFIN.
QUEEN INTRODUCTION.
[1.587.] I have read with much regret Mr. Bonner-
Chambers' letter (1575) in last B. B. J. in which he so
strongly condemns the Simmins' method of direct queen
introduction. I have adopted the system throughout my
apiary of fifty stocks, and have never had a failure when
1 have strictly followed the directions. As Mr. Simmins
is the only dealer to my knowledge who guarantees safe
introduction, I think it only fair to give an instance
which to unbiassed minds will surely negative Mr.
Chambers' sentence: — 'The system seems a very valu-
able one fur queen-dealers, as they can guarantee safe
introduction, telling their customers to look on the third
day to be sure, and yet prepare to send them another on
the fourteenth, by which time she will be lost in some
unaccountable manner.' Having safely introduced five
Carniolans to stocks whose queens I had killed ns being
of a second-rate quality I proceeded to examine hive
No. 0 with the intention of killing the queen so as to
make room for the sixth Carniolan which had just come
to hand. Being struck with the fine appearance of the
black queen, I removed her with a frame of brood to a
spare hive intending to utilise her as occasion misrht
require. Although at the time I did not recognise the
fact, yet I was virtually constructing a nucleus, which
is expressly forbidden b}' Mr. Simmins. This queen was
balled and killed on the eighth day by the old bees, re-
turning from the nucleus. I wrote Mr. Simmins a post-
card informing him that the queen was killed, but giving
no details. By return of post I received a note saying
that ' Mr. Simmins will certainly send you another so
soon as more come in.' On thinking it over I saw in
what way I had departed from the instructions, as ex-
plained above, and of course declined Mr. Simmins' offer
to replace the queen. Surely the above is strong proof
that Mr. Simmins or any other dealer who may guarantee
safe introduction is not actuated by any motive so base
as that suggested by Mr. Chambers. — E. J. Gibisins,
Neath, Glamorganshire, April 0.
ALIGHTING-BOARDS.— GIVING SUGAR CAKE
[1588.] I enclose sketches of two devices that might
interest some of your readers if you think them worth
inserting. Fig. 1 shows one of my hives arranged to
prevent young bees being lost by dropping from the edge
of the alighting -board, and also to give the young
pollen-gatherers an easy entrance to the hive when they
alight on the ground. Two small nails are driven into
one side of the board (d), and a stone or brick under-
neath supports it, so that there is a run without break
from the ground to the hive — the floor-board being, by
this means, kept from contact from the ground. A large
board is used in a similar manner for hiving a swarm.
The common floor-boards are not well adapted for ap-
plying such a board, although with a little contriving
something similar could be managed without placing the
hive directly on the ground. On a warm day, after a
spell of cold, the loss of young bees is considerable ; and
Fig. 1.
then just at a time when they cannot well be spared. The
arrangement illustrated provides in the best way against
such loss. I find the following a
handy way of giving sugar-
cake to the bees. A sardine
tin has a circular hole cut out
of the bottom ; this hole is
placed over a rounded block 0,
and the hot cake is poured in
to just fill the tin. When set,
the block is removed and the
cake placed over feed-hold. A
piece of glass then forms the
cover ; the glass allows you to
see when the cake is coming to
an end. The saw-cut edging
of the top of the tin should be
removed by melting the solder in a flamo cautiously.
The hole is cut with a large gouge on a wood-block ;
5x4 photo negatives that accumulate as ' wasters ' form
good covers where available. An inverted cup answers
for the block. — Silke.
Fig. 2.
IN-AND-IN BREEDING.
[1589.] As a bee-keeper of several years' experience,
I can quite agree with Mr. Webster and the writer of
' Useful Hints ' on the above subject. I have four races
of bees in my apiary, and can now more than double the
quantity of honey from the same number of stocks. My
hybrid bees last season proved the most productive, some
giving over 100 lbs. per colony. I have one frame-hive
that contains four races of bees, and the amount of honey
they collected last year was astonishing. It is very
strong now, and the queen breeding vigorously. It will
be a test hive the coming season.
I have read Mr. Boyes' letters with interest at various
times for over a couple of years, for we live in the same
riding, but I do not know him personally, but this letter
may form a sort of introduction to our acquaintance. I
do not wish to enter into a paper war with him, but our
views certainly differ in point of issue. I think if he
once crossed his bees with Eastern races, he would
derive the same benefit that myself and many others can
prove. In conclusion, we, as bee-keepers and stock-
breeders, are very much indebted to Mr. Webster and
the writer of ' Useful Hints ' for their sound and practical
information. — Paul Bielby, North Grimsttm, York-
shire, April 9th.
April 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
195
ffifyats ixam % Pibxs.
Cottingham, April 2nd, 1888. — Up to the present date
the poor bees here have had a bad time of it. High
north winds, rain, snow, frost, and an occasional gleam
of sunshine is the state of the weather, so that nothing
is going into the hives — even when they can get out —
only what we put in ourselves. I have placed a frame
of wheat-flour next each brood-nest, with a bottle of
syrup on the top, and a few eggs are being laid, I believe,
in the middle of each day by every queen, or nearly so.
I have Carniolans, Italians, and blacks, and by how they
are going on now I much prefer the Carniolans to either
of the others ; they are hardier, stronger on the wing,
queens more energetic, and, in fact, far preferable to
either Italians or blacks in every particular. — Ohas,
Howes.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
E. C. P. — Obtaining Fruit Blossom Honey. — Your plan
would result in the ' crowding out' of the queen. If
there is a sufficiency of orchards — which we, to the
best of our recollection of your neighbourhood, doubt
— the following plan would be preferable : Stimulate
the colonies until they become crowded with bees,
then just before the trees are in full bloom, put on the
racks. Before doing so, contract the body-box that
the bees are forced up into the sections.
T. 1). S. — 1 . Fastening Brown Paper to Tin. — Glue will do
this very effectually, but we doubt whether this would
stand the dampness from the food. We never use
such feeders. 2. Zinc and Syrup. — Storing syrup in
zinc vessels is to be condemned, but in moderately
quick feeding from feeders having perforated zinc
over feed-hole it is of little consequence. 3. Queen
Introduction. — See pamphlet advertised in this Journal.
4. Candy. — Candy cannot be made by boiling fer-
mented honey. We should make vinegar of it.
5. Echoes from Hives. — We are always pleased to
receive same.
G. J. D., Barnes. — 1, Transferring. — The transferring
must not be done until warm weather sets in, say,
middle of May. There will then be plenty of time
for the bees to repair combs before the honey-flow
sets in, which in your district is about the third week
in June. 2. White Substance in Combs. — The sub-
stance seen is mouldy pollen. This is often observed
in spring time. The honey which bees usually place
over stored pollen has been consumed, consequently
it has turued mouldy. The bees will remove it.
Rev. F. W. Pudsey. — Drone-comb. — A preferable plan
to the one you suggest is : Place two frames half filled
with drone-comb outside the cluster of bees, one on
each side. Remove any similar remaining frames con-
taining drone-comb from the brood-nest, and store them
ready for use in an upper storey when the honey flow
commences. Fill up the vacant space, thus caused in
the centre of brood nest, with frames containing full
sheets of foundation, and close up the cluster of bees
by division boards. Insert more foundation when re-
quired. Be careful that the drone-comb left in the
hive does not contain eggs in the drone-cells. When
putting on the upper storey use the Heddon excluding
honey-board, and remove the two frames of drone-comb
from the lower hive, supplying its place with found-
ation, to the upper, having first cut out all drone-comb
and brood.
Hibernicus. — Solidified Honey. — We are not prepared
to assert that scientific chemistry cannot supply an
effectual remedy for the prevention of granulation in ex-
tracted honey, but we think very doubtful that such a
remedy has been applied to the honey you mention as
offered for sale under the condition of ' warranted not
to solidify.' Honey which has been submitted to a
temperature of 200 Fahr. will not granulate as a rule.
C. Howes. — Drone-breeder. — The chances are about even
that the expert is mistaken, that the queeu is really an
old one, or that she is unfertilised. Any of these three
positions may be the correct one in the case you de-
scribe. We advise that the queen remain at the
head of the colony another fortnight, and if at the end
of that time there is no worker brood in the hive, re-
move her and unite the bees to another colony.
Jo. Ro, Lo. — Box Hive. — You have no alternative but
to remove the top of this hive and transfer all straight
combs into a bar-frame hive. You will find ample
details in last year's volume, pages 80, 112, 124, 1-54,
188, 273, 204, .315, 410, and 512. From April to
September is the extreme period for transferring, and
during that time no prosperous stock would bo with-
out brood. Place all brood-combs in the new hive if
at all straight. Fighting will certainly take place if
more than one queen is left when uniting. Queens,
like ladies, are any age unless you happen to know.
C. Howes. — -We are pleased to note your exertions on
behalf of the Yorkshire B.K.A., and wish you all
success in your work.
Kodoxo. — Plants to cover Wall and Fence. — Wo should
advise planting Cotoneaster miorophylla on the wall
facing west. As to the wire fence you mention being
so much in the shade, it would be useless to plant
creepers, for honey secretion. Anything might be
planted, such as honeysuckle, jasmine,clematis, climbing
roses, &C. ; but as the sun has not much access to the
screen, little or no honey would be elaborated.
T. II. Bush. — Parasites. — The parasite on your bees is,
from your description, the Braula caca. It is not
often found on bee3 in this country ; but in Southern
Europe and in Cyprus it is very frequently met with.
It will most probably die off. They are very active
little creatures, and you would have a difficulty in
removing them individually from your bees.
A. W. C. — Moving Bees. — If the bees have not been
overhauled this year, we would simply place a piece of
perforated zinc over the flight-hole, and secure another
piece of perforated zinc over the hole in the quilt used
for feeding, and pack them securely, so that the quilts
could not get removed during transit, and send them
by the pantechnicon, taking care that they were not
covered up by other packages or a tilt. You will find
they would then travel all right, as the weather is so
cold. But if the frames have been taken out and the
bees overhauled this spring, then — No. 1, Yes; No. 2,
No ; No. 3, Either.
H. S. — 1. Flour Candy. — AVe find our stocks continue
to consume the flour candy after stimulative bottle-
feeding has commenced. No other plan entails as
little waste. 2. Syrup in Winter. — Syrup must not
be given in winter, being too watery it would induce
dysentery, as the bees cannot exercise sufficiently to
drive off the water. Sealed stores and candy are the
only permissible foods in the winter. 3. Queens raised
now. — Of no use whatever unless they mate in about
5 to 10 days after hatching. 4. Position of Cluster. —
Not at all unusual. Fresh air is quite as important as
warmth and warmth as fresh air. 5. Hive-maker. — ■
There used to be a maker of the name you mention
advertise in these columns.
D. R. Daly. — 1. Sections on Swarms. — Yes, at once, with
excluder zinc between, and only starters of half an
inch foundation in the frames below. 2. Preventing
Swarming. — Yes. See answer to T. Nixon. 3. Posi-
tion of Hives. — We would advise you to move your
bees away from your cow-yard for the sake of the
cows ; there might be ' ructions ' in the hot weather.
The hives should, if possible, stand in a sheltered
It
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 12, 1888.
position, and face any way between east and south or
south-west. Thanks for your appreciation of our
publication.
Horace. — Replacing Old Combs. — In view of the per-
sistent cold weather, you can wait, say, a fortnight
before carrying out your substitution.
J. Walton. — Transferrin;) Bees from Bo.v. — On a mild
day — if we ever get one — you should cut the combs
out of the frames, and tie them in the Standard frames
with about three pieces of tape each, keeping the
combs close up to the top-bar. In about three days
they will be fixed, and the tapes shoidd then be
removed. All bees should be carefully shaken or
brushed off each comb before attempting to cut it out.
After you have a comb in the new hive, brush the bees
into that one.
T. Nixon. — 1. Preventing Swarming. — Yes, if you adopt
Simmins' non-swarming system, i.e., put half-inch
starters only of foundation in bottom box, raising the
combs already there up into the doubling-box. Extract
from the shallow super as may be advisable. 2. Sugar.
— The sample of sugar will do for dry feeding, but not
for syrup-making. It is known by the name of
' Demerara Syrups.'
Query. — Some years ago I saw several sections at a
show worked entirely in glass, which looked beautiful.
Will some reader kindly tell me how they are fastened
together, as I should like to work a few this year ? Also,
is it a fact that honey extracted from oWcomb, or combs
that have been bred in, is not so clear as that stored in
new ; and, if so, why ? This is a question of great im-
portance to those who have a lot of spare combs, which
are given in upper storeys for extracting purposes ; be-
sides which I think all bee-keepers will admit that light
honey sells much better than dark, for the simple reason
that it is more pleasing to the eye; therefore it be-
hoves us all to produce it as cleau and light as pos-
sible.— Lobdswooh.
Query. —I should like to ask Mr. Broughton Carr if
he finds it necessary or best to wire his 6-in. extracting
frames to prevent damage in the extractor ? — J. S. W.,
Plumstead.
Eeceived from Mr. William McNally, Glenluce, Scotland,
his Illustrated Catalogue of Bar-frame Hives and Bee-keeping
Appliances (24 pages.) This is a very compact catalogue of
the requirements of bee-keepers, without any redundancy
of pages or illustrations.
Received from Mr. S. J. Baldwin, of Bromley, Kent, 'The
Bee-keepers' Instructor, with a Catalogue of Appliances '
(48 pages.) This 'Instructor' will be found of great service
to beginners, as it embodies the very large experience of
Mr. Baldwin, and is full of sound information. The
catalogue is very extensive, containing a list of all the
appliances in use by bee-keepers.
Received from Mr. Rice, of Norwich, a solid-wood feeder,
with centre cone and saucepan lid. We consider this would
be preferable to the ordinary tin-feeder, as it would tend
to retain the heat of the cluster. The price has not been
communicated.
^EiJusiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fencburch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edet & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutcbinos, A, F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merohants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn,
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Oo., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St.) Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street. Dublin.
HANDBY. W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington.Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON. C. T„ Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RDDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading,
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbanoewatb' PBiNinia Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C,
[No. 304, Vol. XVI.]
APRIL 19, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
€bxtaxmlf Ifatias, #t.
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
We beg to call attention to the announcement
in our advertising columns relating to the Bee
Department of the Royal Agricultural Society's
Exhibition, which takes place at Nottingham in
July next, the entries for which close on May 12th.
The schedule contains several improved features,
notably a class.for Appliances, in which the articles
to be exhibited are definitely stated. Provision is
made for lodging protests against the decision of
the judges, and for all exhibits to be staged on the
day previous to the opening of the exhibition.
We venture to hope that this rule will be most
rigidly enforced by the executive ; the delay which
has hitherto taken place in the commencement of
the judging, owing in a great measure to the late
staging of the exhibits by a few exhibitors, has
been detrimental to the exhibition.
The regulations also provide for returning all
fees paid for entries in the Honey Classes providing
fourteen days' notice has been given by the ex-
hibitor of his inability to send these exhibits.
The schedule is a considerable improvement on
previous years, and will, we feel sure, result in a
large number of entries.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
If there be anything wrong in the working of these
useful and valuable societies, now is a fitting oppor-
tunity to discover, and to rectify, the mischief. That
there is something at fault with the machinery we
have not the slightest doubt. We cannot agree
with one of our correspondents, that it is wiser to
hide our faults. If disease exist, better use strong
remedies, and eradicate it before it becomes
chronic. Good cannot but result from friendly
discussion. We do not offer a panacea for all the
ills existing or imaginary ; but by exposing de-
ficiencies in some societies, and naming topics for
consideration, we may, ere the busy bee season
arrives, have once more our County Associations in
a position to surmount all difficulties, and sweep
away every obstacle.
Besides the wrongs mentioned by our corre-
spondents wo know of one Society, of whom the
Hon. Sec. is really the only shiniug light. A largo
Committee exists (on paper), meetings are called,
but the members never put in an appearance, and
thus it will be seen that if the Secretary did not
move, this Society would soon collapse.
Then another Association has in the past accom-
plished much, and bee-keeping was raised in that
county to its proper footing. It possessed a hard-
working Secretary, whose heart was in the work,
and who treated obstacles as a pleasure to be over-
come. This Association now differs from the former
instance, in that it has an indefatigable Treasurer
and a good Committee, but the present hon. sec,
taking but a slight interest in the cause, does little
to further its advancement.
Then, again, we know of several other Societies,
whoso Secretaries, having to do all the work, aro
gradually losing heart. More enthusiasm is evi-
dently wanted somewhere. Away, all ye bee-
keopers that say the Associations have done you
no good ! How would you have learnt to keep your
bees on scientific principles 1 How would you have
adopted the present system of producing comb
honey in a saleable form ? How the improvement
in the quality of extracted honey? How the meetings
where you have met your fellow-apiarians ? How
the hints for disposing of your surplus produce?
How the knowledge of new and improved inven-
tions ? How bee-keeping has become a national
industry 1 Nay, how your very existence is owing
in a thousand ways to the County Associations of
whom you now say, 'They are no use.' Our bee-
masters have striven in the past ; the books they
have written, the rules they have framed, constitute
the very essence and basis of an existence as bee-
keepers.
These organizations, ' County Associations,' must
not, and cannot be allowed to quietly drop.
During the past months most of the annual meetings
have been held, and it must rest with all true-
hearted bee - keepers to consider carefully the
present state of affairs, to note their respective
deficiencies, and to place their Societies on sound
commercial principles.
The bee-keeping industry will flag and retrograde
if County Associations are allowed to be a thing of
the past. We believe that a certain portion of the
work assigned to the Societies has been accom-
plished; but must this be a reason for inactivity?
There is still much work before you to grapple with,
198
THE BRITISH BEE JODKiNAL.
[April 19, 1888.
fresh ground to break, new objects to be obtained,
and advancement, when attained, will open up new
schemes for attainment.
BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION FOB HULL
AND DISTRICT.
On Friday, April the 6th, a meeting was held at the
Station Hotel, Hull, for the purpose of forming a hranch
of the Yorkshire Bee-keepers' Association. There was a
fair attendance, and Edward Harland, Esq., who pre-
sided, explained that some correspondence had taken
place between the Secretary of the Y. B. K. A. (R. A. H.
Grimshaw, Esq.) and some one then present, and it was
thought that from the lare number of bee-keepers in
Hull and its immediate neighbourhood a very good
branch association could be formed. After a consider-
able amount of discussion had taken place, a resolution
favourable to the formation of the Association was sub-
mitted and carried nem. con.
The meeting adjourned until Wednesday April 25th,
when it is hoped all interested in the project will attend,
for the purpose of electing officers and committee.
Mr. H. Harland, The Elms, Cottingham, Hull, will be
glad to receive copies of rules from secretaries of various
associations.
C0rasp0tta*ni£.
CAPE COLONY.
A New Honey- Plant. — In Cape Colony, Africa, grow
about sixty different species of Pt/rtea. Some of them
give honey, the most from Portea mellifera, by the natives
called zuykerbosch.es, zuykerboom, or tulpboom. It has
so great a quantity of nectar that the same is gathered
and evaporated to a syrup, which is sold and used as
medicine by the natives. This syrup has a flavour simi-
lar to bananas. The plant blossoms in the fall, and the
flowers are half full of this nectar. I think it would be
very desirable to get this plant from Cape Colony, and to
try its cultivation in the United States. — L. Stachel-
hausen, Texas. — American Gleanings.
The Cottageb's (British) Bee Journal. — The
publishers of the weekly British Bee Journal, in view of
the fact that the price of the weekly at 10«. lOd.
is beyond the reach of the poorer classes, decided to
issue the British Bee-Keeper's Adviser, aud Cottage Bee-
keeper. This is issued concurrently with the weekly,
once a-month. The price is Is. Qd. a-year. The first
copy is now before us, aud we feel quite sure that it
will meet the expectations of the publishers. It has for
its editor none other than our good friend Thomas William
Cowan. — American Gleanings.
The Death of Mrs. Tupper. — We note by the Prairie
Farmer, that Mrs. Ellen S. Tupper, well known to our
older readers, died suddenly, March 12, at El Paso, Texas,
while she was visiting her daughter. At one time Mrs.
Tupper was considered not only a standard authority on
almost all questions pertaining- to bee-culture, but she
was also remarkably successful as a honey-producer. She
finally went into the supply business in company witli a
Mrs. Savery, under the name of the Italian Bee Company,
at Des Moines, la. ; but in consequence of financial
troubles and overwork it is said she became partially
deranged, since which time we have heard little or no-
thing from her.
An Example from Ireland — Will Others do
Likewise ? — If you send me a few copies of the Bee-
Keepers' Adviser I will send it to any of my neighbours
who keep bees. There are very few bar-frame hives in
this part of the country, nearly all straw skeps. I get
the Bee Journal, and when I read it I send it round to
all my neighbours who keep bees. I wish the Adviser
every success.— W. J. Anderson, Ards, Caledon, Co.
Tyrone, Ireland.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed 07ily to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business com?nunications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley , Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
•»* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
BRITISH AND AMERICAN JOURNALS.— FOUN-
DATION FASTENERS.
[1590.] The visits of your Journal are as regular as
they are welcome. It is read by some of us -with an
interest greatly enhanced because of our good fortune in
having made the acquaintance of many of the leading
contributors to its columns. To know the Editor, to have
met with the gentleman who week after week give3 us so
many ' Useful Hints,' to have conversed with such men
as Mr. Grimshaw, Mr. Hooker, ' Amateur Expert,' and a
host of others, is to appreciate the regular visitations of
the Journal to which they are frequent contributors.
The British bee-keepers are privileged above their
fellows on this side the Atlantic in having a journal pub-
lished exclusively in their interest, that is, the mouthpiece
of no man in particular, nor the medium through which
he trumpets the merits of the goods he has to sell. In
this the B. B. J. differs from every bee paper published
in either Canada or the United States with which I am
acquainted. The publisher of every one of them has a
direct interest in the manufacture and sale of bee-keepers'
supplies. This may be a necessity to their existence, but
it has its objectionable features. It fosters narrowness
and jealousy among the rival claimants for public patron-
age, which frequently show themselves in the columns of
their respective papers, and are sometimes manifested by
the absence of information which their subscribers have
a right to expect and ought to insist upon getting. I am
reminded of this by the perusal in your last issue over the
signature of ' R. F. Iloltermann, Brantf ord, Canada.' The
subject of Mr. H.'s letter is Mr. Eden's foundation-fastener,
and appears to be called forth by a paragraph in ' Useful
Hints,' published in your issue of January 5. It appears
Mr. Eden contributed something on the subject of foun-
dation fastening in the American Bee Journal, which
referred to his own device. In referring to this Mr.
Holtermann says, 'It might be interesting to know that
Mr. Eden was simply working in an advertisement for
his own ingenuity, and to draw attention to the subject
so that it might pave the way for the fruits of his own
thoughts.' All your readers have gathered from Mr.
Holtermann respecting Mr. Eden's machine is found in
its last sentence, where he says, ' An important feature
in the machine here is an iron plate heated by a lamp.
Upon this plate the edge of the wax is melted. It works
well and rapidly.' I am no apologist for Mr. Eden if he
has attempted to secure a free advertisement for his
machine by instituting comparisons between it and others
in an ordinary communication. His machine possesses
merits superior to anything of the kind brought out in
this country, and if he wants to make money out of it he
ought to advertise it in the usual way. The strangest
feature about the matter is that Mr. Eden exhibited his
machine at the annual meeting of the Ontario Bee-
keepers' Association held at Woodstock last January, and
showed it working to the great satisfaction of every one
who witnessed the work; and, although both our bee
papers had a representative present at that meeting, who
saw the machine in operation, yet neither of them has
April 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
199
condescended from that day to this to tell their readers
that such a man as Eden exists, or that a foundation
fastener has been invented by him which does the work
' rapidly and well.'
What would the readers of the B.B.J. think if they
knew that something: for which they had long looked —
something calculated to lessen their labour, and make a
perfect job when but an imperfect one could be made by
appliances hitherto available— had been invented and
exhibited at one of your Board meetings, and the Editor
omitted to tell them of it? What excuse would the
Journal offer if its Editor conveyed the information to
the people of another country, and concealed from the
readers of his own Journal the fact that a long-lboked-
for want had been met by a machine which did its
work ' rapidly and well ? ' 'l fancy I hear you say, ' The
Editor of the B.B.J, would be guilty of no such dere-
liction of duty,' yet such is the position Mr. Holtermau
occupies He is the Editor of the Canadian Honey
Producer, that carries on its title-pago the following
motto: 'Published in the interest of the Honey-pro-
ducer exclusively.' But, then, Mr. II. is connected
with a firm that deals in supplies, and so is the Editor of
the other Journal, and this may ' account for the milk in
the cocoanut.' Possibly they think they have a right to
remain silent on all inventions, however useful, unless
they control their sale. We have now two of the best
section foundation fasteners in America. Of Mr. Alpaugh's
you already know something. After seeing Mr. Eden's
working, I ordered one of them, but it is not yet forwarded,
fo that I shall not attempt a detailed description of it.
Suffice it to say that I think it is about as complete as it
is possible for a machine of the kind to be made. It
works not only ' rapidly and well,' but it does its work
neatly, truly, and strongly. Unlike Mr. Alpaugh's, it
works on both four-piece and one-piece sections, either
closed or unclosed. What more can be desired in a
machine of the kind ? But there is a serious drawback
to the general introduction of both machines. The
price is too high. It is not every bee-keeper who can
afford to pay hve dollars, 1/., for a foundation-fastener,
however perfect it may be.
I am pleased to learn that your Mr. Lee is working along
the same lines. His inventive genius, I doubt not, will
enable him to give to the British bee-keepers what
Messrs. Alpaugh and Eden have produced for us. If he
succeeds in producing a machine that will do the work of
fastening foundation in brood frames, he will have ac-
complished that which is ' devoutly to be wished,' and
that for which his brother bee-keepers will owe him a
debt of gratitude. — R. McKnight, Oicen Sound, Ontario,
March 15th.
WIRING COMBS IN SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1591.] In reply to your correspondent ' J. S. W.' who,
on p. 106 of last issue of Bee Journal, asks if ' I find it
necessary, or best, to wire my G-in. extracting frames to
prevent damage in the extractor,' let me say : — There is
not the least necessity for wiring combs iu shallow
frames such as I use. I extract some hundreds of these
combs annually, never have a breakdown, and have
never wired a sheet of foundation in my life. When
combs are built in shallow frames over the brood nest,
the bees nearly always attach the comb to the frame
along the full length of bottom bar as well as the sides,
and when built thus — as 90 per cent of such combs will
be — no breakage can occur, seeing that the face of comb
lies close on wire of the cage, and the strain is equal
over its whole surface. The sectional boxes I use are
6 in. deep, and the frames 5^ by 14, not 6 in. as stated
by your correspondent. It is important to bear these
measurements in mind, because I frequently use two of
the boxes as a brood-chamber, so that with eighteen
frames 14 by 5^ we have a larger breeding surface than
ten standard size combs give, and any addition to its
capacity is, on this account, objectionable.
At the present time, when shallow frames are meeting
with such general approval for surplus chambers, it is
quite a misfortune to find differences in dimensions
creeping into use. I have used these frames successfully
for the past thirteen or fourteen years, and would ex-
press an earnest hope that our hive-manufacturers will
adopt the 14 by 5g as a standard size, in such hives as
they turn out with frames for surplus chambers. It is
the best size in every respect for extracting purposes.
The esteemed writer of ' Useful Hints ' also refers to
these frames on p. 187 of your last number, and, while
approving of their use, says : — ' We would, however,
make one addition, viz., that a zinc-excluding adapting
board be used between hive and surplus chamber. In
the concluding portion of my article in Record, to which
reference is made, these words occur: — ' Queens should
be rigorously confined to their own department, and
never be permitted to enter surplus chambers. Excluder
zinc accomplishes this (for us) without failure, and a
supply of the article is an indispensable item of our
working plant.' It will thus be seen that I am entirely
in accord with Mr. U. II. on this point, though he has
apparently overlooked my words as quoted. — W.
BnouoHTON Cvnn, Higher Ilebington, Cheshire.
IN-AND-IN BREEDING.
[1502.] I read your leading article in last week's
issue with considerable pleasure, which was, I confess,
much enhanced by finding we were so nearly agreed on
all the chief features in this discussion. It, however,
seemed to me that you must have somehow overlooked
Mr. Webster's second article, which was the one to
which I took exception. There are a few minor points,
too, requiring a little more elucidation ; and, lastly, as
you state that I have misunderstood the question at
issue, I beg you will allow me to say a few more words,
as I am most anxious to put myself right with your
readers, amongst some of whom I fear your article may
create the impression that I am against the introduction
of fresh blood into our apiaries.
To begin, let me say that I had no general objection
to Mr. Webster's first article, page 02, only that I did
not accept his examples of degeneration brought about
by supposed isolation and in-and-in breeding, which he
gave in support of his case. However, I allowed that to
go by unchallenged. It was to his second communication
that I so strongly demurred, and must ask your readers
to judge whether I was right in supposing Mr. Webster's
article was intended to favour the importation of foreign
bees as a cross with our native ones or not. I quote
from his letter, page 131 : ' Would our cows, our sheep,
our fowls, our bees, our trees, bushes, and plants, pro,
duce what they do if they had been allowed to revel in
a state of nature ?' ' Has no foreign variety of tree or
plant been imported to improve and has improved our
own?' See. 'How have our fancy pigeons been pro-
duced ? How our useful or pretty dogs, cats, rabbits ?
Why, each and all of these have been produced by a
judicious crossing of varieties — in every case of foreign
varieties.' ' Why, then, should not we do the same with
our bees?' Now, with regard to the above quotations
from Mr. W.'s article, I can only say that I very much
regret he did not confine himself to bees and bee-keeping
instead of wandering into the wide regions of biology,
for there is not the slightest analogy betwixt man's
selection or crossing animals and plants with a definite
object in view and natural selection or the crossing of
animals and plants naturally, which with bees we cannot
at present prevent.
So far as his article relates to the infusion of fresh
blood into our apiaries, I am fully in accord with
him ; it is only to a cross of foreign blood that I object,
200
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 19, 1888.
because I don't believe the foreign bees are a superior
race to our own, nor is it likely they will withstand our
fickle climate nearly so well.
After this little digression, perhaps you will allow me
to return to your article.
You state, 'Our native bees can be used for cross-
fertilisation to any extent without the necessity of
importing a single foreign bee.' This is just my own
argument, and so far from my being opposed to a cross,
I stated that I was not against it ' if such could be got
from a bee in all points better than our own,' but that I
was ' against crossing with any degenerate race the
foreigners chose to send us.' Also (page 158), 'I have
driven bees thirty miles away, on purpose to get a cross.'
But you see I am for crossing with a better bee, just in
the same way as our raisers of stock, fruits, flowers, &c,
set up an ideal of perfection in their minds, and carefully
breed and select from those which most nearly approach
it, until eventually they attain their object ; and I would
in the same way wish bee-keepers to improve their bees,
but it, unfortunately, cannot be done — not until we
have a certain method of mating them, and until we get
tliat for which we are groping in the dark.
What the advocates for the introduction of foreign bees
cantend for is simply a cross, with a bee whose charac-
eristics in its native land they know nothing about ; and
when such cross is obtained, what then ? No matter
what new feature it presents, whether good or bad, they
they cannot be perpetuated or eliminated until we
discover a sure way of controlling the mating of queen
and drone. Therefore, the only advantage, if any, that
can be claimed for crossing with foreign bees is, that
there is an infusion of fresh blood, although that blood
may be from a very inferior stock to our own ; whilst I
contend we can get an infusion of fresh blood from
widely different districts in our own country, with the
advantage of knowing their good qualities, and avoiding
the spread of disease.
You state, sir, ' that a good all-round bee might be
produced from an admixture of Ligurian, Carniolan,
Cyprian, and English blood.' Quite possible. I do not
doubt it, but it would possess traits of character either
for viciousness, or what not, which might take years to
eradicate. Besides, have we not a good bee in our
natives, both for hardiness, for temper, and for honey-
gathering, which will put into the shade all the foreign
bees, either pure or crossed P Let the advocates of foreign
bees give their beat results, Mr. Editor, and I will give
mine.
You state, ' It is too late in the day to doubt the
firmness of the ground on which Mr. Webster's articles
are based, now that we obtain " honey by the hundred-
weight" from bees, which, according to excellent
authorities, have ceased any longer to be the old English
or German brown bee, by reason of the numerous
importations from abroad.' Surely, such a contention as
this ill becomes the Editor of the Bee Journal. Are you,
sir, going to ignore the benefits derived from keeping
bees on modem principles, and ascribe all the benefit to
a haphazard cross of foreign blood ? Surely not,
I have much more to say, but I dare not; I fear I
have already trespassed beyond ordinary limits, but can-
not close without expressing a hope that your remarks
on breeding stock, and what is and what is not consan-
guinity, are not intended for me. I had hoped I had
passed that elementary stage some twenty odd years
ago.— F. B0YB8.
CONSANGUINITY.
[1593.] Under the above heading, page 101 (1498), a
case is brought up of bees being ' nearly two miles in a
bee-line ' distant from others, and swarming ' say a fort-
night earlier than any other neighbours' bees,' these
circumstances being considered sufficient proof that this
must have been a case of in-and-in breeding. I should
very seriously doubt — in fact, feel positive that this cannot
be considered such a case. I know positively by island
experiments on Georgian Bay that the queen may meet
the drone five miles from the hive. Then as to their
early swarming, this would not be sufficient proof that
matured drones might not exist in other hives, and your
bees and honey seasons must be very unlike ours if they
did not have later swarms.
I can say nothing very positively as to the evil or good
effects of in-and-in breeding ; if not evil, why has their
Creator ordained it that the queen should be impregnated
on the wing ? Then may we not make a mistake by in-
and-in breeding, whilst we have few strains of bees as
yet which have reached that state that we cannot
improve them by judicious crossing P — R. F. Holteb-
mann, Brantford, Canada.
CONSANGUINITY.
[1594.] In returning to this subject again, I trust I
shall not be accused of cacoethes scribendi if I add a
short resume to what I have written before in previous
letters. Our worthy Editor, having endeavoured in last
week's issue to place the salient facts before the readers
of the B. B. J. in the editorial (page 175), has taken a
short excerpt from one of my letters, and italicised the
salient point, or the offending words ; whereas in Mr.
Webster's case he gives a paragraph with the gist of his
article, which I do not consider fair. Taking my previous
letters as a whole, I have nothing to retract ; probably,
if I had more time to spare for ink-slinging, I might
often word some of my paragraphs differently, but under
existing circumstances I have to send off my communi-
cations as first written.
Now, my contention is, and has been — vide my pre-
vious letters — that when a recognised writer on bee
matters like Mr. Webster makes a statement, and then
backs that statement with examples, the inexperienced
novice in bee-keeping would accept his deductions without
the customary yranum salts, and believe it as an established
axiom or dogma. Though I am bound to admit that
Mr. Webster, like some ' Old Parliamentary Boys ' once
limned in Punch as running away after they had chalked
up on a notice-board, ' No Popery ! ' he too had to recede
from the position he had taken up in his article, and the
examples he recorded, and admit the remote possibility
of the consequences he predicted ev6r being realised. If
Mr. Webster had not appended the two examples of the
old woman's apiary in the ' Lone Valley ' and the one in
the Pine Woods as instances coming under his own
actual notice, I should not have replied to his article, but
with such positive instances of alleged deterioration
incident on m-and-in breeding, I felt it a duty to bee-
keepers generally, and the new converts to the modern
system especially, to publish two (among many similar)
instances that have come under my own notice, diametri-
cally opposed to Mr. Webster's ideas — instances of
continued and continuing prosperity in equally isolated
apiaries to those mentioned by him. Yet 5lr. Webster's
ideas are lauded to the skies as axiomatical dogmas,
while my instances (tangible, truthful ones though they
be) are relegated — with the words I used to emphasise
the actual fact — to the cold shades of pity, evidently
because they happen to prove the futility of Mr. W. 8
examples and the very antithesis of his deductions.
The instance I mentioned of the same strain of bees
being in the possession of grandfather, father, and son,
was not in a lone valley but on a hill-side, and they
must have gone forth and multiplied abundantly year
after year for many years, — though I do not remember
stating it to be 150, but in the matter of prolificness of
the strain of bees mentioned by me I would like to men-
tion the cottager obtains his harvest of honey by the
brimstone pit, which is a salient reason why the said bees
April 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
201
had not peopled the hill-side, aye and the valleys beyond.
Then as to the amount of 0/. cash and twenty gallons of
mead, which, at a low estimate would be worth 1/. more,
making 71. , as the profit in five stocks. I opine there
are many bee-keepers who have the best and latest
improved appliances, coupled with the best advice the
B. B. J. can give them, and who have invested in the
finest selected strain of foreign bees, and yet fall short
of that amount of profit when they tot up accounts at
the end of the year. I mentioned the farmer's widow
gave the old man the second swarm, at the sale of the
farmer's effects, implying that the bees were sold with
the other farm stock, which is the fact — but I do not
assert that no bees were kept within a radius of eight
miles of the apiary, evidently the district would have
been full of the same strain of bees if the men had sold
one swarm per year to their nearest neighbours, without
any introduction of queens from other strains from a
distance. Here we leave the matter with the eddying
circles of dates and distances still enlarging, like the
enlarging ripples produced by throwing a pebble in the
centre of a placid pocl of water. Mr. Webster fairly
conjectured the time of three generations at ninety years,
our Editor at 150, a wide difference between two
authorities ; and we find the radius enlarging also in
which a strain of bees can be kept pure and immacu-
late. It seems like a waste of time to write on con-
sanguineous subjects, nature appears too prodigal in our
small island to allow of close in-and-in breeding if
radii of eight miles are everywhere overlapping each
other.
Then again as to obtaining honey by hundredweights
with the mongrel strain of foreign bees, I, too, have
accomplished the same results witli iny English strain ;
and if I was boastful I have no doubt that both my
average and profit on (say) fifty to seventy stocks, would
compare favourably witli any like number of stocks in
any apiary in Eugland, be they Carniolan, Ligurian,
Cyprian, or the Holy Land bee, or a hybridised mixture
of all and sundry. I can also say, Mr. Editor, I have
stolen a march on you while your hybridised strain enables
you to write of hundredweights, I am able to write of
honey by the ton, and all gathered by the English strain
of (not immaculate) bees and equal in my estimation in
every point to any race of bees existent in Great Britain
to-day. I am sorry I was not more lucid or explicit in a
previous letter re the grafting and budding, so that Mr.
Webster may have grasped my meaning when I mentioned
the ' amber heart cherry ' and pippin apple as instances
and kinds it would be impossible to produce from the
wild cherry and crab-apple by cultivation, and Mr.
Webster's antistrophe was misapplied to me, for
though I do not sit under my own vine and fig-tree
I gather fruit yearly from trees grafted by myself,
proving I am quite conversant with both budding and
grafting.
When may bees be said to be wild ? when a stray
swarm locates itself in some hollow tree, or are there
some strains of wild bees existent in England that refuse
to be domesticated, i. e., to dwell in hives : if so, where
or in what part of the kingdom are they to be found ?
If our Editor is referring to a stray swarm located in
some tower or roof, that took themselves to flight from
(say) my apiary two or three years ago, I fail to see the
advantage accruing to my bees inter-breeding with those
bees beyond the occupants of hives still remaining in the
apiary. — W. Woodley.
[According to statisticians, the average duration of a
generation is thirty years, but in an ordinarily healthy
family 150 years is not an uncommon duration for three
generations. Sometimes these extend to 200 years, and
even beyond that term. William Peon, the founder of
Pennsylvania, was born in 1044 ; his grandson, Gran-
ville l'etin, died at Stoke Pogis, near Windsor, in 1844.
—En.]
BIRDS AND FRUIT-BUDS.
[1505.] We are not much troubled with the
bull-finches here, the bird-catchers are always on the
look-out for them ; but we have a curse nearly as
great in the sparrows, which swarm everywhere, to
the great injury of all fruit-growers. When snow is
on the ground they attack the gooseberry, red cur-
rant, and plum-trees, pecking out the blossom-buds
for the sake of the small quantity of saccharine matter
which they contain, and which would develop, if
unmolested, into the future honey for our bees. Not
only do they do this, but as soon as the gooseberry-trees
come into /lower they cut off the flowers and incipient
fruits wholesale. I believe an old cock sparrow will
destroy at the rate of nearly a stone of gooseberries per
hour if undisturbed. Any one can see the destruction
they cause by this means if they will only take the
trouble to lift up the branches, when they will see all
along the bearing shoots — especially such as are hori-
zontal, and on which the birds can easily perch — the
flower-stalks, or, perhaps, half of the young fruits,
remaining, the other portion having been cut off and the
sweet part eaten.
I am glad to see Mr. Hiani call attention to this, as, of
course, if we allow the birds to peck out the blossom-
buds, we cannot expect to have the blossoms for our
bees.
Sparrows, I find, take my bees, too, worst of any
birds we have, except the great tits (/'. major). They
also destroy the crocuses, and do other mischief,—' drat
'em ! ' — F. Boyes.
REMINISCENCES.
[1500.] Reading the pages of our Journal the other
night I determined to write an account of most of my
misfortunes— all I can remember— and mismanagement
of the honey bee, also known as the sting bee. My
readers will "kindly remember that I was very young to
start bee-keeping, and knew no oneto whom I could ap-
peal in case of any mishaps; and I did have several, as you
shall hear.
It was about the year 1875 we lived, and had been
living for several years, in a beautiful valley about ten
miles from Birmingham. There was not a fence, tree,
hedge, or bush, that was unclimbable, as the birds knew
full well. My brother Harry and I went to the rock-
shop and to school at the nearest village, three miles off,
or rather town, as the inhabitants proudly called it.
When we were not there we were either up some tree, or
roaming about the fields and woods in quest of another
egg to add to our collection, which was a very good
one. According to the report of one who should
know I was a fair sample of a boy ; but judging by a
peculiar smile which followed after that saying, I should
infer that a great deal is meant by that, and I say at
once to anyone who has read Sandford and Merton that
I was a wicked boy indeed.
Now I have described myself let me describe our
hive, which contained the first bees I ever remember.
It was a large, box hive, and at one corner the bees
used to hang out in a cluster every summer, while we, at
the risk of a dumphng eye, used to pick off with great
skill the straggling bees with a catapult, and wonder
vainly what it was like inside. Every autumn on the
path beneath we found some morning that it had been
raining drones in the night ; never since have I seen so
many turned out of one hive. Our interest increased
with our years in those bees, and much more so when
my father conceived the noble idea of fixing a straw hive
against the wall for them to swarm into. Our old friend
the gardener was told off to perform this feat. He
bought one of the smallest hives I ever saw, which he
made very sticky inside with beer and sugar, and, as a
further inducement (?) constructed a network of sticks
202
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 19, 1888.
inside ' for the bees to lodge on.' It was then placed on
two iron supports some two yards from the bee box.
Total abstinence principles were at once forgotten, and I
regret to say many bees were soon wandering about on
the path thirty feet below, trying in vain to find the
entrance of their home. I fancy those bees had many a
laugh over that straw skep, but it was destined to be-
come very useful in twelve months' time ; for one lovely
evening, as my brother and I were out gathering clover
for our rabbits, we came across a large swarm, bending
to the ground a stout hazel bough. Our hearts beat
wildly with fear, hope, and joy. Being dusk, at first we
were in doubt whether it was not a swarm of flies or
wasps, but at last decided it must be bees. So, while
Harry kept watch, I fled for the gardener, and finding
him managed to stammer out enough for him to under-
stand what was wanted. The hive that had kept such a
long, faithful watch was brought to earth, and after
some little delay in putting in a fresh supply of stickiness
to gum their wings for a space to stop them from flying
and throwing their stings away, we started with the hive,
a table, a cloth, and various feelings, in which fear pre-
dominated, to hive our first swarm. We arrived and
watched the busy insects for several minutes, during
which time my knees knocked together more than I would
own afterwards. We prepared for action ; Bunn, the
gardener, held the hive under them, Harry was to hit
the bough sharply (it was getting dark), and I held the
cloth ready. Everything was now ready, the signal was
given, a very weak tap broke the stillness of the bees and
of the evening, half the bees fell into the skep, the bough
released of most of the weight, like a piece of elastic, shot
at Mr. Bunn, who caught a great many of the bees witli
his coat and hair, and who called the bees, bough, and
Harry, several naughty words for some moments after-
wards.
When we had got our breath and our instructions
afresh, the hive was again placed beneath the remaining
bees, and Harry, now more used to it, knocked every bee
off at one try. The hive was nearly full of bees, and so
was the grass round about. Singularly, not a bee lifted
his sting against us ; whether it was the sugar and beer
that made them so tame, or the trembling of the hive
confused them, or maybe the funny old face of Bunn
peering down upon them, inspired confidence and implied
that all would be well, 1 know not ; but I know we were
glad to get them on the table and covered with the cloth,
and then, after 'flicking' all the bees we could find on
Bumi — some scores — off him, we carried them home in
triumph, leaving thousands behind to their fate, and,
luckily for us, to mourn the loss of their ' leader.'
The hive was placed in the garden, and next morning,
some hours after the bees had started work and well
marked their position, we put up a stand the other side
of the garden, and got the hive on it and a milk basin to
cover all. There they worked splendidly, and were soon
clustering outside for want of room. But even now we
were not content. It was tantalising to think of all the
wonders going on beneath one inch of straw and nothing
to be seen. But a bright idea struck us, which was to cut
a hole in the crown and put a piece of glass over it. This
we did, and were delighted with the extensive view of
comb obtained. We now would gaze by the half-hour at
about seven cells, and as many bees, who were not in the
least afraid of us, but by their expression seemed to say,
' Our time is not yet come to make you run.' Strange as
it may appear at first sight, that hive was the innocent
cause of many a terrific fight between Harry and me,
during one of which our collection of birds'-eggs, the
result of many a hard climb, was knocked over and
smashed. The necessity for this warfare was, that I con-
tended we ought to go shares in that swarm, having both
clapt eyes on it at the same moment, but my brother, in
virtue of being older than I (some sixteen months),
claimed it as his. After awhile, being unable to decide
by force, I tried persuasion, which was successful, for he
promised to make an artificial swarm and let me have it.
We learnt by heart the instructions contained in a book
by the Rev. J. G. Wood, which happily my father had
bought. Then being quite prepared with veil and gloves,
&C, and having chosen a dark night so that the bees
could not see to sting — we found afterwards that they
can feel to sting quite well enough for all practical
purposes — about ten o'clock we went to work. With fear
and trembling we approached the hive, and having
blown in a little smoke and a great many sparks from a
piece of rolled-up rag, we turned the hive over, and im-
mediately put an empty one over it, wrapping a towel
round the junction. Now we know bees are wonder-
fully knowing creatures, and I firmly believe they took
advantage of our youth, for we could not get them to
run up. It may have been because we gave a few taps and
then ran off to extract the stings (there was a leak in
that towel) and then back again to give a few more,
only again to bolt, so giving the bees thinking time.
Enough to say we never got that swarm. True there were
some hundreds of bees and drones in the upper hive,
which were put on a new stand, but they returned next
day to the mother bee. Well, I was not going to be
outdone by such a small insect, so I drew out of a secret
recess one pound, the result of much self-denial, and
straightway went to a bee-keeper, six miles off, and
bouglit with the money a very weak stock. It survived
the winter, and in the spring by feeding at the entrance
every night with syrup in a spoon, I got them very
strong.
About this time I came across the picture of a bar-
frame hive, and was so struck with its advantages that
I at once went to some expense to get a very wide piece
of wood to make one. I thought it must be a good
depth, so secured a piece one inch thick and sixteen
inches wide, then made a box with a groove at the top
for the ends of the frames ; these latter were 15j in. depth
and 10 inches wide. When it was made I thought about
it all day long, dreamt of it at night, and even in church
my thoughts would wander to it. I pictured myself
taking out the frames, watching the queen egg-laying,
and all sorts of things. How many times I took the
frames I cannot say ; but by the way, I could not get the
frames to hang true ; but it did not matter, because that
hive was destined never to see a bee inside it, the only
wonder is I did not break it up for fire-wood. Why ?
Because I came upon a book by A. Pettigrew. I read it
once, I read it twice, in fact I read it until it was im-
printed deeply in my memory. I made all haste to in-
crease my stock; three swarms were bought at different
times, two were off an old man, who liad more than
twenty rotten old skeps, on stands nt such an angle that
anything else would have rolled off them. Three long
weary miles I had to carry them. The other one was
from a cottager who had hived them four days before I
got there, of course all the combs broke down and killed
a lot of bees, but fortunately not the queen : they after-
wards got very strong.
In the meantime Harry had taken a very nice super
of honey and drone-brood off his hive ; so, to be equal
with him, I determined to drive a stock and take the
honey. Having selected a very dark night. I did my best
to get them out, but did not succeed ; they forced me to
retreat, for they had found a breach in my veil, and
formed into a false swarm on my throat. I brought
away a lot of stings as a trophy, and my relatives spent
some time in collecting them. When this was done, they
used the greater portion of a blue rag, part of a bottle of
ammonia, and several onions, which were very successful,
for the stings had little or no effect on me at all, although
as a rule one is enough to close both eyes.
I have driven scores of hives since then, but never
again at night. Well, seeing that was a failure, I next
sent them to sleep with smoke, while I appropriated the
April 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
203
side combs of honey ; but I evidently did not give them
enough, for they came very much awake before I had
finished, and stored their stings away in me right and
left. The next day there was a great commotion
amongst those bees, for all the hives in the neighbour-
hood were kindly helping them to clear the honey up,
and they did it fairly well, for no honey or bees were
left in the hive by the next evening. But before this 1
had tried Nutt's Collateral system : on both sides of a
strong stock an empty skep was placed, connected with
the stock by a wooden tunnel; it was rather exciting
work cutting the side holes, and in the end we suffered
for nothing, as they never took to them.
Some time before this Harry was seized with a
splendid idea, which was to take the honey out of the
box hive. He mounted a ladder, drove all before
him with burning sulphur, and took out all the honey he
could reach, which was about twenty pounds, then
nailed it up again ; and there those bees are to this day,
I believe. His old hive gradually got weaker, and at
last died out ; and, luckily for me, his interest in bees
died out with it. But my chapter of accidents is not
finished yet. That same summer, one June morning, I
hived a cast, covered it up, and some weeks after left
home for a month. Coming back one. hot day in August,
of coarse I was anxious to see how they had fared, so I
turned the hive up, and was pleased to find it full of
comb and very heavy. I turned it over to replace it,
when out fell the bees and combs in a soft mass,
something like currant pudding ; here was another
hive killed. I began to doubt the saying that bees
were so profitable.' I stood afar off behind a hedge
and watched them ; if any one had passed by wanting
bees I should have sold at an enormous sacrifice.
At this time my advice to the poor clergy would
have been — ' Don't keep bees ! Don't keep bees ! ! ' I
■went about with a dejected countenance, and sitting on
the grindstone handle wept aloud as I thought what a
' delusion and a snare ' bee-culture was. But there was
a fascination about it I could not withstand — yes, before
long, I began to look forward to another year ! Little
did I think how different it was to be for me and the
bees, for that same autumn my uncle, a well-known and
successful bee-master, hearing of my troubles, sent for
me, and from that time my trials were all over. Thirty
stocks were at my service to practise on, sections and
scores of other things to be examined, also a large
exhibit to get up and mind at the show. There I pored
over, read, and re-read several volumes of this most
interesting Journal, besides several books on the same
subject. There I met that great man, Sir. A. Pettigrew,
whose book at one time gave me such pleasure and
caused me no end of stings. He lived just by, and was
rather ' put out,' I thought, because my uncle had joined
the ' new-fangled ' party, for Mr. Pettigrew had started
my uncle with the barn hives.
But this pleasant time came to an end at last. With
my pockets full of sketches of all kinds of appliances,
and with a bar-frame hive, which my uncle had very
kindly given me, in the luggage van, I hied back home a
happier boy. That winter 1 made several hives, sec-
tion crates, and a lot of other things. I carried an
almanac about with me, and struck out each day as they
came. The time went very slowly, but May came at
last, when I transferred most successfully aU my bees
into the bar-frame hives.
After awhile I took nearly a dozen sections, as well
as extracted every bit of honey they had, and fed them
up with syrup. Driven bees were added, and several
new stocks made; and every year since I have been
more and more successful ; my take of honey increases,
and my customers take it all. Lastly, every one is much
interested and astonished at my annual exhibit of honey
and appliances at our village flower show — not the
village, I regret to say, we used to five near, but one not
two miles from Birmingham, so that I am unable to
astonish the readers of the Journal by any great take
from oue hive. My best stock in 188(3 yielded sixty-two
pounds, and in 1887 fifty-six.
Perhaps later on I may give an account of my success,
but I hope even the foregoing lines, faithfully recording
my adventures with the honey-bee, will be enough to
save some from giving up in despair, and others from
doing things that ought to be left undone. By joining
the Warwickshire Association, I now write five letters
behind my name ; the cost is only one shilling each
letter, not taking into account the other advantages.
Let every bee-keeper take in the British Bee Journal, it
is generally most amusing and always interesting; and
in conclusion, I say, follow the French bishop's advicf to
his poor clergy — ' Keep bees 1 Keep bees ! ! ' — Louds-
wood, M.W. B. K. A.
WAR! PE3TILENCK!! FAMINE!!!
A CHAPTER OF FAILURES.
AY An.
[1697.] ' Please will you come to look to my bee, ?'
Being district adviser, this was part of my duties, so I
went ; and before 1 tell you what I found, 1 will tell you
the history of the stock under consideration.
Last autumn the bees were given to the party that
addressed me as above on conditions that he ' took them
up.' Consequently, he borrowed a neighbour's horse ami
spring cart, drove five and a half miles, gave them the
necessary amount of ' bumping' and driving, packed the
bees into three empty straw skeps and returned horn.-.
The road was the usual parish lane in a country where
flints abound, consequently the bees had a fair amount
of jolting, and arrived homo looking pretty black, with
a large amount of them dead through over-gorging and
suffocation. The best queen was selected, and the hive
bees placed with her, and crammed on seven bars well
supplied with sealed food.
My experience of driven bees when united at home in
this way is, that they invariably ' ball ' the queen given
them, but if united on the spot, they accept the one given
them without question. Whether this was so in this
case, I am unable to certify ; certainly she was alive
later on when I helped pack them up for winter, and
she had bred a goodly number of young bees. But I
noticed what I never care to see under such circum-
stances— a few queen-cups, or undeveloped queen-cells.
Spring came, and the owner, to be on the safe side,
gently fed them a little syrup, and then the war
commenced ! He had no opportunity of seeing them
during the day, but being suspicious, he called on me for
advice. ' The wife says this hive and the next to it are
always busy when others scarce work at all.' Exa uiu-
ation told me that evidently early in spring this queen
had succumbed to stimulation for breeding. Robbing
had ensued, a gentle resistance at first, eventual surrender,
and take common cause with the assailants and accept
the ' fortune of war.'
Query. — Are driven bees when carried long distances
and submitted to excessive nervous (?) exhaustion worth
the candle ?
Pestilence.
This was an application for advice from another party.
Not a labourer, as in the last case, but a professional
man. He had kept bees for years, and one year got
twenty-five well-filled sections from one hive, but only
once, and then only from one hive. He is a good sort of
fellow, he has a try at everything, and is good at nothing
but his profession. Carpentry ! His greatest achieve-
ments are done in putty, certainly not in wood. Painting !
If you saw his work you would imagine he laid it on
with a trowel. Gardening! He has a greenhouse, but
he always has to buy his bedding-out plants, because the
204
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 19, 1888.
heating apparatus that he fixed himself never will work.
Poultry ! He buys sittings of the most farnou3 breeds,
and you should see his fowls penned up ! You would
imagine his last investment was in those famous American
patent eggs, which not only could not be distinguished
from hens eggs when cooked, but would hatch out
chicken, only they had the serious fault that they are
always featherless.
It will not be difficult for you to believe that his bees
were no exception from his general lack of thoroughness.
When I first knew him, he owned half-a-dozen stocks ;
by degrees they dwindled down to one. For the past
three years he has done his best to keep them alive ; he
has united 'driven' bees to them each autumn, each
spring he has given them a good cake of candy. Yearly
have the snows and rains of winter soddened the hive and
the winds of spring blow through them. The quilts are
well daubed in propolis in patches — happy hunting-
ground for wax-moths. The dummies never did fit, and
a handful of miscellaneous pieces of rags does yearly
the duty for winter packing.
This spring has seen the end of the ' one ewe-lamb.'
Mildew, dysentery, and the webs and grubs of the wax-
moth, have done their work. Our friend — a fair represen-
tative of a large class of subscribers to our county
Associations — is no longer a bee-keeper. His pets have
succumbed to Pestilence !
Famine.
' Well, "A. E.," you are fast in talking about others.
Do you never get a failure ?' Come home with me into
my garden, I will tell you one or two little tales. You
see the hive at each end of the row ; each of them con-
tains a home-bred Carniolan queen, the gift of my friend
John Walton of Leamington. He was good enough to
give me two last Jul}'. How blithely I introduced them
ii la Simmins. I had recommended it to others, having
.always been successful since I followed the half-hour
starvation plan. But you tiiould have seen my look of
mingled astonishment and disgust when I found one was
dead and the other ' balled beyond all hopes of re-
covery. Friend Walton doubled his gift by sending me
two more, which I caged, and succeeded in getting them
accepted all right.
That is confession of failure number one, but I have not
done yet. I was especially careful to give these two hives
ample sealed frames of food, so that nothing should pre-
vent them from doing well. I packed them up snugly for
winter, promising to work them on the ' let-'em-alone '
principle in spring. During their winter flights, I noticed
a good sprinkling of Carniolan blood, more in one hive
than the other. The other stocks I looked too and fed
where necessary, but comforted myself that these two
* Waltons ' were all right. A few days since I noticed
a few bees crawling out of one of them. This alarmed
me. Bees were flying around the entrance also. I
found on examination that the hive was one mass of
crawling, helpless bees. I did not remove the frames,
nor break up the cluster, but I put three fire-bricks in
the kitchen oven, and proceeded to warm a pint of
syrup. About a gill of the syrup I gently poured down
between the combs, one hot brick I placed outside the
dummy in the place of the cork-dust cushion, and two
bricks I put on the top of the quilt over the frames,
placing three more bricks in the oven. When the first
set of bricks were cooled down, I replaced them with hot
ones, and placed a feeder full of warm syrup in position.
It was 7 p.m., but they soon began to 'hum,' food and
heat were doing their work. At 8.80 p.m. I placed on the
last set of bricks for the night, amidst the inquiry as to
whether the bees ' had caught cold and wanted hot
bricks to their feet and chest. Would a linseed or
mustard plaster be of service ?'
Next morning I found quite a pint of dead bees, a
disposition to rob on the part of the neighbouring hive,
and to ball the Carniolan queen on the part of her
famine-stricken subjects. They will pull through with
care, and will be united to the first swarm I get. But a
few hours more, and I should have to record a loss on
the score of Famine ! — Amateur Expert.
PORCHES.
[1508.] I beg to thank 'Yorkshire Novice' for his
hints. I have already tried what he recommends, but
the result of the experiment did not give me satisfaction.
I tried porches 21 in. by 4i in. and placed 4 in. above
the entrance. The first improvement I made upon the
porch was to deprive it of its roof. The next improve-
ment was the removal of its sides. My experience is
that porches give shade just when it is not required.
They retard the bees in getting to work in the morning ;
they are the homes of spiders and other insects. The
fewer angles about a hive the better.
In very exposed positions side protection would be of
advantage. I have two alighting-boards hinged on to
the floor-boards, but I prefer them disconnected,
although they serve as partial shades from the snow.
If the alighting-board is 6 in. from the hive it acts well
as a snow-shade ; in my ca*e it is too near the hive ;
the sun's heat passes on to the hive. A perfect snow-
shade would be a piece of wood, say 2 ft. square, with
two iron spikes attached to it to fix it in the ground,
and placed one foot from the hive. The air in front of
the hive would in this case be kept at such a tempera-
ture as to prevent the bees flying.
The expert of the Essex Bee Association paid me a
visit yesterday. He examined four colonies ; one he
pronounced ' very good.' I mention this because they
were wintered on twelve frames iu a 6-inch hive with
a 0-inch hive below. They have never been touched
since September, beyond placing a cake of candy over
them in January. — Ii. T. Shea, Little Wakcriny
Vicarage, Rochfurd, Essex, April 14.
BEES IN NORTH WALES.
[1590.] Seeing several accounts of different associations
I thought I would like to give you a little account of the
North Wales Association, which I am afraid is going to
collapse. I have heard nothing of it for two years, for
which I am very sorry indeed.
Having a few days' holiday during Easter week, I
thought 1 would take a walk and see some of my brother
bee-keepers. I made my little tour not three miles from
my own home, and visited over thirty bee-keepers. I
fnund many of them willing to join an association. Most
of the stocks were in fair condition, with exception of a
few that had died through the want of food.
Having six stocks myself I thought it was time for
mo to be looking at my pets. On Easter Monday, April 2.
I found them in very fair condition, with the exception
of one, and that was a hive I had robbed a great deal.
I took eighty-two pounds of honey from it last season,
it having swarmed on the 20th of May ; I made an extra-
ordinary swarm of it.
Having seen a great deal of talk about the Ligurian
bees, I do not think they possess any advantage over the
common English bee. One disadvantage they certainly
possess is that a good swarm costs 21. as against 15s. for
a common one.
I hope that in the course of a few years the North
Wales Association will be second to none in the country.
O Wales ! why dost thou sleep ? — J. D. W., Wrexham.
NOTES FROM MALTA.
[1000.] April 12th. — First natural swarm yesterday in
almost a gale of wind, but hived successfully, to the great
astonishment of the native gardeners, and this morning
they filled six frames. Supers on four hives, and one
April 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
205
obliged to be tiered up, some of the sections being sealed
over. I expect another swarm next week. Wax-moth
pretty nearly defeated. — ' Malta.'
STINGS.
[1001.] I desire to put on record a few facts on this sub-
ject, drawn from my own experience while in the bee-busi-
ness. I always worked with my bees bare-handed, merely
guarding against bees passing up inside of my sleeve. In
the course of a year I received many stings on my hands.
When I began keeping bees I dreaded a sting very much.
It was not only painful, but usually followed by swelling
which often lasted over twenty-four hours. After a time
I ceased to dread them, and noticed them as little as pos-
sible, and they seemed to be less painful, and scarcely
ever caused swelling. If during the day I received a
number of stings I would feel drowsy in the evening, and
desired to retire early. At least, 1 imagined that my
drowsiness was caused by the stings. I also thought
severe stinging caused a burning, itching sensation in my
eyelids, and it seemed to me that each year I could notice
this soreness in my eyelids increasing.
Once a bee-sting made me sick and faint. I was stung
in the small of my back, the bee stinging through my
shirt. It caused me intense pain, and I grew sick and
faint, and with difficulty reached the house. The day
was sultry, and I was very warm at the time, and there-
fore I could not say how much of my illness was owing
to the sting. After an hour's rest I felt all right. My
wife often assisted me in my apiaty, and frequently re-
ceived stings with no serious inconvenience ; but one day
as she was busy about her housework a cross bee darted at
her and stung her on the neck. She complained of intense
pain, and soon became so ill that she had to lie down.
Her whole body was somewhat affected, as a rash came
out all over her body. Her sickness lasted probably six
hours.
One day I was taking off combs to extract. My little
daughter, then about twelve years old, was blowing the
smoker for me. She was well protected, but in some
way a bee crawled inside her hat and stung her, when she
suddenly dropped the smoker and made tracks for the
house. About half-an-hour later my wife called me to
see the effects of the sting. She had been stung on the
neck, which was somewhat swollen ; but the most swell-
ing was about her eyes, which were swollen so much she
could scarcely see. She also seemed drowsy, and after a
couple of hours' sleep seemed as well as usual, but her
eyelids were still somewhat swollen at bedtime. She
has had frequent stings since, but none produced anything
like a similar effect.
I remember being in the house of a physician one
evening when he returned from visiting his patients.
He said he had been called into a house in the village to
see a boy who had been stung by a bee, and was surprised
to find him quite sick and his body covered with a rash
as though he had scarlet fever. The boy's parents were
alarmed, but the physician told them the lad would be
all right by morning. My experience has led to the con-
clusion that the effects of bee-stings are not always the
same. The anger of the bee, the amount of poison in-
jected, the place stung, and the condition of the system,
all have an effect. If a person is stung, and the sting
proves troublesome, he need not infer that it will be
always so, and thus be deterred from ever looking at a
hive of bees. The effect of the next sting received may
be quite different. — W.D. Ralston {A merican Gleanings.)
VENTILATING HIVES DURING THE WINTER.
[1602.] Three winters ago I purchased a hir»
(wooden box) of bees from an apiarian, who was selling
his stock pending his removal to a distant part of the
country. On going to see the bees prior to purchasing I
found all his boxes, eight in number, thoroughly venti-
lated, the doorway being left open to its full width, and
a four-inch square opening in each crown-board, only
covered by a piece of perforated zinc ; the hives were in
a small wooden bee-house open to the front. This
starvation state of affairs of course elicited from me a
few questions as to the cause of such apparent careless-
ness for his bees, when I was informed that such had
been his practice for a number of years. Some years
ago he had been in the habit of keeping his bees free
from ventilation during the winter, but not unfrequently
he had the mortification of losing his bees. As a last
resource he seems to have adopted a directly opposite
plan, by ventilating them in a manner above described,
and, singularly enough, he never afterwards lost a
hive.
Without, then, seeing the reasons for this success, the
facts were too plain to admit of doubt ; I therefore
adopted his plan, and up to the present have been
favoured with similar success. Many bee-keepers of the
old style of skep without opening at the top (and there
are a goodly array of them in this neighbourhood), have
seen my hives, and their greatest cause of wonder seems
to be that the bees are not perished. My experience so
far indicates that bees kept in a comparatively dry
atmosphere by thorough ventilation will come through
the most severe winter in our climate in a better condi-
tion than wheu ventilation is prevented.
I may here say I think it i= advisable to ventilate
early in October, but not continue it longer than the
middle of January or the commencement of February,
although I have ventilated until the middle of March ;
and after this the hive so ventilated, without being fed,
has sent out its first swarm only second in the neighbour-
hood, the first being thrown off only a day or two earlier
from a stock which had been fed during the whole of
the spring.
There is also another point worthy of notice — namely,
when ventilated they require a considerably less quantity
of food. As an illustration of this — I, and a friend near,
at the beginning of last winter had each a hive very
similarly situated in most respects, except that mine had
only twelve pounds of honey as their winter stock, while
his had upwards of twenty pounds. I ventilated mine
in the manner before described; whilst my friend, I
•uppose out of kind consideration for his favourites,
added a bell-glass over the perforated zinc by way of
making comb-side a little more congenial. Before our
bees were able to provide for themselves a fresh supply,
in the following spring my friend's stock was bankrupt,
he having to eke out their supply by feeding, while
mine paid more than twenty shillings in the pound, and
tent out a prime swarm three days earlier than his.
Numerous instances have come under my own observa-
tion during the last two winters of hives perishing (in
one case seven) through the severity of the frost, while
the hives through want of ventilation have been saturated
with moisture. — W. Johksom.
STARVATION IN THE HIVE.
[1003.] Among the common class of bee-keepers a good
per cent of loss occurs every year from starvation. Some
colonies perish while there is yet plenty of honey in the
hive, but the greater part of the loss is from colonies that
have run out of stores. Beginners in their anxiety to
increase their number of stocks are too apt to try to
winter colonies that are too light in stores, but with
those of greater experience there is less excuse for loss
from this cause. Guessing at the amount of honey by
lifting the hives in the fall is an uncertain guide. Even
weighing does not in all cases give a correct idea of the
amount of available winter stores on hand. The depen-
dent and helpless condition of the bees when their stores
are exhausted requires that an abundant supply should
206
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 19, 1888.
be on hand at all times. To put away light colonies and
depend on feeding them as their supply of food becomes
exhausted during the -winter is a poor plan and should
not be encouraged. The bee-keeper who has to resort to
feeding in the midst of winter is in an unenviable predica-
ment, and when such condition of things is the result of
a neglect to make the necessary prepartion for winter at
the proper time he deserves censure rather than sympathy.
The variableness of winter, too, is such that sometimes
much more than the average amount of food is consumed,
and it may therefore happen that colonies which appar-
ently had plenty at the beginning of winter are found al-
most at the point of starvation in early spring. It is im-
portant that a close watch be kept at this season and not
let such colonies perish after having come through the
hardest part of the winter, and thus become a total loss.
A few pounds of food may bring them through until
natural stores can be gathered; and if in all other respects
in a healthy condition, they may prove among the most
profitable stocks in the apiary, and all the trouble
and expense will be amply repaid. Whatever form
of food is supplied the relief must be given before
they have reached the stage beyond which their case
is hopeless. A few pounds of honey in small frames,
laid on top of the brood frames immediately above
the cluster, and so arranged that they can have free
access to it, have always given good results in my experi-
ence. After putting on the honey, they should be
covered up snug and warm, and, if much benumbed, a
little artificial warmth judiciously applied by placing a
warm brick in the upper storey, will have a very beneficial
effect in reviving them. This method of warming the
hive when there comes a pleasant day after a long con-
tinued cold spell may save many a colony that is too
numb and weak to get out for a cleansing flight. One or
two warm bricks wrapped in a cloth and laid in the
upper storey will have a surprising effect in cases where
they otherwise might not have vigour enough enough to
get out. But a little help of this kind enables them to
cleanse themselves and rearrange their position in the
hive. My experience in thus giving relief with artificial
warmth lias always given good results, and more extended
experiments may show that many a colony may be saved in
this way.— H.D.STEWART,(^Hienc«n Bee-keepers' Guide.)
)
BniNE for Soaking Diiting-boards — Use salt
brine, weak or strong, warm or cold, for soaking the
dipping boards and the wax will not stick to them. It
matters not about the condition of the boards —whether
rough or smooth, of soft or hard wood, nor whether the
edges are sharp or square. Temper the wax-sheets in
warm brine-water before running them through the
machine. Try this, and it may in the future help you
to dispense, in a measure, with lye, starch, washing fluid,
and all other lubricators. Brine water is both inexpen-
sive and unobjectionable; besides, it is precisely what
the bees like and should have.— M. M. Baldridge.
Hives with Top Entrance. — I observed one of
your correspondents asks if a hive with top entrance has
been tried ; it is twenty years since I first tried it and I still
use it with satisfactory results. 1 find the bees winter
well in it, and with careful management very seldom
swarm ; in using sections the bees enter at once the
section holder on the top, so no occasion to pass through
the hive to get at them. For a small apiary, I can recom-
mend them.— G. F. Perkins.
Feeding. — Mr. Simmins has told us of a very simple
manner of feeding, — dry sugar, if rendered into paste
with a little honey all the better, on a piece of cheese-
cloth over the cluster pressed down hard between the
frames, ready at hand for them to make use of at once,
reminding us of the system up in the North of an
inverted basin full of dry sugar on top of a skep, with a
piece of perforated paper over the hole. — J. R. Fowell.
Crimes ixam % Jjto.
Meldon, Morpeth, April 4. — I have been keeping
bees on the bar-frame principle for some years. I have
thirteen stock hives all right after the hard winter
we have had here. On March 26 I had to cut seven
of them out of a snow-wreath five feet deep, after
being embedded a week, one an Italian, the queen I got in
October. She is all right, as I see the young bees ap-
pearing on a fine day. I got a recipe out of the B. B.
Journal in 1885, and made some mead in March 1880, of
which I enclose a sample. Will you please let me have
your opinion of it? During the summer, a friend of
mine came to play at cricket, and being rather hot and
the mead good to take, it made him forget his Blue
Ribbon. — Geo. Brittain.
[Having Blue Ribbon proclivities, we thought it
advisable that the sample of mead should be submitted
to a connoisseur in honey drinks. His reply is, that the
mead was very good, and he thought a few glasses a-
day would be beneficial to his system.]
Longford. — My first swarm of bees for this year on
April 6, rather early, but it it was through some men
having felled an elm-tree, and finding a stock of bees in it
asked me to get them out that they might get the honey,
thinking there would be a good lot of it; but we are all
subject to disappointments, so were they. After sawing
the bole, above and below the nest, I gave them a little
smoke. I got the combs out as best I could, four or five
of them, the longest about three feet. I shook them on
the ground and let them run into a small straw hive,
with a little honey in a section tied to the top. There
would only be one or two pounds of honey, no pollen or
brood. I brought them home and put them into a
nucleus hive on three frames of honey and pollen, and
started them as my first swarm of this year, and they are
now (April 10) going on all well. Such a change in the
weather! — all stocks busy taking in pollen. — J. Wilson.
Cheriton, Hants, April 13. — ' This is the first spring
morning ; neighbour Harfield's bees are out as though
they are going to swarm, and I counted no fewer than
eleven butterflies in the lane,' remarked a gentleman to
me this morning. On returning to my small apiary of
nine stocks, I find the musical hum — than which there is
no sweeter music — in pleasing plenty. Well, ' better late
than never,' saith an old saw; and I readily adopt it,
waiting for the fruition of my hopes. Thousands of tiny
labourers are going to and fro, in the act of finding their
food stores, but the modicum of pollen adhering to their
legs is indicative of floral paucity. — Aged Amateur.
South Cornwall, April 14. — Young bees are flying, and
there are solid patches of brood almost ready to be
hatched, but not on more than two frames in a hive, as
far as I have seen. There does not appear to be a
graduated succession of grubs and eggs. Milder weather
has set in and hopes are reviving. I regret to say that Ihave
lost a stock — dead, all dead — leaving pounds of honey,
and with, I should have thought, ample protection, in a
house in which two others are doing well. But too often
'there is no accounting.' — C. R. S.
Honey Cott, Weston, Learning ton, April 16. — Friday and
Saturday last were grand days for the bees, which made
them go off to the woods to fetch the pollen which was
brought in in large quantities. In looking over hives on
Saturday night, I found, what appeared to me, new
honey in the cells, in stocks that had not been fed and
that had no chance of getting any that had been fed to
other stocks; as I have often proved before, stocks that
have been wintered in temporary i-inch hives have sur-
vived and appear as healthy and well as others that have
double walls, thus in my case seeming to point contrary
to what ' U. H.' said awhile back about cheap and nasty
hives. It appears to me the chief thing is, for them to
be kept dry and have plenty of food. — John Walton.
April 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
207
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspond
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, q*ieries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended-to, and those only of personal
interest will be ansieered in this column.
H. W. Harris. — Honey Plants. — All the plants you
name are grown for the production of honey. Buck-
wheat is an annual and may he sown from April to
July; the same may he said of mustard and borage.
Mustard secretes honey of rare quality. Borage is a
good all-round honey plant, as it may be grown in any
out-of-the-way place, dry banks and ballast hills may
be profitably used by growing borage on them ; it is
not affected hy drought as most honey-secreting plants
are. Catmint and figwort are both herbaceous plants.
The seed should be sown in March or April in the
open ; when the seedlings are large enough to handle
plant two feet apart, Phacelia is an annual, and may
be sown from March to May, and again in September
to stand over the winter; these autumn-sown plants
flower from March to May ; sow where the plants are
to remain. Phacelia is an excellent bee-flower.
O. B. T. — Perforated Separators. — These have been tried,
and found to be either of little advantage or a serious
disadvantage ; in the latter case, when made from
excluder zinc, the sections are finished with waved
surfaces.
Honey-flow. — Drone Brood. — Your bees are in a very
unsatisfactory condition, having a drone-rearing queen.
At this season, and with so little brood, no such thing
as a drone capping ought to be seen. If you examine
more carefully you will perhaps find that all the
brood capped over have these cappings ; if so, destroy
the queen and unite with another stock.
B. L. Richardson. — Site for Apiaries. — Anywhere
much further south than your present abode. Heather
gives little return. There are in the Midland or
Southern Counties plenty of districts where large
crops of honey can be obtained, but little heather.
Wo know of one district where there are acres and
acres of heather, and have painful experience of
moving our bees to it — our expenses vastly exceeding
our takings. Mid or West Berkshire is a fine county
for bees. We know of one bee-keeper in West Berks
who, last year, took over 400 lbs. from four colonies —
all he had.
Scotsman. — 1. Observatory Hive in a Shop. — For each
shop there should be two observatory hives, with
crates conveniently arranged for transit. One hive
will be at home in readiness to make an exchange every
fortnight more or less. For further particulars see
Simmins' Modern Bee Farm. 2. Cloth underneath
Feeders. — Common glue will answer; but it is not
desirable to place such material under the stand where
the bees cluster and are annoyed by its presence.
Open feeders, if we understand you to mean those of
wood tongued at the joints, should always have such
parts painted with white lead when putting together.
M. Ormond. — Xadiring.— Your plan of placing standard
frames beneath the smaller frames now occupied by
bees and brood, would probably end in both hives
being utilised as brood-chambers. When honey begins
. to come in freely, place a hive with standard frames
having full sheets of foundation, on the stand of your
present hive, setting the full hive beside it. Place a
board, covered by a sheet, sloping to the entrance of
the new hive. Take out each frame from the old hive
and shake, or brush off with a goose-quill, the bees on
to the board, when they will all run into the new hive,
wedged up a little in front. Cut out all drone-comb
and drone-brood from the old frames and replace them
in the old hive in the same position as before, and
cover up warmly. Now put a sheet of excluder-zinc
on the new hive, over the bees, and set the old hive •
upon it. The bees will rebuild the combs in the upper •¥•
hive, and as the young worker bees hatch out, they
will join the colonj' below, and the upper hive will bo
used for storing honey only. The operation is very
simple, and should be performed on a fine evening
when all bees are at home.
J. Stradlinq. — Dwindling. — If the bees in these hives
would not cover more space than three sheets of note-
paper, you must uot expect to get much honey from
them. Move these three hives gradually near to each
other, and unite, reserving one queen only, and that tlio
youngest and most sprightly in appearance — probably
the one having most brood in its hive — and destroy the
other two, unless you have use for them. In uniting
cage the selected queen under a pipe-cover cage, on a
brood-comb, in the centre of a clean empty hive, and
place all other combs from the three hives, which con-
tain eggs and brood with bees on both sides of this centre
comb, alternating them from each hive, and close up
with division-boards covering up warmly. Brush out
any few remaining bees from the other hives on to a
board sloping to the entrance, and they will run in.
Perform the operation on a fine evening. On the
following evening release the queen, and you will have
one good colony out of three weak ones. Feed above
with honey or syrup.
Cheshire. — The sample of comb submitted, in its
transmission through the post, has been compressed
together into an agglomerated condition, from which
it has been impossible to extract a single bee entire.
The only portions removable were heads, with occa-
sionally a thorax attached, and these were in a
condition so dry as to be wholly unfavourable to
microscopic examination. There are, however, no
symptoms of disease; the comb is very old, and it is
desirable that it should be replaced by foundation.
C N. Parkin. — Reducing Thick Combs. — If your frames
are seven-eighths of an inch wide on the bar, shave the
combs down level to the bar with a sharp knife that
has got well warmed in hot water.
R. Driver. — Ei cited Stocks in Sleeps. — Short of personal
examination, we should say robbing has been going on,
and in the melee a queen has been thrown out. If you
are quite sure which stock is queenless, you might let
her run in at the hole in the top of the skep ; but most
likely she is seriously injured. We should strongly
advise you to have all your bees in frame-hives, then
any necessary examination could so easily be made.
Have the mice got into your skep ? Do not mind
writing again if you think we can help you.
Several lieplies to Queries postponed to next week.
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merohants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark,
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, £. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester,
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford,
208
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 19, 1888.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Newhboob & Sons, 149 Eegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webstee, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Eoad, Beading.
Ween & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merohants' Quay, Dublin,
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepebs' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenohuroh St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Bakeb, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F. , Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour A Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Bottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeiqhoor & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. cfe 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Oo., 23 Paternoster
Bow, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents :—
ABBOTT, BBOS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Fort Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT it Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street. Dublin.
HANDBT, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLT, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON. C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wlgston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, P., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. I)., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, I,., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
THE late Hon. Sec. Northants B. K A. having
having left behind him FIFTY STOCKS OF BEES
in NEW COWAN HIVES, has the same for Disposal, as
well as some First-class Appliances. Send for List. Ad-
dress Lamport Gilbert, Irlams-o'th'-Height, Manchester.
a 3891
OVERSTOCKED.— Carniolans and Ligurians,
1887, IMPOBTED QUEENS, 30s. per Stock;
QUEENS FIBST GBADE. English from £1. Numerous
Hives, New and Secondhand, from 5s. each. Address E.
Jackson, Welwyn, Herts. A 3897
OIX DOZ. of Splendid HONEY-PRODUCING
O PLANTS (Centaurea cyanus), Carriage paid to any
Address, for One Shilling. Will produce thousands of
blooms this year, and are also grand for Bouquets and
Cutting. Address S. Cooper, Halkin House, Belgrave,
Leicester. a 3872
NEW FOREST HIVE.
BEST AND CHEAPEST in the Market-
Fitted with Oak Legs, Double Walls, Slides and
Porch to Entrance, and Improved Association Frames.
Complete, 9/- eaoh.
J. SHEBING, The Apiary, FOBDINGBEDJGE. (189)
The
A THOUSAND COPIES OF BEE CATA-
XI LOGUE, with any Pictures, can be produced by above.
(Cheaper than Printing.) Send Id. stamp for Samples of
Work. Prices from 21s. 1000 Copies of any Writing,
Drawing, Piece of Music, &c, quickly made. THE WORLD
TYPE WBITEB, price 42s. Sole Agent for the Bee Trade :
G. STOTHARD, Welwyn, Herts. a 389G
Ninth Edition. Seventeenth Thousand.
BEE-KEEPERS' GUIDE BOOK:
CONTAINING
Management of Bees In Modern Moveable Comb Hives,
and the Use of the Extractor,
By THOS. WM. COWAN, F.G.S., &c.
With numerous Illustrations. Price Is. 6d. ; or in clotb, 2s. Gd.
Houlston & Sons, Paternoster Sq.; J.Hdckle, Kings Langloy, Herts ;
and all Hive-dealers and Secretaries of Bee-keepers' Associations.
Tliis work has been translated into the French, Danish, Swedish,
Russian, and Spanish Languages, and should be in the
hands of every Jiee-keeper.
VOL. XV. or
Jljhe British JBee Journal,
FOE 1887.
EDITED by
THOS. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.,
Containing nearly 600 pages, with numerous Illustrations,
and Completo Index.
Bound in Cloth, price 10s. Cloth Cases for Binding, Is.
each ; post free, Is. 3d.
KENT & CO., 23 PATEENOSTEB BOW, LONDON ;
J. HUCKLE. KINGS LANGLEY, HEBTS.
The oldest Weekly Bee Paper in the World.
THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL
Established in 1861.
Prioe 6s. 6d. per annum, post free.
T. G. Newman, 925 West Madison Street, Chicago, U.S.A.
London Agents: Messes. GEO. NEIGHBOUR & SONS,
H9 Reoent Street, W,
J
^tAA^'
British
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranqeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cimbridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 305. Vol. XVI.]
APRIL 26, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Stittaxfol, Itofiues, &t.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS ASSOCIATION.
The; next Quarterly Conversazione and meeting "I
County Representatives will be held on Thursday,
May 19th.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Preventing Sagging of Foundation.
One of the great obstacles to the use of full sheets of
comb -foundation has been from its stretching and
sagging which caused it to become wavy, and the re-
sulting combs would not be always just within the
frame. The tirst sheets we used, of German manufac-
ture, were so fragile, that it was difficult to fix them in
the frames. However, by persevering, we managed to
secure straight combs from full sheets, which were in
those days the wonder and admiration of all who saw
them. The sheets were obtained from Messrs, Neigh-
bour, who were the only importers of them at that
time; but subsequently we obtained a pair of type-
metal plates, which enabled us to make our own of much
stouter material. The imported sheets were generally
very brittle, and often had incipient cracks, causing the
sheets to drop down when the weight of the bees was
upon them. To secure them in our frames we split
the top bar in two, and after inserting the flat part of
the foundation with which these sheets were always
provided the two halves of the bar were screwed to-
gether. We tried brads, but found that the jar caused
by the hammering would crack the foundation near the
top bar. The frame was then placed between two
frames of brood, with the result that every sheet would
be worked out perfectly straight. Unless this pre-
caution were taken it was foimd that the foundation
was not strong enough to hive a swarm upon, but by
placing a frame of foundation and a frame of comb
alternately the weight of the cluster was so distributed
as not to affect the foundation. This difficulty has been
overcome by the use of much thicker and stronger
sheets of from four to six square feet to the pound.
When a swarm of bees is placed in a hive tilled with
frames of foundation, the heat generated causes the wax
to soften and the weight of the bees pulls the sheet down,
which causes the cells to be elongated and distorted. For
this reason it has always been recommended to use thick
sheets and to allow for the stretching ; they were not
brought down nearer to the bottom bar than within
about three-quarters of an inch. Besides the sagging
there is also the wavyness of the sheets to be- guarded
against. This is caused by the bees working at different
parts of the sheet at the same time and drawing it out
unevenly, and always results when there are more frames
of foundation than the bees can comfortably cover. To
remedy these defects many devices have been tried.
For some time we used the Cheshire foundation-fixers,
and although we obtained straight combs with them,
there were so many objections to them, and we found
them such a nuisance, that we were forced to give them
up. In the tirst place, they were expensive, as it required
at least six for each frame, or sixty for a hive of ten
frames. Then the foundation had to be secured in the
usual way by means of molten wax to the top bar. After
a couple of days the fixers had to be removed, and in
doing so, even with the greatest care, the cell-walls close
to the points were broken causing the bees much extra
labour to repair them. Then where the points pierced
the foundation the bees would gnaw away the wax in
their endeavour to remove the obstruction and cause holes
in the combs which were never tilled up. Such things
are all very well when there are only two or three hives,
and the bee-keeper has nothing better to do than to be
constantly fussing with his bees, but when hives are kept
for practical purposes and time is an object, the bee-
keeper must find more simple and practical methods.
Various substances have been tried embedded in the wax,
such as paper, silk, thread, calico, wood, and glass, which
have been used with more or less success ; but it was Cap-
tain Hetherington who conceived the idea of introducing
wire into the wax-sheets. For this purpose the foundation
was made with a flat midrib so that the bases of the cells
were flat and the wire was embedded in the midrib
during the process of manufacture. The wire used is
tinned and runs in parallel rows about one inch apart.
This foundation, known by the name of ' Van Deusen
foundation,' is readily accepted by the bees and is not
liable to stretch. Captain Hetherington uses no other,
and when we visited him we were delighted to see with
what regularity his combs were built out, and to have
ocular proof on a large scale that the brood suffered in
no way from the wires.
This foundation may be fixed with molten wax in the
same way as described on pages 185 and 180, or the top
bar may have a saw kerf down the middle (Fig. 1), and
the wax-sheet inserted into this. The simplest method of
210
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 26, 1888.
inserting the wax-sheets into such top bars is to drive
two nails into a hoard about one inch apart, allowing
them to project three-quarters of an inch. The heads
are cut off and the ends filed flat like a brad-awl.
Place the frame with the top bar downwards, so that the
Pig. 1.
nails enter the saw-cut; then give the frame a slight
turn so as to open the slit to allow the foundation to
enter easily. Turn the frame back until the nails nearly
touch the foundation and pull up the bar, when it will
be found that the top -bar will grip the foundation
securely. This plan can also be adopted in fixing or-
dinary foundation, and its only objection is the waste of
wax, but for rapidity it cannot be excelled.
The foundation is now secure at the top but is loose at
the bottom, so that new combs require great care in
manipulation. Captain Hetherington has, however, hit
upon another device, which makes the combs built within
his frames as solid and as secure as if the wires had been
attached to the top and bottom bars. This he accom-
plishes by using thorns, which are put through the bars
of the frames. Ordinary thorns from blackthorn or
acacia, about one and a half inches long, are selected
and holes are bored through the bottom and side bars at
intervals of about two inches apart. When the founda-
tion is in its place the thorns are driven through the
holes, so that the projecting point of every alternate one
touches the foundation on one side and the others on the
opposite side. This effectually prevents wavy combs,
and when these are built out the thorns become em-
bedded, so that even rough usage will not loosen the
combs. Many will prefer to use natural-based founda-
tion, and this can be firmly fixed by wiring the frames.
There are various ways of doing this, and in Fio-. o we
give the method most generally adopted. The "frames
£
^
Fig. 2.
have to be wired with No. 30 timed wire. The top and
bottom bars are pierced with small holes, and the frame
placed over a guide-board similar to that used in fixing
wax foundation ; but it must fit the frame well, other-
wise, when the wires are drawn up, the bottom
bar is likely to bend. Pass the wire W through the
holes, as shown in Fig. 2, and draw pretty tightly.
Turn down the ends and secure them by means of pegs
of wood driven into the holes. Lay down the guide,
and place on it a sheet of foundation, then over it put
the wired frame so that the foundation touches the top
bar. We may now embed the wire, and it can be done
simply by using the flat end of a bradawl and forcing
the wire into the wax-sheet. Even an ordinary wheel
pastry cutter has been used successfully, but by either
of these methods the wire is only forced into the wax
and not completely covered by it.
Where a number of hives are kept much time may be
saved by using what is known as the ' Woiblet spur-
cmbedder.' It is essential for the proper use of this
instrument that it be hot, for if used cold it is no better
than the bradawl and the expense of getting one may be
saved. The wheel is made of brass, and is of such a
substance as to retain a certain amount of heat. The
circumference has twenty-six teeth, a little more than
one -sixteenth inch apart, and each of these teeth has
a V groove on the outer edge. The wheel is heated in
the flame of a spirit-lamp, the V groove is then placed
on the wire, and the wheel ran rapidly along it from one
end to the other. The heat melts the wax at each point,
which cools as fast as the wheel travels forwards, and
the wire will be found covered with wax. There is no
necessity to fix the foundation to the top bar if this plan
of wiring be adopted.
We would caution those who are going to use this
style of embedder to get a proper instrument, as there are
some in the market perfectly worthless. We have been
shown one made of tin working on a pin driven through
a piece of wood. We need hardly say such a thing
could not be heated without burning the wood, and even
if it could it would not embed the wire properly. We
were also shown another made with a wheel about
li inches in diameter, and teeth | of an inch wide
instead of ^.t, and § inch from point to point. We
may say such an article is about as useless for the pur-
pose as the one with the tin wheel. With a proper
instrument we know of no method more rapid or more
effective for fastening foundation.
Another way of wiring the frames is shown in Fig. u,
Fig. 3.
where the wires stretch diagonally from one side bar to
the other and cross each other in the centre. The
foundation is placed between the wires so that there are
two on each side of it. In using wires in this way the
foundation must be fixed to the top bar. In America,
where the frames are rather longer than ours, an up-
right support of wood is used about the centre of frame,
but we have never found this necessary. We have used
shallow frames for extracting and also the Carr-Stewarton
frames, but never found any necessity for strengthening
the foundation in any way in these ; and Mr. Carr
recently sent us a specimen of one of his shallow
extracting combs, which was beautifully worked out
within the frame without auy strengthening whatever.
Wiring large frames is a saving in wax and an economy
of time in manipulation.
USEFUL HINTS.
W'eatheb. — Thunder-storms, copious showers, and a
higher degree of temperature, are causing the meadows
and corn-fields to assume a brighter green than hitherto.
The fruit-trees are showing well for bloom, and after the
long and dreary winter Nature is putting on a brighter
garb. But there is a lamentable lack of forage for our
bees. Literally, there is nothing within reach of our
own save a few willows, and until the elms blossom, and
the fruit-bloom opens, our bees will return witli empty
sacks and unladen legs. Many a hive around us is now
tenantless, and we shall expect to hear that the loss of
bee-life during the late inclement season has been excep-
tionally large.
Feeding must still be carried on, or bees will starve,
their stores of late having rapidly disappeared.
April 26, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
211
Robbing should also be strictly guarded against, the
bees showing a strong disposition to pilfer wherever a
chance is offered ; hives, in consequence, should be
examined at evening only, or most certainly loss will
accrue.
Sparrows, we are inclined to think, are the worst of
all the enemies of the feathered tribes to our bees. The
destruction wrought by them is almost past belief,
where they congregate in abundance. Our house and
outbuildings are covered with ivy, and although the net
has been freely used, and from twenty to thirty sparrows
taken on many a dark winter's evening from their
favourite roosting-place, yet we have abundance left.
The nests are destroyed once a fortnight all the summer
through, aud yet the sparrows are as numerous as ever,
fresh immigrants, we suppose, taking the place of those
removed. Fruit-buds disappear beneath their piercing
ken, and depredations are committed on all sides.
During our boyhood every parish beadle was deputed to
purchase adult and callow birds and e00.] We sometimes affect righteous indignation
toward those who adulterate honey. No words are
caustic enough to express onr wrathful ebullitions. But
did it ever occur to you that the possibilities of such
nefarious practices are greatly enhanced by the poor
quality of unadulterated honey, especially extracted, often
found on the market ?
Probably more injury has been done the bee-keeping
interest by putting upon the market poor honey — unripe,
sour, thin, or detestable in quality — than by commercial
adulterations. I only pretend to voice my own con-
victions when I say that the extractor, regarded by
many as the greatest invention in modern apiarian ap-
pliances, has done the industry more harm than good. It
is an easy matter to concoct a mixture, independent of
the aid of bees, that will taste better to the average pur-
chaser of sweets than some of the so-called honey got
with the aid of the extractor. When a novice first gets
an extractor and finds how easy it is to ' sling' honey,
he is, perhaps, anxious to astonish his neighbours by his
wonderfully superior bee-lore.' He is after large yirldx
with no thought of quality. He extracts early and often
— a3 the trained ward politician in the next precinct
votes. Instead of honey, he extracts nectar. Instead of
a rich, oily, aromatic delicacy whose fragrant memories
will linger long after the joy has passed, he has some
April 26, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
:i7
sweetened water that will hasten to convert itself into
vinegar, as if ashamed to attempt to counterfeit what it
can never equal.
If nothing but the best were sold, it would be im-
possible to imitate it successfully. Honey is considered
a luxury in America. Luxuries for the table must
appeal to the eye, or the taste, or both. If we want our
honey on the tables of the rich it must win its way there
on its merits. It must be proved in the same manner as
the pudding — in the eating. Honey that is good enough
to go into the dining-rooms of the wealthy will find its
way into the kitchen of the labouring man — for there is
nothing too good for the working man in this country to
eat. His taste is educated. He lives more royally than
royalty itself a hundred years ago. We can no more
deceive the taste of the poor than the rich, and the
former, or at least the middle class, are among the best
customers. Now if we want to cater to the taste of the
consumer, we must produce such an article as will please
when bought. The time was when honey was honey,
and little was known of the different grades. Not so
now. The successful honey producer of the future is to
be the one who not only sells nothing but a ripe article,
but who puts it in such attractive packages as the buyer
delights to take home with him when he has company to
tea. — EtKiKNK Secor, Iowa (American Apiculturist),
FIXING FOUNDATION.
[1010.] In perusing the Journal, April 12th (p. 19.3,
No. 1585), 1 find a friend's description of the way he
fixes foundation in frames, which I may state is very
similar to the plan on which 1 have constructed my
frames for the coming season. I beg to forward you
particulars of the slight difference, for insertion in
Journal, if you think it likely to be of any benefit or
worthy of consideration.
In the place of the two strips of wood f x f, length of
inside of frame, I take two strips of wood jj wide, and
$j thick by l.'Jj long, bevelled on one edge at an angle
^__^ of about sixty degrees; one of
Z/^ "1 those strips I fix firmly to the
/ ■ inside of the top bar with the
bevel inclining to the bar.
Then place the frame flat on
the bench and insert a piece
of wood 7$ x 13 inches, and
g stout in thickness, inside the frame ; on this place the
foundation, taking care that the upper edge is brought
well up to the top bar, then take the other bevelled
piece and press the foundation firmly between the two
and fasten with half-inch wire nails. The bevel acts
similar to a wedge, and holds with a slight pressure, very
firmly. The sharp edge of the bevel should be slightly
taken off or rounded to prevent cutting the wax.
I should be pleased to know if the method I have
endeavoured to describe in the hope that it may be of
some benefit meets with your approval. Thanking you
sincerely for the great assistance I have received through
the medium of your valuable Journal, which is weekly
anxiously looked for. — W. HonNF.n, 30 Cumberland
Street, Ski i>ton-in-Craren.
HIVING SWARMS.
[1011.] Now that the swarming season is approaching,
I think that the following remarks may prove acceptable
to the readers of the Journal. In most of the modern
works on bee-keeping the advice given to those about to
hive a swarm is, first, to place a straw skep under the
bees when they have settled, and then either shake or
sweep them into it. For several seasons I have adopted
what appears to me a far simpler and more advantageous
plan. It is to reverse the old order of things, and sus-
pend the skep by means of a strong cord over the swarm,
taking care that the branch on which the bees have
settled comes in contact with the inside of the skep. In
a short time the bees will be seen going up into their
new home.
The advantages I claim for my plan are, total absence
of anything which irritates the bees, as the old plan of
shaking or sweeping generally does, and that all danger
of crushing the queen is done away with. I do not use a
smoker at all during this process, but let the bees take
their own time about going up, which I find they do in
about half an hour.
Sometimes it is necessary to shade the skep if the bees
have swarmed on a spot much exposed to the sun, as
there is a chance of their going off on a second excursion
if very heated and allowed to remain so.
I trust you will find space for these remarks in your
valuable paper. — Edmund J. Joxes, Ysgiibor-Fmvr,
Penderyn, Abenlare, South Wales, April 18th.
DRIVING BEES.
[1012.] I am quite a beginner at bee-keeping, and if
it is not trespassing too much on your space, I should
like to relate my first experiences of driving last year.
I commenced with a stock and a swarm in the spring of
1887, and made up my mind when the autumn came,
and with it my holiday, that 1 would devote part of my
time to driving condemned bees, so as to gain a little
experience and increase my stocks. August duly arrived,
and I started away about the middle of the month to
spend a fortnight or so, as is my custom, under the
parental roof in one of the eastern counties. I soon
found that I should have plenty of work to do, as then'
were any number of skeps in the neighbouring villages,
and no sooner had my fame ('?) got abroad than the
cottagers were sending up nearly every day to say,
' Would I come and take their bees ?' My father caught
the bee-fever of me, and I was very glad, as in him 1
had an able pupil and assistant. We, first of all, started
to get hives put together, and in a short time we had
several in readiness. They were made square with single
walls to take standard frames, and so far have answered
admirably. My first venture was in our own village.
The sexton had three hives, and, as he was getting some-
what aged, had determined to give up keeping bees, so
I had permission to take the lot. I started operations,
my pupil taking his turn at the drumming, and we had
a very successful drive, the bees going up splendidh,
and we put the three lots together on one of the old
stands, fed them, using one of Simmins' frame syrup
feeders, and left them. In about a week all the combs
were drawu out, stored, and sealed. The next bee-da v
was at a farm-house about two miles off in the nex't
village, so I requisitioned a donkey and cart, and having
got skeps, &c, together, started off with a boy to act as
coachman. Here I found I had got somewhat a big job
on, seven skeps to drive out of a total of eight, and my
former assistant not present. To get it over as quicklv
as possible, as it was rather late in the afternoon, 1
pressed the boy into the service. He 'worn't' afraid of
bees, and we soon had them tied up securely in our erupt v
skeps. I despatched my coachman home with the load,
took the honey out, and then sat down to a substantial
tea with my friends in the farm-house.
This was a fair illustration of the succeeding days'
driving, of which we had several, and drove in all about
thirty lots without a hitch of any kind. We made of
these eight stocks, and it was arranged that I shouM
send four to my own home and leave the others behind.
We thought matters over, and as we had no experience,
and no advisers at hand, we had to make arrangements
for the railway journey in the best fashion we could —
and we evidently went wrong somewhere at this stage.
Two hives were selected, the bees of which had been
driven about a week, that had comb extended and syrup
218
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 26, 1888.
stored, and the frame we fixed at top with wooden
blocks, so that they could not move out of position, and
the lids to all were arranged with a strip of perforated
zinc let in along the centre for ventilation. These
hives stood the journey very well, but the other two we
selected contained bees that we had driven the day
before my return. They were sent off in the morning
by passenger train and arrived before I did in the after-
noon, when I at once unpacked them, to find much to my
disappointment that the contents of these two were
thoroughly mixed up with broken foundation in a heap
at the bottom of the box and dead as door-nails. Will
some experienced bee-keeper kindly advise me the best
way to pack driven bees for a railway journey, so as to
be prepared for a similar campaign next autumn ?
I forgot to say we varied our performance one day by
trying to drive some bees out of a hollow tree. In this
we were unsuccessful, as they would not leave ; so we
contented ourselves by taking out as much honey as the
openings we could make with a chopper would allow us,
and this weighed fifty pounds. The bees had been in
, the tree for years and were a very savage lot. We got
plenty of stings for our honey. — W. J. S.
ONE SIZE SECTIONS- OVERSTOCKING.
[1618.] Every producer should of course study the
wants of his own market, and govern himself accordingly.
If two-pound sections are received with more favour by
his customers, two-pound sections are the ones for him
to use, no matter if one-pound bring a higher price in
other markets ; and so with other sizes. But to a great
extent it lies largely in the power of the bee-keeper to
decide upon one size or another of section, just as may
suit his convenience, without protest from his customers.
Anyone who has tried having different sizes of sections
in his apiary at the same time need not be told that
the nuisance is something like that of having different
hives and frames in the same apiary. One year as a
matter of experiment, I tried sections of five different
sizes or widths, and part of them remained unfilled to
annoy me for two years afterward.
If there were no other reason for uniformity there is a
strong one in this, that supply dealers and manufacturers
are more apt to have on hand a standard article, and if
the bulk of bee-keepers use a section of a given size,
manufacturers can make them up in large quantities at a
lower price. They will feel safe in working ahead of
the demand and getting a stock on hand. Whatever in
this direction is for the interest of the manufacturer
results in a lighter demand on the purse of the bee-
keeper.— Dr. C. C. Miller (American Apiculturist).
Lectures on Bee-keeping. — On April 27th, at the
invitation of a lady whose unobtrusive work is well
known and appreciated in the parish of Upper Hatherley,
Cheltenham, the schoolroom was filled with upwards of
200 people, bee-keepers and their friends, to hear a lecture
by Mr. Slade, Hon. Secretary Gloucestershire B. K. A.,
on ' Apiculture, and how to make Bee-keeping profitable
as well as interesting.' The lecture was illustrated by
about :-ixty slides, with the limelight, showing the bee
scientifically, and bee-keeping at home and in other
lands ; also diagrams, and hives, supers, extractor, wax-
melter, and appliances used in bee-keeping. A table was
laid out, exhibiting cakes and confectionery, from George,
of Beading, honey drops from Huntley and Palmer,
specimens of English and foreign honey, and chocolate,
honey creams and tablets, from Messrs. Fry — all kindly
contributed by the various manufacturers, which were
much appreciated and enjoyed by those present. Bev. Mr.
Griffiths opened, and closed the meeting with a few kind
and encouraging" remarks. A similar lecture was given
on the following Tuesday at the Workmen's Hall, Silver
Street, Worcester.
'Reminiscences:' A Correction. — In the article
last week entitled 'Reminiscences' (No. 1.596, p. 201),
there is a mistake which should be rectified. It is said :
' The first hive I ever saw was a large box hive.' Whereas
it was not a hive at all, but a large box spouting, or cor-
nice running all along the front of the house, and about
thirty feet from the ground. This will explain ' The bees
hanging out at one corner; ' ' Placing a straw hive against
the wall to catch a swarm ; ' ' Getting up a ladder, taking
the honey out, and nailing up again.' — Lordswood.
(Btfyatz from % l|te.
Wehcijn, April lQth. — The weather is very trying,
and everything is very backward, though I had drones
on the wing from a very strong hive oil the 0th. — Geo.
J. Buller.
North Leicestershire. — Beautiful weather here last
week, and bees flying and gathering pollen well, but the
wind has shifted to east, and all is at a stand again,
except feeding. — A. E.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspond
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letterst queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, q-ieries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
F. T. G. — Moving Stock. — -Leave perforated zinc un-
covered. It does not matter which time of day,
morning or evening, so long as, if you elect the
morning, it is early morn.
W. B. — 1. Rearing Queens. — Unless you have capped\
drone brood now, it will be unwise to attempt queen- '
raising, and your better plan would be to wait the
young queens you anticipate at swarming time, either •
uniting the queenless lot to another, or purchasing a
queen for them. 2. Clipping Queen's Wings. — If they
really persist, in spite of every precaution, then of
course clip the queen's wings. 8. We believe Mr.
Simmins sends out queens now with a guarantee of
safe introduction. 4. Cross between English Drone
and Carniolan Queen. — The first cross between Car-
niolan queen and black drone is excellent for honey
gathering, but temper suspicious.
Enox. — 1. Commencement of Honey Flow. — When you
see the top cells of combs becoming elongated with
white new wax. 2. Doubling. — See Cowan's Bee-
keeper's Guide Book. ;j. Strengthening Stock. — Com-
mence stimulative feeding at once and shortly give a
frame of brood from your strongest stock to weakest,
so equalising the colonies. Treat the colony deprived
of its combs as a swarm; you may get a little surplus
from it. 4. Lee's Sections. — Full sheets of foundation
can be fastened into other makes of sections, but in all
the foundation is seen from the outside ; this is very
little, if any detriment. 5. Cleaning Floor-boards of
Hives. — This should be done now. Lift hive off floor-
board and place it upon a piece of calico, damped
with weak carbolic acid solution, then scrape floor-
board, afterwards replacing hive. Take floor-boards
away quietly from other hives ; little disturbance will
ensue. 6. Honey Harvest. — Your main crop would
be from sainfoin and clover. Unless your bees are
very strong the fruit blossom will be too early.
7. Cultivating Plants for Bees. — It does not pay to
cultivate plants specially for bees, the land in England
being far too valuable, but if honey-producing plants
can be grown that are useful as feeding stuffs for
April 2G, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
219
cattle, &c, it will pay to plant them. In oar own
flower garden we plant ' bee flowers ' as we must have
flowers of some sort or other, and therefore discard all
mediocre honey-producing ones. If we had a farm we
should not plant red clover, but a honey-producing
variety.
Malta. — Supers and Swarms. — When a stock swarms,
remove the parent stock to new site. Place the swarm
on the original site, put queen-excluder on the frames
(which should have starters only), take the supers off
the stock, and place them on the swarm.
J. W. Barker. — Drone flying on April 8th. — We
' should say the stock referred to is queenless, and
should advise a close examination on the first mild day.
(See ' Echo ' from Welwyn.) Be very careful not to
chill the brood should there be a queen.
Wood Green. — Skep not Filled. — Considering the
weather last season, your bees did as much as could be
expected. Feed about quarter of a pint of syrup every
evening. You will hardly get much of a honey flow
in your locality till the limes come on in July.
J. F. Cleeve. — Bees vacating Hive. — During spring it is
not an (infrequent occurrence for colonies to vacate
their hives and join others near. This is frequently
the result of shortness of stores, but in your instance
it is not so. The cause cannot always be traced. No
doubt the colony was weak — strong tines never do so
if they have plenty of stores — and the smell of the
paint (turpentine) drove them away.
S. W. It. — 1. Queen Nursery. — Any appliance manu-
facturer who is acquainted with the American system
of queen-rearing would make you one. They are
frequently used in America. 2. Removing Queen
before placing Nursery in Position. — There is no
necessity to do so. 3. Virgin Queen Introduction. —
1 They can be introduced direct with even greater ease
i than when fertilised.
John Bainbridue. — Bees fixed in Combs. — During the
winter a portion of the cluster has got separated from
the main body, and has been prevented by the cold
from joining them. They have thus, after consuming
the stores near them, died from starvation and cold.
T. D. M., Anwell, Burma. — 1. Apis dorsata. — We are
not aware of any successful attempt to domesticate
these rather pugnacious bees, but we shoidd like to
have a good try were we situated as you are; probably
they would resemble the Cyprians in resenting smoke.
Quietness and nerve would be essential. — - "2. Apis
Indica. — We should think your stocks are queenless,
judging by our Apis melliflea, or it may be you gave
them so much food that the queen has nowhere to lay.
Remove a centre comb, and the bees will soon build
another, that is, presuming you have no foundation to
put in. Do not fail to favour us with the opportunity
of helping you in the future. Any notes on bee life
and culture in your far-distant home would be
appreciated.
H. I. A. — 1. Wiring Frames. — You can use a centre bar
as you suggest, but we should certainly prefer to
remove it after getting the wire threaded in. There
is no need to strain it so tight. — 2. Transferred Bees.
— Unless the weather becomes very much warmer, we
should certainly wait the period you name before dis-
turbing this stock. You put enough foundation.
Enquirer. — The shrubs and trees referred to are not of
much use as honey producers, but some pollen is
gathered from them.
W. F. A..— Prevention »f Swarming. — For preventing
colonies from swarming when arranged on the tiering-
up principle, consult our Guide-book, p. od, or our
pamphlet on Doubling and Storifying.
Constant Reader. — Best Hybrid. — Try a cross be-
tween a Carniolan drone and a black queen. This
makes a good honey gatherer of robust constitution.
R. Curtis. — Stock not Working. — On the first mild day
examine this hive closely, and. note whether you can
see the queen, whether there is any worker brood,
and how the stock is for strength, and write to us
again.
Bee-Kay. — Uniting. — Bring the hives to be united
close together, about a yard a-day, reckoning only
those on which the bees are flying freely. When the
weather is suitable unite the lots, placing a piece of
glass before the entrance so that the bees may note
their new location. If you fancy one queen more than
another the worse queen should be removed at the
time of preparing the hives for uniting.
W. 0. Thomas. — Syrup. — We should not advise using
syrup made last year, it would make ' assurance doubly
sure ' by making it afresh. Syrup should now be
given rather thinner in consistency ; and in average
weather a quart weekly will generally be sufficient to
keep a strong colony advancing.
II. W. T. — Spring Dwindling. — Spring dwindling is often
attributable to too early and frequent manipulation
and stimulating by giving food irregularly. The queen
being in the condition you represent, it would be de-
sirable to procure another stock and unite. By judi-
cious feeding, and attention and care, a pi ipulous colony
may be created by the arrival of the principal honey
harvest.
Ellis E. Crisp. — Bacillus depilis. — The bees have not
reached us, but from your description we are inclined
to consider that the bees are affected with Bacillus
depilis or Oaytoni. We advise you to raise the hive
slightly from the floor-board by means of small wedges,
so that a current of air may pass beneath the combs.
Feed also on phenolated syrup, and do not open the
hive or attempt to manipulate. Under this treatment
the colony may soon recover.
Wanted, a list of the honey shows or fairs, with dates
and places of meeting, to be held in England during
season 188S, with classes 'open' to the United King-
dom.— Yirgin Honey.
Received from F. M. Atwood, Rileyville, Saline Co.,
Illinois, his Catalogue and Price-list of apiarian supplies in
general.
Received from Messrs. Abbott Brothers samples of honey
labels. These are lettered 'Honey,' 'Pure Honey,'
' Heather Honey,' ' Irish Honey,' &c. These labels are
very pretty, and the designs neat and appropriate. They
will be found effective for their purpose. There is a large
variety of them for selection. Well-designed labels add
much to the attractiveness of honey.
^Business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bortt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester,
Edet & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hdtchinqs, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, If., Huntington, Hereford.
220
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[April 26, 1888.
Meadows, W. P., System, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, P., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Bottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neiohbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T„ Crawley, Sussex.
55P.SHtAW' c-' Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
W-r£H?NSHAW! A-! Newcastle, Staffordshire.
IX225LEY' A- D-i 2o Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
THE late Hon. Sec. Northants B. K. A. having
left behind him FIFTY STOCKS OF BEES
in NEW COWAN HIVES, has the same for Disposal, as
well as some First-class Appliances. Send for List. Ad-
dress Lamport Gilbeiit, Irlams-o'th'-Height, Manchester.
a 3891
NEW FOREST HIVE.
BEST AND CHEAPEST in the Market.—
Fitted with Oak Legs, Double Walls, Slides and
Porch to Entrance, and Improved Association Frames.
Complete, 9/- each.
J. SHEBING, The Apiary, FOBDINGBBIDGE. (189)
MILOTUS ALIBI.
AMERICAN CLOVER. Free Packet of Seed to all
who send 2d. in Stamps to W. D. Slade, Hon. Sec.
Glos. B. K. A., 12 Promenade Villas, Cheltenham.
Larger quantities to Agriculturists. Terms on application.
Ninth Edition. Seventeenth Thousand.
BEE-KEEPERS' GUIDEBOOK:
CONTAINING
Management of Bees in Modern Moveable Oomb Hives,
and the Use of the Extractor.
By THOS. WM. COWAN, F.G.S., Ac.
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VOL. XV. of
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FOE. 1887-
EDITED BY
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[No. 30G. Vol. XVI.]
MAY 3, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Sbitaxhl, |tottas, #t.
FIRST-CLASS CERTIFICATES.
The annual first-class examination will take place
on Thursday, May 17th. Candidates intending to
competo are required to give notice to the Secretary
on or before Saturday, May 12th.
ARE BEES WORTH KEEPING?
In some form or other the title of this article
will be crossing the minds of the majority of
our readers during the present season of apicul-
ture. This subject can be viewed from so many
and distinct points that, starting with such a wide
basis, the enumeration of a few of the subjects of
interest may prove of pleasure as well ns profit.
First, we have the man who keeps bees for
pleasure, eager to possess himself of any new race,
anxious to try any fresh invention. Apiculture to
such is a hobby, but this apiarian is of great use to
the cause, as, money being of no object, his facilities
for proving novel ideas enable others to know if
tli is or that appliance possesses any real merit.
Secondly, we have the experimentalist, who loves
his bees as a study, ever striving to advance science
and acquire some fresh knowledge concerning the
natural history of these most industrious insects,
useful in a thousand ways to man. In these ranks
from age to age have been found men who have
devoted their lives and fortunes to the cause,
teaching us the anatomy of the boe, pointing out
the wonderful adaptation of this part of the insect
for certain work, and that part for the advance-
ment of the wonderful economy in nature, showing
us the loving forethought of the Great Creator who
fashioned all things, however simple or complex in
their construction, for an all-wise purpose. From
such men we know the habits of bees, their diseases
and cure, their methods of collecting honey, and
their power of transmitting pollen from flower to
flower, insuring the fertilisation of blooms, pro-
viding for us a larger harvest of both grain or
fruit than could have been obtained without their
instrumentality. Thus true philanthropists have
given to the world the results of their tedious
experiments and laborious observations.
Thirdly, we have the agriculturalists and fruit-
growers, who keep bees, not with the primary
object of obtaining honey, or because they are
particularly fond of bee-keeping, but because thoy
have learnt from the experimentalist that no bees
mean no fruit. It is now becoming a reoognised
fact that where fruit is cultivated to a large extent
ami bees are not kept in the vicinity an apiary
must of necessity be added to the garden ; and,
profiting from the experience of our bee-masters,
these apiaries have been made to yield profitable
results in honey harvests.
Fourthly, we come to the class who form the
greatest number of our bee-keepers, viz., those who
keep bees to increase and help out their incomes ;
those are recruited from all classes of society : and
we are glad to see the cottagers, profiting by the
experience of their neighbours and the teaching of
the Associations far and near, arc now swelling the
ranks of the advanced apiculturalist. To this
fourth section of those who keep bees a few words
of advice may here not be out of place. If you
wish your bees to pay, and if you intend them to
succeed, conduct your apiary on strictly commercial
principles, leave the proving of new hives and new
ideas to those who can afford it and have the time ;
depend upon it if they are worth anything you will
soon hear of it. In the present day, with County
Associations, shows, and Bee Journals, you can with
patience reap the experience of others' experiments.
Be careful, but do not have a hive because it is
inexpensive ; such may prove ' cheap and nasty.'
Take full advantage of comb-foundation, and do
not neglect feeding when necessary, as such a
principle would prove false economy. Have only
such appliances as are of actual service, avoiding
such things as you can do without, as, if your bees
are to pay with the present competition, the strict-
est economy must be observed.
A word here as to the width of section. Much
is said and written about 1 J and If inch sections.
Before adopting these widths, be sure that they are
the best. Our experience is rather in favour of the
two inches ; they are, without doubt, the favourites
for selling honey in ; many shops absolutely refuse
to have anything to do with the narrower. Two
or four bee -ways are a matter of opinion and
choice, as right-augled and parallel frames are ; both
have their strong advocates, as well amongst scien-
tific as with practical bee masters.
Fifthly, and lastly, we come to the man who
222
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 3, 1888.
makes bee-keepiug a speciality, devoting his entire
time and attention to their management, making
apiculture his sole source of income, either by
selling swarms and queen-raising, or working his
apiary exclusively for the production of honey ; or
else, when circumstances permit, he may include
all three in his scheme.
We have thus briefly traced the five different
reasons ' why people keep bees ; ' from which it is
easy to reply that bees are worth keeping. As a
hobby and a study the pursuit will ever abide ; but
as a source of income the industry must ever con-
tinue to advance. Large apiaries are the rule in
America and Canada, but with our changeable
climate we do not consider that such undertakings
will be greatly adopted by us. Apiaries of from
ten to fifty hives will pay in the British Isles when
worked as aids to incomes. Honey is steadily
taking its right place as a household requisite : it
was, of old, considered man's proper food. Some
authorities inform us that Pythagoras the philo-
sopher used to be contented with honey and the
honey-comb and bread.
BRITISH HONEY COMPANY.
We very much regret to announce that we have
received a circular intimating that a meeting of
the above Company will be held at Charing Cross
Hotel on May 10, when the following resolution
will be proposed, ' That it has been proved to the
satisfaction of the meeting that the Company
cannot, by reason of its liabilities, continue its
business, and that it is advisable to wind up the
same voluntarily.'
ASSOCIATIONS.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Meeting of the Committee held at 105 Jermyn Street
on Thursday, the 26th ult. Present — Rev. Geo. Raynor
(in the chair), Rev. F. T. Scott, Rev. R. Errington,
Captain Campbell, J. M. Hooker, W. O'B. Glennie
(Treasurer), and the Secretary. Letters were read from
Captain Bush, Rev. E. Clay, Dr. Bartrum, and the Rev.
J. L. Seager, regretting their inability to be present.
The finance business and the Secretary's correspondence
having been considered, the Exhibitions Sub-Committee
reported that they had held a meeting previous to the
General Committee Meeting, and had resolved that the
following arrangements be made in respect to the
awarding of prizes to members of the B. B. K. A. at the
county shows of the affiliated Associations :— (1.) That
priority be given to those counties which had made the
earliest application, subject to suitable arrangements.
(2.) That two classes be arranged, one for comb honey
in small sections, and one for run or extracted honey,
with two prizes of 12s. Gd. and 7s. Gd. in each class.
(3.) That the exhibits be subject to the B. B. K.A.
Exhibition rules where they applied. (4.) That no
competitor be allowed to take more than one prize in
each class. (5.) That an entrance-fee of one shilling and
sixpence be made for each entry, the entrance-fees to be
handed over to the funds of the County Association.
The report of the Exhibitions Sub-Committee having
been considered, it was approved and adopted.
In the absence of Dr. Bartrum, who had placed the
notice on the agenda paper, it was resolved, ' That copies
of the reports of the quarterly meetings and papers read
feu forwarded to each member.'
A meeting of the Educational Sub-Committee, called
for the purpose of considering some modification of the
rules relating to third-class examinations, could not take
place. Only one member was present, the remainder
being absent through illness.
The next meeting of the Committee, also the quarterly
meeting of County Representatives, will take place on
Thursday, May 17th.
LOWESTOFT BEE-KEEPERS* ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of the members of this Association
took place at the Public Hall on Thursday, April 20,
when the following report was presented by the Hon.
Sec, L. Wren : —
' The committee are again able to present a very satis-
factory report and balance sheet for the year 1887.
' There are now forty-five members against forty-six
last year- The year closes with a balance in hand of
0/. 12s. 6d.
' It was resolved at the last annual meeting not to hold
an exhibition during 1887 ; but in lieu thereof the mem-
bers to have two visits from the expert, viz., spring and
autumn. In accordance with that resolution, the expert
visited the apiaries of members during April and May,
examined 159 stocks, giving advice and assistance where
required. The visit was repeated during September and
October, when 102 stocks were examined and put in
order for the winter.
' It has been a long and trying winter for bees, and
many stocks have died, some from starvation, others
through old worn-out queens. All stocks need great
attention just now where they are strong. Much food
is consumed in rearing brood, and it will be some time
before the bees will gather sufficient to supply their daily
needs.'
The report and balance-sheet, showing a balance of
6/. 12s. 5d., were unanimously approved and adopted.
The following committee for the ensuing year were
unanimously re-elected: — Rev. T. A. Nash, Rev. C. T.
Scott, Mr. S. Cox, Mr. R. J. Colman, Mr. J. L. Clemence,
Mr. G. S. Everitt, Mr. K. Rix, Mr. L. J. Peto, Mr. F.
Morse. Mr. L. Peto was also elected chairman for the
year. Mr. L. Wren was re-elected as honorary secretary,
expert, and treasurer.
It was also thought advisable that in connexion with
the Blundeston and Corton Horticultural Shows prizes
should be offered for cottagers, and it was resolved there
should be two classes of prizes as under : — 1st. For the
best exhibition of honey in the comb, taken without
destroying .the bees. 1st prize, 5s. ; 2nd, 2s Gd. 2nd.
For the best exhibition of extracted or run honey, in
clear glass bottles or jars, taken without destroying the
bees. The honey should be exhibited in a saleable form.
Any exhibitor destroying the bees to take the honey will
be disqualified.
The proceedings then terminated.
MIDDLESEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.—
SOUTHGATE BRANCH.
A general meeting of the Southgate Branch of the
Middlesex B. K. A. was held in the Village Hall,
Southgate, on April 25th, 1888. Chairman, Mr. H.
Matthews. The Hon. Sec. and Treasurer (P. P. Ilasluck)
reported that up to date 6/. 10s. Gd. in subscriptions from
sixteen'mombers had been received, of which sum 0/. 9s. Gd.
had been paid over to the Provincial Secretary, leaving
Is. in hand. The show for the N. E. division of the
county was held in the grounds of P. P. Hasluck, Esq.,The
Wilderness, Southgate, on the 20th August last. In
spite of the bad weather the attendance was fair. South-
gate branch was well represented at the show, and the
B. B. K. A. medals were awarded to Mr. J. II. Bolton
and Mr. P. P. Hasluck respectively. The autumn tour
May 3, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
223
conducted by the expert-in-chief to the B. B. K. A.
(Mr. S. J. Baldwin), was, on the whole, satisfactory.
Three cases in all of fnul brood were reported, of which
one was so far advanced that the expert recommended
its destruction ; his suggestion was carried out. The
Association appears to bo making way in the district,
and the Secretary has strong hopes of a considerable
addition to the number of members during the coming
season.
ESSEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Spring Visits.- The expert is working, as weather
allows, near home, but has been constantly stopped by
the continued cold and wet. Distant journeys are left
last for the sake of longer days.
Cottagers' Apiary Competition. — Xotes will be taken
on spring visits of the stocks in cottagers' apiaries, so
that results may be judged on autumn visit for the prize
of 10s. offered by Mr. Ed. Durrant for the best-kept
cottage members' apiary giving largest returns in com-
parison with the number of hives kept.
Hives for Cottagers. — To encourage labourers and
cottagers now using skeps to purchase bar-frame hives,
Mr. Bovill has generously placed a sufficient sum at the
disposal of the Association to enable the purchase of six
hives at 12s. Gd. each, to be delivered to cottage members
recommended by the expert as sufficiently advanced in
bee-keeping, and unable to purchase unaided. The cost
to be repaid by an3'one who takes a hive, as he can make
it out of the honey produced in the hive so purchased.
A recognition, in the shape of a section or bottle of
hone_y, to be made yearly by each purchaser as long as
any portion of his amount remains unpaid.
County Show at Ilford, June 28-29. — F. H. Meggy,
Hon. Sec, Chelmsford.
^(cttcu dtxterg.
[7.] What is the best thing to do with queenless
colonies in spring ? Should they be united to those having
queens ?
In the afternoon of a fine day, on which the bees have
been flying, move the queenless colony close up to another
having a queen, for the purpose of their being united.
Give both a little smoke and jar the hives a few times.
After waiting a minute or two to allow the bees time to
fill themselves with honey, take off the quilts or covering,
remove the frames of comb with the bees on them from
the queenless colony, and alternate them with the frames
in the other hive. Any bees remaining on the sides or
bottom of the hive should be shaken on to the frames
before putting the quilts on, when a little more smoke
may be given at the entrance. A feeder filled with
syrup can be put on for a few days. If the queen is a
valuable one, and the bees are bad-tempered, she should
be caged ; but this is not generally necessary. — John M.
HOOKER.
United. Yes. — John II. Howard, Holme,
Peterborough.
If a colony lose its queen in March or April unite the
bees to the next hive, and let the hive stand midway
between the original position of both hives. The uniting
had better be done as follows to prevent fighting : —
Shake both stocks of bees into a straw skep, or on a wide
board or cloth, in front of the hive you intend them to
occupy, and as they run in together sprinkle them with
some very thin syrup with a few drops of peppermint in
it ; it is also a safe plan to cage the queen for twenty-
four hours. But if a colony should lose its queen in May
and there was a fair lot of bees, I should give them a
frame of brood containing eggs from a good working
stock and let them raise a queen, — W. Woodley.
Queenless colonies in spring should be united to
moderately strong colonies which possess queens. — H.
Wood, Lichfield.
If the queenless colony in spring be a weak lot it
should be united to another stock having a queen, as they
are hardly worth looking after. Or should the colony be
queenless and still strong in bees, at end of April or be-
ginning of May a frame of brood may be given to it
from another stock to hatch a queen, provided, also, that
precaution be taken to have drones flying at the time for
successful mating. In most apiaries will be found in
spring one or two stocks having a young queen with few
bee?. When a stock is found to be queenless, these small
lots with queen may be united to queenless colonies ;
this I believe to be the best way.— William McNally,
Glenluce, Scotland.
Unite by all means.— Wm. N. Griffin.
Unite them to other stocks near, except they are very
strong in bees ; then, if any queens be obtainable, give
them one by caging from twenty -four to thirty -six
hours. — John Walton, Honey Cott, Weston,
Leamington.
Either unite to those having queens, or unite two or
three queenless colonies after introducing a queen. —
W. B. Webster.
If queenless recently, I should regard it as no great evil,
particularly if bees covered four frames ; give a frame
containing eggs from queen whose good qualities have
been proved, and proceed in usual manner with cells. It
frequently happens that stocks are queenless earlier; if
strong, should proceed as above and protect the nucleus
by artificial heat. Do not regard uniting early in year
as advantageous, and only practiso it as a last resort.
By this method I have queens now ready to fly, and can
thus practise ' select ' rearing. — John Edey, St. NeoU.
I think so.— W. E. Burkitt.
This depends upon circumstances. If the colony is
large enough to cover four or five standard frames, and a
nucleus headed by a last year's queen is available, unite
the latter to the former, caging the queen for twenty-
four hours. Of late years I have wintered nuclei of
three and four standard frames, and find them very
useful at spring. Colonies, populous and headed by
young queens, when put into winter quarters well pre-
pared, will rarely be found queenless at spring. Failing
a queen, union with another colony is the only alter-
native.— George Raynor.
Nothing is gained by uniting strong colonies. Take a
queen, if good, from a weak lot, and then unite latter
stock to one near it, should the weaker lot not stapd near
the queenless hive. — Samuel Simmins.
Jforcip.
THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA.
The usual winter losses of bees in the Northern
States cause many apiarians to turn their thoughts to
Florida, believing that in this sunny land, where flowers
are blooming the entire year, there would be a field
open for the enterprising apiarist which, if occupied,
would result in satisfactory returns for the trouble and
expense that might accrue in removing to so favoured a
locality. There have been good reasons in the past for
the inquiring mind to dwell upon this subject, as the
apicultural journals have contained numerous reports
relative to this and other localities, as especially favoured
by nature for the production of honey. Believing there
are other localities in the State that are suitable for
establishing apiaries with a fair prospect of success, it is
not necessary in this article to make any reference to
them, but rather confining the subject to the locality
224
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 3, 1888.
embraced in the mangrove district of the eastern coast
of the State, of which New Smyrna has long been con-
sidered the centre. With the exception of St. Augustine,
it is claimed to he the oldest town in the State, and one
of the last to receive the benefits derived from railway
transportation, and as a consequence has been deprived
of its share of emigration compared to other portions of
the State.
Previous to the freeze of January, 1886, this locality
was considered to be a most desirable location for securing
large yields of honey. The mangrove nourishes for
miles up and down the river, and in the season of its
blooming the amount of honey secreted was sufficient
for thousands of colonies. The bee-keeping industry
began to attract the attention of specialists, quite a
number of whom possessed flourishing apiaries numbering
from fifty to two hundred colonies and over. After the
freeze, which killed and blighted from seventy-five to
ninety per cent of the mangroves, a feeling of despair
secured a firm hold on many of the bee-keepers, and they
either sold out or removed to more promising localities.
To those who remained the future proved anything but
encouraging. The lack of honey to subsist the colonies
upon caused many to die of starvation, and a general
indifference to the result was common. Bees have been
shaken upon the ground, the honey extracted, and the
combs melted into wax in order to secure a portion of
the amount invested in them by their owners previous to
removing. The result is, there are at the present time
but one-third to one-fourth as many colonies here as
were in the fall of 1885, and to the best of my know-
ledge, no one is relying on their apiaries exclusively for
a subsistence. There are individuals here who desire to
dispose of their apiaries ; others who realise if the im-
pression goes abroad that apiculture is a failure, it will
prove disastrous to the disposal of their real estate. It
is from persons of this character that the misleading
reports emanate that are seen in the Northern bee
journals. The season of '87, like the year previous, has
proven a failure, the colonies barely securing sufficient to
winter upon, but not a few of the bee-keepers have ex-
tracted at the rate of from fifty to eighty pounds of honey
per colony. The result at present is the bees are either
starving or are being fed at much trouble and loss to the
owner. While this is transpiring, the Northern bee-
keepers are reading of a third of a crop in this locality,
of nine barrels of honey from forty-five colonies, and
reports of a like nature, which are intended to mislead
for reasons mentioned above.
Possibly many who peruse this article may inquire in
what way does apiculture differ in Florida from what it
does in the North, and if the absence of winter is a benefit
to the apiarist ? Replying to the first, can say so far as
my opinion on the subject is concerned, The only feature
that is identical in both localities is the instincts of the bee.
Of the second, the best interests of the colonies are only
secured by the constant vigilance of the apiarists during
the winter months. The climate, the humidity of the
atmosphere, the variety, time, and duration of the
blooming of the flowers, must be familiarised. The fact
that colonies require about thrice as much honey to keep
them in an active condition, the necessity of strong
colonies to secure surplus, and, unless they are destroyed
at the close of the season, the increased amount of bees
are of but little value except to consume honey. The pre-
valence of the musquito hawks renders queen-rearing
extremely uncertain at times ; the moth- worm, active at all
seasons of the year, makes the preservation of combs ex-
tremely difficult. The ease with which robbery can be
started during a dearth of honey, and the persistence of
the bees in keeping it up, are among the many objection-
able features of the profession. Our honey is also liable
to ferment if not given the best of care, and the result is
sometimes the bursting of the barrels while undergoing
transportation. Another great detriment is that our
best grades of honey, known as ' mangrove ' and ' pal-
metto ' honey, are classed in the Northern markets as
Southern honey, which reduces it to the level of the
strained product of Georgia and other Southern States,
greatly to our disadvantage. Had the interests of
Florida apiculture been taken into consideration by the
representation of the national society during the past
four years, instead of seeking to promote personal aggran-
disement, a better state of affairs could have been re-
ported, notwithstanding the many disadvantages under
which we have laboured during a portion of that time.
It will be seen that with the many desirable features
of this location, among which are an enjoyable climate,
the natural food resources of the country, and an almost
perfect exemption from diseases, there are objections
here as well as in other States.
Honey production in the Northern States is more
profitable and requires less labour than in this locality,
and there is not the least doubt that it is so over the
entire State. Our home market is comparatively nothing
to what is possessed by the apiarists of the North, except
in some favoured localities near the large cities. The
winter problem, or the loss of colonies, is not taken into
consideration as in the North, if the colonies have not
been deprived of their stores, and the ambition to secure
a large yield of honey has ruined many a promising
colony of bees.
The future prospects of this locality appear to be good,
as the new growth of mangrove secreted a small yield
the past season, and it is expected the yield for 1888 will
enable all to secure a full crop.
Through the solicitation of a number of the- more
prominent apiarists of this locality, the North American
Bee-keepers' Society have been induced to appoint Pro-
fessor G. W. Webster of Lake Helen as tho Vice-
President for Florida for that Society for 1888. Having
an extended apicultural experience in the State of Iowa,
and also in this State, coupled with his reputation as a
botanist of distinction, fits him to a great degree for the
position which he now holds, and all interested can vest
assured that no visionary or misleading article on Florida
apiculture will emanate from his pen. The above
description of our honey interest and the condition of
affairs pertaining thereto, are as near the true facts of
the case as circumstances will warrant in asserting at
the present time. — John Y. Detwiler, New Smyrna,
Florida, January £th {American Oleaninys).
JOTTINGS BY AMATEUR EXPERT.
' MgI Sapit Omnia.'
' What a time since we saw that ! ' ' X-tractor ' will
say. The truth to tell I have two or three things to
write about, so I thought I had better ' run up the old
flag ' and do it.
The first is ' honey boards.' I need not assure our
faithful monitor ' Useful Hints ' that I had seen the
article written by Mr. Heddon to the C.B.J, that he
(' U. II.') has classified as ' amusingly satirical,' nor that
I know a good quid per quo for Mr. Heddon. Unlike
' U. H.,' I took that article as intentionally offensive,
and on principle I answer such witli silence, however
much I should have enjoj'ed to break a lance with our
' inverlible ' friend over the water. But I started to
write about ' honey boards,' not about Mr. Heddon, and
what I should like ' Useful Hints' to tell us is, why he
wishes us to use honey boards? By our present methods
of working with young queens at the head of our colonies,
and expansive hives allowing lis to give room as required,
I can get sections without the queen attempting to lay
in them without a queen-excluder far easier than I could
do with the zinc in position. I do not get two
per cent of my sections laid in without an excluder, and
am never troubled with pollen in sections, consequently
May 3, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
225
I consider it scarce worth while to give the bees un-
necessary trouble for the sake of what, under the circum-
stances, can only be classed as a ' fad.' I get more
brace-combs than I like. If ' U. H.' can tell me how to
still further reduce them, I shall be pleased to listen if
be thinks he knows of a more excellent way than I have
tried, and accord to him the thanks he will merit.
The next is the word ' blizzard.' ; Useful Hints,' on
page 16;J B.B.J. , gives the Americans the credit for
coining the word on the strength of Nuttall'a Dictionary.
' Right here ' let me aay that a very large number of the
quaint, and to us, witty expressions, used by our
cousins over yonder, are simply very old English ones,
long since forgotten by most ' Britishers,' whose language
is being so constantly affected by importations from the
Continent. In reading, as I often do, newspapers
published in small rural towns in the States, the
similarity of many expressions used in rural districts
of the States to others used in West Cornwall
often strikes me, living as I did for many years in
' West Barbary.' (West Barbary, allow me to explain,
is that portion of Cornwall lying west of Truro, and
witty, humorous expressions is the hall-mark of a
native.) Rural districts, far removed from the centres
of civilisation (P), are always the last to be affected by
change, and phraseology is no exception to the rule,
especially previous to the days of School Boards. I do
not claim the word ' blizzard ' as a Cornish one, but here
is what a correspondent writes about it to Nvtes and
Queries : ' The word " blizzard " is well known through
the Midlands, and its cognates are fairly numerous. I
have known the word and its kin fully thirty years.
Country folks use the word to denote blazing, blasting,
blinding, dazzling, or stifling. One who has had to face
a severe storm of snow, hail, rain, dust, or wind, would
fay on reaching shelter that he has " faced a blizzer," or
that the storm was " a regular blizzard." A blinding
flash of lighting would call forth the exclamation, " My I
that were a blizzomer ! " or, " That wor a blizzer ! "
" Put towthry sticks on th' fire, an' let's have a blizzer"
— a blaze. " A good blizzom " — a good blaze. " That
tree is blizzared — blasted, withered. As an oath the
word is often used, and " May I be blizzered " will
readily be understood.'
A Bee-keeper in Prison.— Here we must ' haul
down the flag' to the Yankees. We have 'invented'
nothing like that as yet in this fossilised old country.
Mr. L. A. Clarke, of Arkadelphia, Arkansas, U.S., is in
prison for contempt of court. A neighbour indicted his
bees as a ' nuisance,' and Mr. Clarke was ordered to
remove them beyond the corporate limits of the city.
He refused, and was put into ' durance vile.' Mr. New-
man, the editor of the American Bee Journal, who is
also manager of the North American Bee-keepers' Union,
is making strenuous efforts to raise 500/. to defend the
case. If this is a sample of local government in the
' land of the brave and the home of the free,' save us
from such local government !
The B. B. J. of last week and the American Bee-Hive
for April came by the same post. I looked at the Bee-
Hive first, and on turning to the B. B. J. discovered that
the scraper illustrated by our friend the ' X-Tractor ' is
shown in the Bee-Hive also, but the latter has the
advantage of cheapness. This is what the Bee-Hive
says : — ' We are using a scraper for scraping separators,
hive bottoms, &c, made by drilling a hole in the centre
of a mower " section," and putting on a handle with a
screw. Try it, and you will cry, "Eureka !"' A section
that is worn out for mowing will answer the purpose
admirably. Almost every village smith throws quan-
tities of them annually on the scrap-heap, so no one need
be without a scraper ; or, failing to get one there, come
and fetch one from the scrap-heap under the ' chestnut-
tree ' of — Amateur Expert.
€axx£$$avfomtt.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith, illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed only to "The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cfo Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
£c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Ruckle, A'iugs Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*»• In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1614.] The Secretaries of County Associations have no
light duties to perform to keep the Sooieties going, and
I am sure we are all greatly indebted to them for the
labour aud time they bestow in the interest of apiculture.
In these times of apicultural aud general depression it is
most difficult to got the support that the societies have a
right to expect, and there is great trouble in getting
in subscriptions and keeping up the number of the
members.
In addition to this, it appears that in some counties
the secretaries are complaining that they cannot get
their managing committees to attend' the meetings, and
that they have to do all the work themselves.
1 feel that I am guilty of not having attended tho
meetings of the committees of the county of which I
am a member, and I am sorry that this is so. I will tell
you the principal reason, and it is not unlikely that
others have been absent from similar causes. In my
case the meetings have been called by the secretary —
very properly no doubt — at towns which are at a con-
siderable distance from me, the journey there and back
taking up a whole day ; this, the railway fare, and other
expenses, are more than I can afford. It is difficult to
see how this can be obviated, as the committee are
generally chosen from different parts of the county :
some on account of the known interest they take in
apiculture, others on account of the position they hold in
the district; and wherever the meetings are held, the
majority would have a considerable distance to go.
This will, I think, be the case in all the counties, and
I would suggest that as soon after the appointment of
the committees as convenient, the secretaries should
send a letter to each member of the committee for the
purpose of ascertaining, first, the day in the week that
would be convenient, and the particular day preferred,
and the time of day ; second, what places or towns they
could attend, and which they would prefer. The secre-
taries would then be able to select the day in tho week
and the place most convenient to the majority, and in
this way would, in all probability, get a better attendance.
This is the way the meeting of the committee of the
British Bee-keepers' Association is arranged. — John M.
Hooker.
THE DRONE.
Our Poor, Slandered Drone asks for his DiY in
Court.
[1615,] ' Virgil, who was a great poet, but not enough
of a practical bee-keeper to know a laying from a virgin
queen, was the first writer of much note to have his fling
at me. To him I was only an idle knave, born to con-
sume the fruits of others' labours, and deserving no
better fate than death, by ignominious expulsion from
the industrious commonwealth. Ever since he so grossly
libelled me, to compare one to a drone is the most ortho-'
dox form of denunciation for laziness, gluttony, and
what has beeu called " general cussedness." '
226
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 3, 1888.
Now I am proud to say to this Court, that I can dis-
prove every charge brought against mo by simply
proving that, to the best of my ability, I fulfil the ex-
press object for which I was born. Surely no creature
can do an better than this, and excuse me for thinking
that few men do as well.
CHARGED WITH LAZINESS.
If any of my enemies had authority to call the roll of
my demerits, he would surely begin by accusing me of
being too lazy to gather any honey. But an expert in
points of this kind could remind him that if he examines
my proboscis, he will see that it is much too short for
sipping nectar from the opening flowers.
MAKES NO WAX.
I am free to admit that I make no wax, but even
Cheshire himself, whose microscopes have fairly turned
me inside out, will tell you that I have not a single wax-
secreting gland, and am also without those plastic,
trowel-like jaws, which enable the worker-bees to mould
the wax into such delicate combs.
GATHERS NO POLLEN.
Now do not insinuate that I might at least employ
some of my leisure time in gathering pollen ? Can you
not see that my thighs have no basket-like grooves, in
which it could be packed, and are quite destitute of the
hairy bristles by which the workers hold the pollen in
place ?
ACCUSED OF BEING A LAZY COWARD.
No doubt you have often denounced me as a big,
hulking coward, that leaves to the women the whole
defence of the State. Are you not aware that I have
have no sting to fit me for acting on the offensive?
Would that I had one proportioned to my bulk ! if only
that I might make proof of it upon all who berate me
for not accomplishing impossibilites !
I am not at all ashamed to admit that I spend the
most of my time not given to eating, either in sleeping,
or in what you are pleased to call listless moping about
the hive. Has it never occurred to you that if I should
try to assume the restless activity of a worker-bee, I
could be nothing better than a meddlesome busybody,
perpetually interfering with the necessary business
routine ? I guess the silly meddler who would put me
up to such nonsense ought more than once to have had n
dish-cloth pinned to his rear, to teach him not to bother
the women in their work !
MISUNDERSTOOD.
I am sorry to number Shakespeare among those who
have misconceived me, by calling me ' the lazy, yawning
drone.' But as one of my maligners have likened me to
Falstaff, I may be allowed to quote in my own defence
what this great braggart, when accused of cowardice,
says of himself to the Prince : ' Was it for me to kill the
heir apparent? Why, thou knowest I am as valiant
as Hercules; but beware instinct; the lion will not
touch the true prince. Instinct is a great matter; I was
a coward on instinct. I shall think the better of myself
and thee during my life. I for a valiant lion, and thou
for a true prince.' I lie not, like the fah-e knight, when I
say that what you call my laziness is a matter of pure
nstinct.
With all your boasted reason you seem to have en-
tirely overlooked the doctrine of the conservation of
forces. You upbraid me with consuming so much of
the precious honey, to the gathering of which I contri-
bute nothing ! Well, if I mado a single uncalled-for
motion, would not that necessitate an extra consumption
of food? What better can I do, then, than to keep as
quiet as possible ? There is nothing either inside or out-
side of the hive which calls for any other line of
conduct nntil the young queens are on the wing, and as
they do not sally forth until long after noon, why should
I go abroad any earlier ? I can assure you that if
bridal excursions were in order as many hours in the
day as the flowers secrete honey, no worker would ever
be earlier to rise, or later to go to bed, than myself.
MISREPRESENTED.
I, an idle, lazy, listless lounger, forsooth ! Does any
one wish to witness the most perfect embodiment of
indefatigable activity ? Let him then look at me, when
at the proper time, with an eager, impetuous rush, and
a manly, resonant voice, I sally from the hive ! See with
what amazing speed I urge, what our old friend, Samuel
Wagner, called my 'circumvolating' flights ! For aught
you know I may cover greater distances in describing
these vast circles than the busiest worker in the longest
summer day. There is great need, then, that I should
be abundantly provisioned for such exhausting excur-
sions, and if is only a law of nature that on my return
from them all that I carried out with me should be
found to have been used up. If you taunt me either for
the full or the empty stomach, I merely ask you if you
have never heard of honeymoon trips among your own
people, which began with extra-full purses, to end only
with uncomfortable light ones ?
SAVAGE DELIGHT OVER MY DEATH.
To cap the climax of your abuse, what savage delight
you take in seeing the workers drive me from my plea-
sant home ! And how glibly you can moralise over
what you call a righteous judgment upon a life spent in
gluttony and in glorious ease ! Just as if you did not
know that the whole economy of the bee-hive is founded
on the strictest principles of utilitarianism. Is not a
worker-bee, when disabled by any accident, remorse-
lessly dragged out to die, because it can no longer
contribute to the general good ? Even so exalted a per-
sonage as the queen-mother herself, as soon as it is plain
that her fertility is too much impaired, she has a writ of
supersede/is served upon her, in favour of one of her own
daughters.
Knowing well the law under which I was born, I urge
nothing against being put to death when Shakespeare's
' pale executioners' deem the day of my prospective
usefulness to be over. Truly the sword of Damocles is
suspended over my head, and from the hour of my birth
till that of my death it may fall at any moment. Many
bitters are thus mingled with my sweets.
I have time to mention only one more. While I
know that most of the young queens come safely back
from their wedding excursions, I cannot help sometimes
foreboding the worst when I see that no drone ever
returns to tell us of his experience.
APPRECIATED BY BONNER.
I will close my defence by reminding you how the
good father of the great Scotch bee-keeper, Bonner,
showed his appreciation of our persecuted race. It was
his custom to watch every year for the first flying drone.
Its cheerful hum so filled him with delight, as the happy
harbinger of approaching swarms with their generous
harvest of luscious sweets, that he. called an instant halt
on the work of his busy household, and devoted the rest
of the day to holiday feasting. The patron of the drones
ought forevi r to bear the honoured name of ' Saint
Bonner.'
THE DECISION OP THE COURT.
Sir Drone: — This Court having heard your defence,
declares it to be a true and manly one, all those to the
contrary notwithstanding, who would further injure you
by calling it nothing more than crafty, special pleading.
It only regrets its want of power to punish adequately
your slanderers. But, alas, my worthy fellow ! you
must not expect too much from this acquittal. Re-
member how difficult it is for Truth to overtake a Lie
that has got a start of only a single day. No doubt the
May 3, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
227
time -will come when those who have been stigmatised
as the
' LAZY FATHERS OF THE INDUSTRIOUS HIVE
■will be held in due honour by the world ; therefore con-
sole yourself with this bright hope for the future of your
race, while you protest against the lies that have had so
many centuries the start of your true story, that you
may well despair, in your short lifetime, of ever over-
taking them.
MORALS FROM THE DRONE'S PLEA.
It were easy to draw more than one good moral from
the drone's plea, such as, ' Do not give even a dog a bad
name, unless you are quite sure he deserves it ; ' but the
moral which I think at the present time can hardly help
suggesting itself to well-read bee-keepers, may be very
fairly styled the
MORAL OF THE I'ROF. WILEY SCIENTIFIC-PLEASANTRY
LIE.
It is only too well known, to the sorrow of most of
our large honey-producers, that some years ago Professor
II. W. Wiley, an entomologist in the service of tho
Government at Washington, published substantially this
statement, viz. : That honey-combs, after being manu-
factured, rilled with glucose, and sealed over, all by
human skill, so nicely as to escape detection, are largely
sold as genuine bees' honey; when the bees have had
nothing to do with a single step in tho whole cheating
process. This absolute falsehood having got a good
start, as coming from a scientific man (/), has widely, at
home and abroad, prejudiced the public against buying
the purest honey in the most beautiful combs.
Many times have 1 heard the above story spoken of
as either undoubted truth, or have been asked if it were
not the truth. It has been refuted again and again, and
large sums of money have been offered by responsible
parties to any one who will produce even a small
specimen of such a man-made product ; and yet the
story is constantly appearing in print in America,
Europe, and not long ago even in Australia. It has
found its way into a periodical of as high repute as the
British Bee Journal, and it sometimes seems to have a
greater vitality for mischief than when it first started
out on its hurtful career.
Professor Wiley, when called to account for fabricating
such a story, thought it a sufficient excuse that he meant
it only as a ' scientific pleasantry.' Could any one wish
him a harder task than over his own signature to try to
stop the march of such an inexcusable utterance ?
Could there be a stronger condemnation of his conduct
in this matter than the words of Holy Writ? — 'As a
madman who casteth firebrands, arrows and death, so is
the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am I
not in sport ?' Prov. xxvi. lt>, 19, — L. L. Langstroth,
Dayton, 0., March 8th.
been a bee-keeper for a good many years and my father
before rae, and I venture to assert, a hive of bees could
not support themselves from peach and plum blossom, if
they had not other stores ; even if bullfinches do harm,
they make up for it during the rest part of the year.
I do not wonder at the birds coming when he had a call
bird to allure them, doubtless many visited him that
would not have done so; if he had some small bells in
the trees and attached string and set them ringing when
the birds came they would soon haue decamped, or
better still, could not nets be used to prevent mischief.
I sincerely hcpe and trust no bee-keeper will follow his
example to destroy the poor birds, but to rather copy the
example of the great and good Lord Shaftesbury, who
thought it not beneath him to feed them during the
hard, frosty weather. Who being dead, yet speaketh to
us all, lessons of kindness and love. — T. Hill.
BIRDS AND FRUIT TREES.
[1G1C] 1 was truly sorry to see the letter from
J. Hiam on ' Birds and Fruit Trees;' the gentleman is
not content with destroying bullfinches himself, but
wishes others to do the same. I am happy to know
there are some human members of Parliament who are
trying to put a stop to the catching of wild birds during
breeding season. I read in the Old Book that God made
the firmament and the fowls to fly in it, and God pro-
nounced all very good, which must include birds as well.
Now some men seek to destroj- the beautiful plumaged
songsters, which enliven the fields and woods of merry
England, but I may venture to say in my humble opinion,
that the country woidd lose one of its sweetest charms
were our little feathered friends absent.
Mr. Hiam goes on to say the blossom of peach and
plum trees have been a great loss to his bees. I have
LOCATING THE APIARY-BEST HIVE-BEST
BEES FOR ALL PURPOSES— WINTERING
BEES— SPRING MANAGEMENT.
[1G17.] Nearly all, if not all, the older bee-keepers
have laboured under the disadvantage of having com-
menced the pursuit of bee-keeping at the place where
they were located at the time they received the first
stroke of the ' bee fever.' This made the business of
bee-keeping very uncertain with many of them, to say
the least. Let me illustrate this point. My location has
a good white clover range for bees, and this is the main
source for surplus in all the older states; but my location
is surrounded by a closely cultivated district, and a nice
state of husbandry. All weeds are cut from the pasture
lands and waste places, and my bees are deprived of fall
pasture except from heartsease (smartweed) which
nourishes onlv in wet seasons. Hence I must feed my
bees in the fall more or less, and this is a heavy draw on
the profit side of the account kept with the bees. Some
years ago I advised a friend of mine to start an apiary
"at his place— he lived but seven miles from me— as he
had about the same white clover range that I had and
the hills about him were covered with the little white
and purple asters which would supply his bees with
winter stores. He took my advice, and time is proving
that his location is twenty' per cent better than mine on
account of the waste lands about him which abound
with fall honey-producimr flora. Let us pause here aud
take the ' hint' that the difference in a good and a poor
location may make all the difference between success and
failure.
THE HIVE BEST FOR ALL PURPOSES.
My views on this subject are not radical. The bee-
literature of the past clearly shows that men have
succeeded well, and equally well, who have used hives
that differ as much in construction, as any of the new
hives differ from the old ones and from each other.
These facts are a broad 'hint' to the honey producer,
that the difference in hives is not so great as many pro-
fess to believe. Any good moveable frame-hive, by the
application of a little ingenuity, will give satisfactory
results. I will not consume space by discussing this
point here, as a description of my favourite hive
ha3 already been given in your pages. If the hive
is light and substantial, and capable of being ' tiered '
to the best advantage, without giving too much room
at one time, no other hive, no matter how costly
or complicated, will beat it. The 'tiering up' sj*steni
is essential to the largest yield of the best quality of
honey, and I believe the best way is to tier above the
brood department of the hive.
THE BEST BEES FOR ALL PURPOSES.
It is generally conceded that Italian bees are the best
bees for' all purposes. But as it requires time and money
to keep the race pure in any vicinity where there are
228
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 3, 1888.
Mack bees we are induced to say that Italians and the
first cross between them and black bees make a strong
working apiary. But all subsequent cross with hybrids
should be avoided. Such crosses have never failed to be
inferior to the first crosses, in my apiary.
WINTERING BKES ON SUMMER STANDS.
To winter bees safely on the summer stands the
apiarist should study the climate of his locality and
prepare his bees for winter to suit his climate. But
there is one condition in wintering bees that is common
to every place, and that is plenty of winter stores. This
I discovered years ago when transferring bees from box-
hives. I found that plenty of honey in the box-hive
means a strong colony of bees, and light stores always
brought through the winter a small colony of bees.
Bees do not waste and dwindle away when surrounded
with an abundance of honey as they do when their
stores are limited. We may take a 'hint' here and have
strong colonies in the spring, if disease does not overtake
our bees in their long winter confinement.
SPUING MANAGEMENT OF BEES.
I want my bees to have such a bountiful supply of
stores that they do not have to be disturbed in the early
spring till they begin to gather honey and pollen from
the early bloom. After this no harm will come from
any necessary manipulation. All upward ventilation
through absorbents or otherwise should be prevented as
soon as spring breeding commences. Bees will manage
aii3' accumulation of moisture at that season of the year.
In fact they need water to carry on breeding and must
have it, if they have to carry it from a distance. The
surplus cases should go on the hives as soon as the
weather will admit with safety to the bees, for if bees
once get the habit of cramming the brood-chamber with
honey they will lose much valuable time in starting work
in the surplus cases. I suspect that bad management
along this line is at the bottom of the complaint of those
who ' can't get their bees to enter the surplus cases.'
Bees are governed more by ' habit ' than any of the
domestic animals with which we have to do, and they
must be watched closely. When bees get in the habit of
storing their honey in the surplus cases they will neglect
the brood-chamber in the fall; for this reason I confine
my bees to the brood-nest at the close of the heated term
so as to have the brood-chamber supplied with honey, if
there is a fall flow.
EMPTY SECTION COMBS BBOUGHT OVEB.
Quite a number of persons have complained that the
empty sections when used again do not give them first-
class honey. This trouble can be overcome by shaving
the combs down till the cells are about one-half inch
deep. If managed in this way the sections will be first-
class every time. The job is easily and rapidly done by
a Binghani uncapping knife if kept hot by immersing it
in hot water.
TAKING SUBPI.US HONEY.
I am never in a hurry to take surplus honey from the
hives, if I have a supply of surplus cases. By the
tiering-up plan I keep the honey at the top where the
finishing process can go on without the bees soiling the
combs. Honey managed in this way will ship better
and look better in the market than if it was a little
■whiter at the start by reason of being taken from the
bees the moment it is sealed. And its superior quality
will compensate for the slight difference in appearance.
Oood quality will win in the end.
HOW TO BUILD UP A HOME MABKET.
Perseverance is the main factor in accomplishing this
desirable end. Some small circulars sent out by the
apiarist, explaining the manner of taking pure honey from
the comb, and some directions about its management to
keep it fresh and free from fermentation, how to reduco
granulated honey to its natural or liquid state, its different
uses for cooking and table purposes, its healthfulness, &c,
should be delivered, one to each family in the circuit of
the ' home market,' and above all, samples of pure honey
taken from the comb, should be left with every family
that is not acquainted with the article in that shape. If
the name ' extracted honey ' is good enough for you, you
can put that ' hifalutin ' name in your circulars, but it
will be a ' mill-stone ' about the neck of your enterprise,
so far as your home market is concerned. If such is not
the case your experience will differ from mine. A smart
boy can be trained to sell honey in and out of the comb,
from a light spring waggon provided with all the neces-
sary conveniences for handling and weighing the honey.
He should be directed to leave some honey at every new
home he enters and fails to make a sale of honey. A
circular should be left at each house he visits. In this
way hundreds of dollars can be taken in, at prices enough
better than city market prices to pay the extra expenses
of disposing of honey in this way. After the home
market has been well established, the spring-waggon
system will not be necessary, except to widen the busi-
ness and to deliver orders for honey in the towns, &c. —
G. W. Demabee (American Apiculturist).
JOTTINGS UN SECTIONS AND FOUNDATION.
[1018.] Glass Sections. — I noticed a question a week
or two back anent glass sections exhibited a few years
ago. As the querist probably referred to an exhibit of
my own at one of the British Bee-keepers' Annual
London Shows, I may inform him that they were
formed of four pieces of glass, the sides two inches wide,
and the top and bottom pieces one and three-quarter
inches, to give bee-space, and were held together by
narrow strips of gummed paper. The foundation was
fixed by warming the top piece of glass and pressing the
edge of starter on it, not making it so hot as to make the
wax run. Dividers were used as for the ordinary wood
sections. Both sides of sections were afterwards glazed,
the squares fixed by narrow strips of paper. It would be
advisable to work them in a well-made crate, and wedge
up tight, to insure that they were quite square when
filled. I remember I sold the dozen for 21s., or about
Gd. each more than the usual wood sections at that time
(but then we did not get our sections made from such
nice white wood as we do now). Possibly, it would pay
to produce a few for sale in an aristocratic neighbour-
hood, or to give away as presents to grace the wedding
breakfast-tables.
Speaking of sections, I have just received by post a
sample of Blow's new patent grooved sections, which for
utility, neatness, and strength, cannot be surpassed ; in
fact, it is the ne plus ultra of sections for those who
wish to use full sheets of foundation. I do not know if
Mr. Blow has any special frame or block for holding the
sections while inserting the foundation. My idea would
be a long trough with rectangular sides, about four
inches high. Fold three sides of your sections, leaving
one side or top unfolded, place the section in the trough
or block, say long enough to hold six, insert the sheets of
foundation, then close down the top piece, and with a tap
of the hammer drive the toothed ends together. It has
everything to commend itself to bee-keepers who have a
large apiary; it is strong and rigid when folded, and
although not quite so large (inside dimensions) as the
ordinary section, the wood being a little thicker to allow
of the grooving, yet, if we get sections without the
numerous popholes, the grooved sections in the future
will contain more honey; at the same time, will be
stronger for transit and handling.
And now a word to foundation-makers. I hope the
makers of foundation will keep abreast of the require-
ments of bee-keepers, and supply foundation of a size
that will cut up into sheets to fit sections without so
May 3, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
229
much waste as we have been accustomed to in the past.
Take the usual size, viz., stock size, as an illustration.
Now, it. has been a mystery to me why super foundation
should be cut as though it was intended to be put into
supers or sections same size as t lie standard frame. A
bee-keeper using full sheets in his sections will have a
strip off each end to waste in each sheet, or if he cuts
Lis sheet into eight squares he will moat likely get eight
nice little pieces of honey-comb hanging' from top of
section independently of any attachments to the side.
This happens more especially towards the end of the
honey season, notably when the limes are in bloom.
I myself have t iken time by the forelock and have had
my stock for the coming season cut 12 iu. by 8 in. full,
so that I can cut up without waste (a'ld I should like to
mention that I have never seen a finer lot of foundation
than Messrs. Abbott have made up for ine this season).
Now, I think a good size would be 12 in. by 8 in. or
Sill, by S in., so that we should not get any WttSte
foundation, costing the bee-keeper 2s. Sri. to 3d. per lb.,
and when remelted have to sell again a; wax at Is. 3d.
per lb. Taking into consideration the prevailing low
prices for honey the last year or two, it behoves bee-
keepers to work on the closest lines of economical
management if they have any wish for a fair margin of
profit for their labours at the end of the year when they
make up their annual account. — W. Woodley.
THINGS I HAVE LEABNT.
[1010.] Of course I had learnt most of these things in
print before, but only during the latter part of the past
winter and the early spring has the knowledge been
hammered into me by experience. Having a faint hope
that the repetition of a few familiar hints may be the
means of inducing a beginner or two to take means to
avoid disaster in his early bee-keeping career, I give a
list of my lessons.
First lesson. — That if the bee-keeper wish to avoid the
risk of starving his stocks he will take care in autumn
that each is provided with not less than twenty pounds
of stores. I am ashamed to confess what this lesson has
cost me.
Second lesson. — That late breeding is prejudicial.
One of my stocks bred largely as late as December, and
succumbed, I believe from exhaustion, in January.
Third lesson. — That it is unwise to winter weak
stocks. If other beginners feel as I do then they are
very loth to unite, especially if they be ambitious to
build up a considerable apiary. I think I may define a
weak stock as one that does not crowd at least four
frames.
Fourth lesbon. — That it is worse than useless to give,
even in April, a frame of brood to a very weak stock.
I did this in the second week in April, and a few days
afterwards found the weakling defunct, and a full frame
of brood sacrificed into the bargain. I ought to have
known better. I have now ten fairly strong stocks — the
best with brood in six frames — and trust that I shall
so succeed with them during the coming season that I
shall be warranted at its close, in relinquishing my
present name of — "Welsh Novice.
TOOL FOR UNCAPPING COMBS.
[1620.] Seeing in the Journal of April 26, a tool
for uncapping combs for the purpose of stimulating, re-
commended by ' X-Tractor,' I should like to describe a
stimulating tool which I think will beat ' X-Tractor's.'
My tool can only accomplish one thing, so in this respect
it is inferior to ' X-Tractor's.' But I think there are few
tools, which can be used with comfort for more than one
purpose. The tool is made thus : Cut a piece of tin,
1b long by j wide, cut teeth ] deep, and J apart. Nail
the tin to the end of a piece of J wood, 8 by 1£. Shape
the wood into an elegant handle. The comb need not
be removed from the hive when stimulating, it. only
requires to be drawn a little apart from its neighbour. —
R. T. Shea, Rochford, Essex.
FROM A JUNIOR BEE-KLEl'BR.
[1021.] I have often wondered whilst reading this
Journal that we do not hear more from its junior readers
(and I should judge from answers to 'Useful Hints'
problem in December numbers that there are a good
few). Darcy R. Grimshaw bravely broke the ball, but
no one else had the pluck to back him up (self included),
I propose, instead of ' Children's Column,' we call it
'Junior Column,' in which the sayings and doings of
junior bee-k:epers shall ba inserted. I hope to hear
soon how ' D. K. G.' has been getting on with his humble
bees, and whether he has been successful in wintering of
them. Stimulated by ' D. R. G.'s' letter (956, page 207)
last spring, I searched everywhere, but could not finl a
nest of humble bees. Shall try again this year. I saw
the first humble bee this year on April 10th ; it was
black, and was working on the polyanthuses. I have
been rather unfortunate with my bees this year, having
lost three stocks out of six, through loss of queen and
consequent dwindling, two being last year's queens and
the other an old one. The other stocks are doing well.
I am the only bee-keeper in this district, and all 1 know
about bees I have learnt from this Journal and other
publications. — FnEF.STONE (age 10), Odd Down} Bath.
THE SO-CALLED TRUMPETER IN XESTS OF
HUMBLE BEES.
Nearly two hundred yeara ago (168">), the Dutch
painter and able observer of insects, Mr. Van Goedart, re-
ported having noticed that colonies of humble bees had
a trumpeter among them, who every morning climbed
up to the top of the nest, whence he summoned the
other humble bees to their work by constant humming.
Having become acquainted with a great many peculiari-
ties among hymenoptera that live in communities,
especially bees and ants, which resemble social arrange-
ments of human beings, it would hardly have surprised
us to find among them something similar to the vigilant
trumpeter of our barrack yards. But from the time of
Van Goedart to the present day, all endeavours to hear
the trumpeter again proved futile, and, following the
example of Reaumur, people pretty generally began to
look upon Goedart's statement as a fable.
Recent observations made by Professor Dr. Edward
Hotter, of Graz, however, have fully confirmed the fact,
that several kinds of humble bees, which build their
nests under ground, have a watchman who calls the
colony in the morning to their labour. In his work on
the humble bees of Styria (1st part, Graz, 1882), which
is now being published, and which contains most
charming descriptions of insect life, this excellent
observer of insects relates, how last year he had pre-
sented to him a three-storied nest of Bombus aryillaceus,
containing about 160 workers, which he placed in a box,
provided with an entrance, and having a cover of
smoked glass, in which the humble bees continued their
work uninterruptedly, a couple of hours' journey not
having disturbed them in the least. The very next
morning at half past three o'clock, Professor Hoffer
heard a peculiar loud humming in the box, and after
carefully removing the wooden lid which covered the
glass roof, he observed a so-called ' small female ' stauding
erect on the top of the comb, its head, however, turre 1
aside, and beatiug its wings with all its might, the
humming which this caused being apparently increased
by the air forced through the breathing tubes. The small
creature continued this music till nearly half-past four
o'clock, i.e., for about three quarters of a hour, during which
230
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 3, 1888.
time the humble bees came out of their nest one after
another, and flew off into the fields. And this went on
every morning, the trumpeter rose from its nest at the
same hour, and continued humming, sometimes uninter-
ruptedly, for a whole hour, until it fell down completely
exhausted. After lying quietly on the ground for a few
minutes, it recovered sufficiently to be able to crawl into
its nest again.
Professor Hoffer, who, of course, was highly delighted
with his discovery, was able during the following days
to invite his family and various friends interested in
humble bees to this wonderful morning concert. One of
his visitors, Mr. Zirtsch, afterwards discovered a
trumpeter in colonies of liombus lapidarius. It is
probable that only those humble bees which build their
nests underground have such a trumpeter, and among
them perhaps it is only to be met with in large colonies.
The ancient observer of insects being thus completely
vindicated, Professor Hoffer determined to find out
what would happen if the trumpeter were removed.
He therefore caught it and pinned it on a card for his
collection, and on the following morning everything re-
mained quiet till eight minutes past four, by which time
a few humble bees, tired of waiting for the customary
signal, began to crawl out of their nest.
At the same time, however, another ' small female '
crawled up the side of the box and commenced humming
just as loudly and continuously as the previous
trumpeter, whose duties the little creature henceforth
discharged regularly every morning.
It will be seen from this that the life and doings of
humble bees are deserving of a little more attention than
has hitherto been bestowed upon them, and that like
ants, in which Sir John Lubbock takes such a great
interest, they are well worth a place in our study. Their
whole behaviour is most amusing, and they are not by
any means so ill-natured as their hot-tempered relations,
the wasps and hornets. Huber assures us that he
himself had seen them carrying their good nature so far
as to allow some bees which paid them a visit to carry
away the last drop of honej' they had. — Translated from
the Garteniaube, No. 51.
(gkjjoxs from % J)ilKS.
North Leicestershire, April .'10. — To-day is splendid
day for bees, and they are well at work carrying in
pollen from the willows. Nectar, however, is so scarce
that robbing is going on in all directions. Saturday last
was an excellent day, making the sixth nice day this
spring. Neglect of feeding means at present death to
the strongest of stocks. Two more fine days and all will
be changed. — E. P.
Honey Cottage, Hawes, North Tories, April 30. — The
weather so far has been very unfavourable for the bees.
When I wrote my last ' Echo,' February !), the weather
was, to all appearance, promising us an early season,
but about February 11 a change came for tho worst,
snow began to fall, and until March 25 never a bee was
able to fly, and ever since then it has been so cold that I
have never been able to examine a single hive, because
during the few fine days that we have had the bees have
been so inclined to rob that it has not been safe to open
any hive, and the evenings have been so cold that to
open them then means to give them a chill. Of course,
I have taken a look under the corners of the quilt to see
how stores are, hut have never lifted a frame. I am
feeding those that are anyway running short, and I have
artificial pollen near at hand ready for them when they
can get out. There is not a flower to be seen in the
fields, even the willows are not out yet. The only
flower to be seen is that useful bee-plant, Arabi's
Alpina.— Joun Wharton,
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Queries. — I have six stocks of bees : —
Nos. 1 and 2. — Old stocks in straw skep ; strong.
No. 3. — -A last year's swarm. The owner, in attempt-
ing to move them in October, lifted the skep off the
stand, and left the bees and honey behind. I drove the
bees out of the honey, and had them for my trouble,
together with the hive, and about one-quarter of the
comb, which was not disturbed. I am feeding them, and
they are doing fairly well, though not a strong lot.
No. 4. — A stock driven rather late last autumn, and
put in a frame-hive. Very weak. Feeding them with
syrup.
No. 5. — Last year's swarm, in bar-frame hive; strong,
and have plenty of stores.
No. 0. — Late swarm of last year, in skep ; not very
strong. I feed them.
Question 1. — Should you advise me to transfer the
bees from the straw hive to bar-frame ? and when ?
Question 2. — I live in a fairly good honey district,
woods all round ; clovers and sainfoin in abundance. I
do all carpentering myself, and can get materials at as
cheap a rate as any one. Would it pay me to increase
my stock ? and to what extent ? I have nearly 600
acres of land, so it would not be necessary to have them
all in one place.
I have troubled you with a fairly long rigmarole, and
to sum up : I took the bee-fancy into my head rather last
season, and 1 want your opinion as to whether it would
pay me to go in for them strong. I fear the difficulty
would be to dispose of the honey. Hoping I have not
trespassed too far on your kindness, I beg to sign myself
— COTSWOLB.
Replies. — 1. Your object being to establish your bees
in frame-hives, we would advise you, instead of trans-
ferring in the old way, to proceed as follows : — Allow
the bees to remain in the skep in the position they now
occupy until they swarm, or until they show signs
of swarming, when you can make an artificial swarm if
you prefer it. In either case, put the swarm into a
frame-hive, each frame having a piece of comb-foundation
about two inches deep fixed to the top bar. Kemove the
skep to a new position, and put the hive containing the
swarm on the old stand, with the entrance as nearly as
possible where that of the skep was, so that any bees
that are flying may return to and strengthen the swarm.
(.S'ee anncer to ' Malta,' page 219 in our last number.)
On the twenty-first day after the bees swarmed, the
brood in the skep will have, with the exception of a few
drones, all hatched out, and there will be a young queen
ready to lay. The bees should now be driven, and put
into a frame-hive prepared with foundation as before,
and in order to build it up quickly, it should be fed with
a quarter of a pint of syrup every evening. In this way,
you will obtain two good colonies with good, new combs,
and some honey and wax from each skep. The combs
should be taken out of tho old skeps, the honey extracted,
and the old combs melted, and the wax separated from
debris. 2. Your district being a good one, it would pay
you to increase your stock, but we would not advise this
being done too fast, until you have had the experience
that this year should give you. If those in skeps are
treated as above, and those in frame-hives swarm, we
think you will (if a novice) have quite enough to attend
to for this season. You should get a strong hive with
standard-sized frames from a good maker as a pattern,
and those you manufacture should bo all exactly alike.
—J. M. H.
Reply to Query by ' Lorbswoob,' tage 196. — I
made a crate of glass sections and exhibited them at
South Kensington show some years ago, the same year
as the Princess Christian was to have distributed the
prizes. I afterwards let my bees fill them with
noney, and exhibited them at our local Flower Show.
May 3, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
131
Perhaps these were the ones ' Lords-wood ' saw ; they were
made thus : — two pieces of glass about 6 x .'J for the sides,
two pieces I J x 3 for ends, these four pieces were fastened
together with coaguline, the ends between the sides, the
top was 2x6 and not fastened on, but had a very narrow
strip of glass fastened on at each end so as to just fit in-
side of ends and sides, and which kept the top in its
place. To get at the honey it was only necessary to
pass a knife round sides and ends, and the honey would
then lift out with the top glass, and by having a spare
top the same sides and ends coidd be placed on the hive
at once.— W. T. Joyce, Farnborough, Hants.
Amateub. — 1. Hive carrying in Pollen. — Sometimes,
but very rarely, pollen will be carried in, but if so, it is
in much smaller pieces. 2. Means of knowing when a
Hive will Swarm. — Not as to the particular time the
swarm will leave the hive. 3. Colony covering Three
Frames. — x'es, with proper care and adding brood
occasionally.
A L. Y. M. — Moving Bees.— It is a very bad time now
to move thein so short a distance, but if they must be
moved do so at once — there will be much greater
losses if you move them later on. Cannot you arrange
to allow them to stay until winter ?
Gabdener. — 1. Hunger Swarm. — You could not have
stopped the fighting. The stocks, no doubt, were
strengthened, but we have no means of knowing how
many entered or were killed. 2. Centipedes. — They
will not injure the bees or honey.
St. Ivian. — 1. Spring Treatment of Colony. — Your treat-
ment has been very good. Feed slowly until fruit-
blossoms, and between them and the time of white
clover blooming. 2. Wired Foundation.— Yea ; but
by wiring ordinary foundation into frames by means
of the Woiblet Spur Kmbedder it costs much less, and
is more effective. 3. Fixing Foundation in Sections. — ■
There are various methods of doing this. See adver-
tising columns, also notices in this issue. 4. Drones. —
Examine the colony you saw drones issue from a
fortnight ago. We should look upon such an early
appearance with the greatest suspicion. If it is very
strong it will be all right, but if weak in numbers, the
queen is a drone-rearer. Are you sure they were
worker larvae on the floor-board ? Drone larvae
reared in worker-cells are very small, and may by a
novice be mistaken for worker.
N. — Drone-rearing Queen. — The queen sent is a
Carniolan. We should say that during the winter the
introduced queen has died, the one received having
been reared from eggs left by her, but no drones being
about, has failed to get fertilised.
Fbnest. — Rack left on all Winter. — Remove rack at
once, and clean up for use when honey flow comes on.
If there are any sections with honey in them, uucap
and place behind dummy board for the bees to clear
out, as if they are allowed to be completed this season,
the honey of last season, already in the section, will
be darker, making what is termed a ' piebald ' section.
Thos. Gilholm. — The piece of comb consists of very
old comb, but there is no foul brood. It would be
advisable to use comb-foundation.
Hobebt Dbiveb. — The queen was not among the
bee3 forwarded. The bees are black bees. We are
sorry you have been so unsuccessful in wintering your
bees. If you desire to have a Carniolan stock, you
cannot do better than proceed in the manner you
suggest.
Wilson. — The piece of comb forwarded is sweet and
wholesome. Many of the cells are pollen-clogged, and
a few of them covered with mould, but of foul brood
there is not a trace. The bees have most probably
lost their queen some time ago, and gradually dwindled
away. The vitality of a superstitious idea is very
great.
Clutha. — 1. Artificial Swarm.— Refer to replies to
'Cotswold'; you wiil find there instructions which
will meet your case. 2. Sta}>ks. — Staples are used
for equalising the space between frames. Metal ends,
or broad-shouldered frames, are now used for the
same purpose.
T. Nixon. — By the time the queen is hatched there is
every probability of her being fertilised, as there
should then be plenty of drones flying.
Fawkiiam. — 1. Cross-built Combs. — You will find it a
tiresome job to put the stock straight. Your only
plan now will be to lift out the whole of the frames
as they are after having driven the bees up into a spare
box or skep ; then quickly cut out the combs and
fasten the straightest, and also all with brood, into the
frames with tape ; then shake the bees back into the
hive, cover up warm, and feed gently. In three or
four days the tapes may be cut and removed. 2. Stock-
ing New Hives. — You cannot do better than purchase
swarms from a reliable dealer. Try a cross between
Carniolan drone and black queen.
Beceived from Mr. J. H. Howard, of Holme, Peterborough,
a section with foundation, as produced by the block figured
in his advertisement. The block is secured to a table re-
ceiving a section cut as illustrated, and on the centre-bar
the full sheet of foundation is guided into the three grooved
sides of section, and the upper half of section top rail (cut
at an angle of -to degrees) is brought into place by the
hinged door of block. We are highly pleased with the
wax foundation used in section.
Beceived from Mr. W. B. Webster, Binfield, Berks, a
section with wax inserted and a block for keeping the
section perfectly square. The method invented by Mr.
Webster for fixing whole sheets in sections is very effective.
The foundation is gripped securely on top and both sides,
and fills the section so perfectly that the existence of ' pop-
holes ' or sagging will be well-nigh an impossibility. The
means whereby these results are obtained are : — -Three sides
of the section are in halves, the third side having sufficient
pliability to form a hinge ; upon pressing these two halves
apart, after folding the section, they form jaws, within which
the sheet of foundation is placed : it is then put iuto the
block, a board, part of the block, is pressed upon it for the
purpose of holding it firm and true ; two little tin staples
are then squeezed or knocked in, rendering the whole
secure.
Beceived from Simmins's Bee Company (Limited) their
Catalogue of Bee-keepers' Appliances (48 pages). This is a
well-arranged catalogue ; it is divided into various depart-
ments: viz., Queen and bees, hives and implements, and the
specialties of Mr. C. T. Overton, whose business has been
purchased by the Company. It also contains a list of
flower-seeds for bee pasture, besides a large amount of
practical information.
Beceived from Doctor Angelo Dubini, of Milan, his
catalogue of bee appliances with price list, together with
an illustrative sheet of his manufactures.
pSusiness ^Directory.
« ■» »
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bkos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edex & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadhau, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. G., 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston,
232
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 3, 1888.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
When & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abboii Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Hone? Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edet & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour* Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeiohoub & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keefers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents :—
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Malion, Minorca.
AFPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, Cm Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT u Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBT, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley. Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wlgston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, r„ Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLET, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 Highgtreet, Lowestoft.
The best Journal of its kind, edited and published by the
renowned C. F. H. Gravenhorbt, Brunswick.
DEUTSCHE ILLUSTRIERTE BIENENZEITUNG.
Sample copies sent on request.
Also, ' DER PRAKTISCHE IMKER.' Compendium of
Rational Bee-culture, by C. F. H. Gravenhorst. Fourth en-
larged and improved edition, with fifty-two new original
Pictures, and a frontispiece. Price 4 marks (4s.), stitched ;
well bound, 5 marks.
C. A. Schwetschke & Son (M. Bruhn), Brunswick,
SPECIAL NOTICE. -«l
A large Stock of HIYES and APPLIANCES
READY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY.
C-A-T-A-ZLiOG-TTZE POST IFIRIEIE.
HENRY F. ROW, Steam-power Hive Factory,
BRAITJTR.EE. ESSEX.
THE SOLID WOOD FEEDER
Is made on the principle of the ordinary Tin Feeder, but
Wood being substituted for the objectionable Metal is more
conducive to the comfort of the Bees, and does not rust or
corrode. Price, post free, 2/-. Address —
J. J. BICE, 16 Wensum Street, NORWICH.
GUIDE-BOOK PAMPHX.ETS.-STo. 1.
DOUBLING AND STORIFYING
FOB
Extracted and Comb Honey, and the
Prevention of Swarming.
By T. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.
Post Free, Threepence Halfpenny.
J. HTJCKLE, KI1TQS X, .A. 1ST (3- LEV.
GUIDE-BOOK PAMPHLETS. No. XI.
HOW TO MAKE AN EXTRACTOR,
AND A BELLOWS SMOKER.
By T. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.
Post Free, Sixpence Halfpenny.
J. HTJCKLE, KI1TGS LA.1TGLEY.
PUBLICATIONS OP THE
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING BEE-CULTURE
and the Relation of Bees to Flowers. Drawn by
Frank B. Cheshire, F.B.M.S. Approved and recom-
mended by the Science and Art Department. 8s. per set.
MODERN BEE-KEEPING. An Illustrated Hand-
book for Cottagers. Forty-fourth Thousand, con-
siderably enlarged and revised. The soundness of its
information, the simplicity of its instruction, combined
with cheapness, make this Handbook invaluable to all
intending Bee-keepers. Price Id., post free.
WINTERING BEES. By Thomas W. Cowan.
The most complete work on the subject of Wintering
published. Third Edition. Price 3d.
BEE-HIVES AND HOUSES. By the Rev.
George Baynor. Second Edition (enlarged). Price 6(7.
QUEEN INTRODUCTION. The Ligurian Queen
Bee and her Introduction to Alien Stocks. By the Rev.
George Raynor. Second Edition, enlarged and fully
Illustrated with engravings of the various Cages in use.
Contains full descriptions of the different methods
practised in this and other countries by Chloroform,
Caging, Direct Introduction, &c. Price 3d., post free 3 J<(.
THE MANAGEMENT OF STRAW SKEPS.
Designed to teach the Cottager how to obtain the best
results at the least possible cost. By attention to its
teachings, Cottagers will be enabled to make their
Bees a more profitable source of income than hitherto
Price Id. Ditto in Welsh, Id. Per dozen, 9d.
Address: J. HUCKLE, Secretary, Kings Langley, Herts.
British
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Strange-ways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 307. Vol. XVI.]
MAY 10, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Bbitaxml, Itotkes, fa.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Quarterly Meeting and Conversazione.
The next Quarterly Conversazione will be held
at 105 Jerrnyn Street, on Thursday, May 17th, at
six o'clock. Members being desirous of introducing
subjects for discussion, or to submit new, improved,
or interesting appliances, are requested to com-
municate with the Secretary not later than Monday,
the 14th inst. County representatives will meet
at 149 Regent Street, at four o'clock. The Quar-
terly Conference of the County Representatives
with the Committee of the B.B.K.A. will take
place at 105 Jerrnyn Street, at five o'clock.
The Committee have decided to forward copies
of the Reports of the Quarterly Meetings to each
member of the Association.
Royal Agricultural Show.
Entries for the Bee Department of this Exhi-
bition to be held at Nottingham in July, close on
Saturday next, the 12th inst. Prize Lists will be
sent on application to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Laugley.
ADULTERATION OF HONEY.
We have long been aware that American dealers
adulterated honey, hut we must confess that we were not
prepared for the revelation made in the Bee-leeper's
Magazine for April. It appears that the Dairy Com-
missioner of New Jersey has had honey purchased in
different towns in the State, and has had it analysed.
Out of thirty-one samples of honey put up by packing-
houses, only six were found to be pure ! AVe reprint the
list furnished by our contemporary, and commend it to
the careful study of every bee-keeper. We have never
suspected bee-keepers to be guilty of adulteration, and
•we are glad to find, as of course we expected to do, that
every sample supplied by bee-keepers was pure. "\Ve
have very good reasons for complaint against American
honey-dealers, for did they not flood our British markets
with adulterated stuff, to the great detriment of Ameri-
can as well as our own bee-keepers? It will he still
within the recollection of many of our readers that in
1870 Messrs. Thurber & Co. imported into England a
large quantity of honey. They exhibited it at Kilburn,
and certainly up to that time no single exhibit of such
magnitude, or presented in so saleable a form, had
been seen in London. AV. Hoge, who was their
honey-man at that time, said there were ten tons,
but although there was not even half this quantity, the
exhibit was a tine one, and gave a good idea of the
capabilities of America in the production of honey- The
market for American honey was riow open, and prospects
■were most brilliant ; but it was not long before Thurhers,
through Hoge, introduced adulterated honey, and, not-
withstanding the attractive labels, the British public
soon learnt to look with suspicion on any honey hearing
the name of Thurber. The British Bee-keepers' Associa-
tion also did good service to bee-keepers in having
honey supplied by dealers analysed and publishing the
results.
Hoge left Thurher's, and started business on his own
account with an office in the City, a honey refinery (?)
at Islington, and all the paraphernalia necessary for the
sophistication of honey. lb' advertised extensively, and
his honey was to be seen in many shop-windows; and
had lie dealt honestly in pure honey, probably his career
would not have been such a short one. Adulteration,
however, proved for him too great a temptation, and
when analysed, of all the samples of honey emanating
from Hoge's establishment under various names, there
■was not one pure. We do not wish to enter into
details of how he imposed on the credulity of the
public by assuming what he was not, and why he
and his fraudulent exhibits were turned out of the
Health Exhibition ; nor how he imposed on his country-
men a story of which there was not a word of truth,
pretending that he had got his honey on the Queen's
table, and how this story, with various additions and
variations, made the tour of the American papers.
Knavery may serve a turn, but honesty is the best in the
long run. Probably Hoge has found this out now in Ids
wanderings no one knows where in America, and his
firm have lately paid a first and final dividend, a most
remarkable one, of '65 of a penny, or 21. 14.«. 2d. in
1000/. !
We mention these facts merely to show the harm
that adulteration has done and the reason that American
honey is now a drug in the British market. Bee-keepers,
both here and in America, have reason to cry out against
these adulterating practices of dealers and should decline
to supply them with honey. We have before us a letter
written to us a few years ago by Hoge & Co., asking in
to supply them with our honey, and they said they were
234
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 10, 1888.
prepared to give us our own price. Suspecting the pur-
pose for which it was intended we declined to sell to
them at any price. We hope others will do the same,
and thus induce shop-keepers to purchase direct from the
bee-keeper, instead of through a dealer. The list is
rather an instructive one, and is worth a careful study,
as it makes clear two very important points. First, it
will he noted that in most cases the adulterated honey is
labelled in such a way as to make one suppose it was
pure and something extra good. For iustauce, No. 57,
' Choice comb honey,' No. 62, ' White clover honey from
the apiaries of Central New York, warranted pure,'
No. 78 is also 'warranted pure;' and one, No. 00, has
actually the audacity to state 'Pure orange-blossom
honey ; is absolutely pure, no glucose,' and yet this is
found to be adulterated. The gaudy label and the
warranty therefor of an American honey-dealer appear
to us in the vast majority of cases very much like a
badge of its impurity. The second lesson is that honey
in the comb is also adulterated. By referring to Nos. 57
58, and GO, it will be seen that these are all comb honey,
yet they are adulterated.
Where does this adulterated comb honey come from ?
Not from respectable bee-keepers, of that we are quite sure.
We have the authority of Mr. Shippen Wallace, Ph.D.,
for the fact that this comb honey is adulterated, and it
is therefore produced. How ? That is the secret.
Shall we be also told that this is a Wiley lie, or is there
any other explanation than that this adulterated comb
honey is manufactured on some of the adulterating farms
by feeding bees ? We are glad to notice that notasingle
sample of honey purchased of bee-keepers was adulterated.
Further comment is unnecessary.
The Bee-keeper's Magazi?ie has done bee-keepers good
service in exposing this adulteration, and, in a vigorous
article condemning the practice, winds up with the
following remarks, which we commend to our readers : — ■
' So long as Messrs. F. G. Strohmeyer and Co. continue
adulterating honey, they should be shunned by all bee-
keepers who have any respect for themselves or their
pocket-books. The same is to be said of Messrs. M'Caul
and Hildreth, and the rest of the gang of adulterators.
They should be made to feel that they are outraging
the rights of the bee-keepers of this country, and for the
few paltry dollars they may make in this nefarious trade
they are ruining hundreds of bee-keepers, and rendering
hundreds of others poor, with their families perhaps, in
want.'
Mr. A. Todd, whose kindness to us when at Phila-
delphia we shall never forget, cried out, and truly,
against this practice, and said the competition was so
great that there was very little chance of making a living
by dealing only in pure honey, but that rather than
adulterate he would give up the business. We are glad
to find that he has been true to his word. This is what
the Bee-keepers Magazine says : — ' It is a lasting monu-
ment to our friend, the late Arthur Todd, that, amid all
the adulterating dealers about him, he stood aloof, and
never soiled his hands with the dirty business, and that
when he preached " Deal in pure honey," he also practised
it.'
We subjoin the Report referred to from the Bee-keep-
ers' Magazine.
ANALYSIS OF HONEY.
The forthcoming report of the Dairy Commissioner
of New Jersey will contain notes on the quality of
strained honey as usually sold in bottles and jars.
Forty-two samples of bottled honey were analysed, and
it was ascertained that out of thirty-one samples put up
by packing-houses only six were pure. The samples
purchased in small towns and villages, representing
strained honey put up by farmers, wTere all pure.
Below is a table of the samples analysed and the result
of the analysis : —
STRAINED HONEY.
1
W *°™ o* Laid.
Result of
Analysis
57
Pater son .... Wm. Thompson, Wayne Co., N.Y.,
Adulterated
58
....McCaul A Hildreth Bros., N.Y. City,
59
56
60
Wm. Collins, Worcester, N.Y., 'choice
61
Jersey City.
J. V. Sharp Canning Co., Williamstown,
Pure
62
»
Wardell A Wataon, Brooklyn, N.Y.,
' white clover honey from the apiaries
of Central New York ; warranted puro ' Adulterated
76
Newark
J. T. Dunham, ' Buperior quality of
-
77
Thnrber, Whylaud A Co., N.Y., 'pure
78
Hoboken ....
E. A. Walker, Greenpoint, L.I. , * superior
79
Jersey City.
Wm. Collins, Worcester, N.Y., 'choice
80
Hoboken....
E. A. Walker A Bro., 135 Oakland St.,1
Brooklyn, N.Y., 'choice honey' Adulterated
81
Charles Israel & Bro., N.Y., 'choice
82
C. G. Leslie A Son, Pittsfield, Mass.]
m
Hoboken ....
84
Geo. D. Powell, * choice extracted North-
Newark
85
Wm. Thompson, Wayne Co., N.W.,
86
Hoboken ....
E. F. Watson, Brooklyn, N.Y., 'pure
California honey from groves of San
Adulterated
87
McCaul ft Hildreth, New York, 'choice
Adulterated
88
Code, Elfelt A Co., Sau Francisco, ' extra
89
Frank Charters, New York, ' white]
90
F. G. Strohmeyer A Co., New York,
* pure orange-blossom honey ; is abso-
Adulterated
91
Wm. Thompson, Wayne Co., N.Y.,
92
Andrew Jackson, Deposit N.Y., 'pure
Pure
H16
Pure
1417
Sleeper, Wells, A Aldrich
1418
,.
1424
Pure
1425
way
1429
„ 'Wm. Collins, Worcester, N.Y Adulterated
1431
1432
1434
Wm. E. Johnson, Moorestown, N.J. ... Pure
1435
1436
1W
143S
1439
„ lArthur Todd. Philadelphia jPuro
1440
„ 'W. Collins, Worcester, N.Y 'Adulterated
1441
„ IGifEord A Stiles, State honey iPnre
1442
,, 'Philadelphia Pickling Co., ' virgin1
-Bee-keepers' Magazine.
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather. — After several days of boisterous wind
and most ungenial weather we are enjoying calm and
sunshine, of wrhich the bees are making the best use.
Fruit bloom in abundance is bursting forth, and willows,
elms, poplars, furze, &c, are now affording forage. Let
us hope, then, that at last the trying winter is past, and
a plentiful honey-yield is approaching. But of many a
colony, alas ! it may be said, Mortua est.
Bacillus depilis. — On all sides we hear of colonies
dead, colonies queenless, colonies diseased, Bacillus
depilis being very prevalent. For the latter disease we
have found the best treatment to be plenty of ventilation
May 10, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
235
below and feeding on salicylised syrup. This should be
done immediately the disease is discovered — by the
number of dead bodies, bloated, black and shiny, being
cast out — otherwise in a few days the population be-
comes so reduced, that death or gradual dwindling
speedily follows. With the exception of the loss of a few
weak colonies and of several aged queens — which ought
to have been superseded before going into winter quarters
— our bees have passed through the winter well, under
enamel cloth and free from dampness or mouldy combs,
the entrances being kept at full widtlt until the time of
pilfering arrived.
Queen Wasps have not appeared at present in our
locality. We have not noticed a single specimen, which
is somewhat remarkable at this advanced period. The
absence of queens now does not, we fear, forecast the
absence of their offspring throughout the Bummer.
Feeding on thin syrup is still carried on vigorously
in our apiary, and is thankfully and freely accepted by
the bees. Apparently, they prefer it much to winter
stores of candied honey, and are actively clearing out
the latter. Pollen is now abundant in the fields, and
with water and syrup supplied at home the bees have
all they can want, and will amply repay the expenditure,
we trust, by the future storage of surplus honey.
Natural SWARMING, if the weather continues bright
and warm, will soon commence; and forward colonies,
especially if surplus cases are not in use, should be
carefully watched. Our own practice, as we have before
stated, is to allow natural swarming, and to place surplus
eases on the swarms which occupy the position of the
parent colony, a part of the latter being used simply as a
nucleus for queen-rearing {vide 11. B.J., vol. xv. p. 204).
By these means we keep up a sullicient supply of young
queens of superior quality — raised under the swarming
impulse — for superseding old ones, and have a few over
for our friends at the minimum of trouble and expense.
The average yield of honey under this system will also
bear comparison witli most other systems. Of course there
is no forcing swarms, the bees being allowed to follow
their own instinct, surplus cases being placed on all
colonies, as a rule, when they are sufficiently populous,
at the commencement of the honey-flow. To those who
prefer artificial swarming, we say, consult Mr. Cowan's
book, p. 80, last edition.
Hives and Super Cases should now be held in
readiness with foundation inserted. The best hive we
consider to bo one containing two similar equal and
interchangeable chambers, each capable of containing
ten standard frames and two division-boards or of taking
a case of sections, with substantial roof, and four stout
legs nut splayed. Splayed legs are so apt to be kicked
by the manipulator, unintentionally of course, that the
temper of the bees, especially if they chance to be Cy-
piians, is not improved thereby. Two additional boxes,
each taking ten frames of 11 x oi inches outside dimen-
sions, are also very useful and desirable when working
for extracted honey, or as a divisional brood chamber by
those who prefer a deeper frame than the standard for
wintering upon. In all cases we advise the trial of an
excluding honey-board between brood chambers and
surplus compartments.
Really good Sections, iu our opinion, will always
hold their own against extracted honey, lint to combs
intended for extracting neither drones nor queen must be
almitted, if we desire to produce a first-class article.
Last season we worked several cases of sections, both
1-lb. and L'-lb., in hanging frames, whose four sides were
two inches wide, entirely covering the four sides of the
sections, which being crowded into the frames were thus
kept clear of propolis, and when finished were as clean
and white as when first inserted in the frames. The
frames were suspended in a plain four-sided case, just as
we suspend brood frames in a hive, with a bee-space
below them, and slotted dividers between the sections.
The method proved successful, and we hope to recur to it
again.
Experts. — We earnestly exhort experts to be very
cautious as regards spreading foul brood. We always
advise cottagers to destroy diseased colonies by burning
hives, combs, bees, and all surroundings. Calvert's car-
bolic soap, used by the medical profession, and sold in
small tablets in tiny tin boxes, is useful for washing the
hands after manipulating foul brood. The clothes like-
wise should be disinfected, which may be effectually and
cheaply accomplished by dredging over them a little of
the Government Carbolic Powder, sold by all chemists
in tin cases, perforated at one end, and holding about a
quart, for sixpence. A cheaper and better disinfectant
cannot be procured, and it ought to be used in every
apiary.
Weak Colonies. — If a very weak colony, possessing
a young and fertile queen, be made to exchange places
with a strong populous colony about midday, on a fine
warm day, when the bees are at full work, it may quickly
be metamorphosed into a strong and prosperous one.
The only caution necessary i-; to cage the queen of the
weak colony until the following evening when she may
be liberated without any fear of being attacked.
There is no more simple and easy method of equalising
colonies at this time of the year than this. If the hives
are similar in appearance and construction there need be
no fear of failure, but under any circumstances we have
never known the plan to fail.
( Ii.i.a 1'oDRiDA. — Honey-boards. — Friend ' Amateur
Expert' wishes to know why we advocate the use of honey-
boards. In our last 'Hints' we said, that over the slatted
honey-boards last season we had obtained sections which
were simply perfection, and moreover the bees entered
the crates and worked through the perforations as freely
did as those colonies over which no excluder was used.
That, to our mind, was sufficient reason for advocating
further trial. We also suggested that non-success in the
use of excluder zinc, in this country, had arisen from
laying the zinc sheets upon the top bars of brood frame-,
instead of using the slatted boards, and allowing bee-
space above and below them. This was our own expe-
rience, and we have in time pa-t condemned the use,
under the former conditions, of excluder zinc, as loudly
as any one. Our experience differs from that of ' A. E.'
as to the amount of brood and pollen liable to be
deposited in sectional and other supers when exclusion of
drones and queens is not practised. In moist seasons,
when the population increases fast, and honey comes in
slowly, we have repeatedly seen sections filled witli
brood, and pollen placed around it; and although 'A. E.'
gives it as his experience that less than two per cent of
his sections are defiled by brood or pollen, nevertheless,
he lias, in days gone by, mentioned the case of a ' leading
light ' in his ' adopted country,' who said to a friend,
' Come and look at my super, the bees have filled it and
sealed it over in no time. Splendid ! it is fit for the
show ! ' ' Yes,' said the friend, ' it is the handsomest
specimen of drone brood I ever saw ; all the sections are
complete; I hope you will get first prize, you deserve it.'
(II. B. J., vol. xiv., p. 188). So then sometimes, at least,
the instinctive yearning for drone brood leads to defile-
ment of sections. Wherefore, if, as our American cousins
say, and as our own experience points in the same direc-
tion, bees work sections of superior quality, and, to say
the least, as quickly, over excluding honey-boards as
they do without excluders, why should we debar our-
selves from the use of these? Surely not because our
American friends succeeded where we ourselves have
failed.
Additional reasons — to those we gave in last 'Hints' —
in favour of ' excluders,' we venture to think are,
(a), exclusion of drones from congregating in sections,
and to a certain extent discolouring them; (6), pieven-
tion of the building of drone-comb in sections, which
236
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 10, 1888.
frequently takes place, even on the thinnest worker
foundation, and spoils the appearance of the sections ;
(c), prevention of the discoloration of the central
sections, immediately over the centre of the brood-nest,
by the ascending heat, and the close clustering of the
bees.
With regard to the last objection, we rarely take off
an ordinary case of sections without finding the central
ones of a dirty brown colour, unless ' excluder ' has been
used. This, however, is not the case where the ' Raynor-
divisible-seetion-cases ' are used ; and we are bound to
say that in them we have never met with a single
instance of deposition of brood. Nevertheless, in future
practice our intention is to place these divisional cases on
the excluding honey-boards ; so convinced are we of the
certainty of thus obtaining more perfect sections than
when the admission of drones and queens to super cases
is allowed. Indeed the testimony of such ardent and
experienced bee-keepers as Mr. W. B. Oarr, and others,
together with the foremost apiarists of America and
Canada, should not be lightly esteemed, or quietly
ignored, without a full and fair trial. Superior sections,
the case with which they are removed from the brood-
chamber, and other advantages enumerated above, induce
us to forecast for the slatted excluding honey-boards a
great future in the production of comb-honey. Restriction
of the brood-chamber — sufficiently large, of course — solely
to the raising of brood, without expansion or contraction
after the honey flow sets in, and storage of surplus above
it, with an intervening honey-board, and tiering up, as
required, both for comb and extracted honey, we believe
will be the ' system of the future.'
Blizzard may or may not be an Americanism, but
Nuttall certainly givesit as such. As ' A. E.' states, there
are no doubt many obsolete English words, or words whose
meanings have been entirely changed in the old country
still in use in the United States, e.y., the words 'sick 'and
' sickness,' which still retain the old signification in the
U. S., while here they have been superseded by ' ill ' and
' illness,' the later usage of sick and sickness conveying
the idea of nausea only. To the derivation of the word
' blizzard,' suggested by the correspondent of Notes and
Queries, we prefer our former suggestion of Blinkard,
Blidzard, Blizzard, meaning a 'Blinder.' We were born,
bred, and educated, during the first quarter of a century
of our life, in a Midland county, and freely mixed with
all classes— high and low, rich and poor, educated and
uneducated — in three or four Midland counties, having
keptup acquaintance with the localitiesformorethanforty
years since that period, and few if any provincialisms
have escaped us, but we never heard the word ' Blizzard.'
Blast and Blazer, are common enough, and the former
is frequently used as an oath, but Blizzer, for Blazer, we
never heard, nor the verb Blissom, which has a widely
different meaning. We incline, therefore, to .Nuttall s
view, that ' Blizzard ' is of American coinage to express
the violent storm for which they had no word.
blectcb dlmrg.
[8.] What should be done with weak colonies in
spring ? How can they be strengthened ? What is best
to be done with mouldy combs? Can they be prevented?
Two colonies may be united in the manner described
by me in Query No. 7. They can be strengthened, first,
by contracting the frames of comb to the number the
bees can well cover by feeding, to stimidate brood-
rearing, and then, when there are sufficient bees to
protect and care for it, by exchanging a frame of empty
worker-comb for one of sealed and hatching brood with
a strong colony, another frame of brood may be added
from time to time ; but great care must be taken not to
do this too fast, and to first ascertain that they are strong
enough to cover it and prevent its being chilled. It is
best to cut out the mouldy portion of comb, and fill in
the space with clean worker-comb or foundation. If
simply cut out the bees will usually fill the spaces with
drone-comb. It can be prevented by the entrance of
the hive being left open the whole width during winter,
thus giving better ventilation and circulation of the air
at the bottom of the hive, and keeping all dry. — -John
M. HOOKER.
Allow no more combs than actually needed, place the
dummies close up to same, have all well packed and
judiciously fed, with entrances contracted ; such will
hold on till strengthened by a frame of hatching brood.
Mouldy combs, if not unto rottenness, can be brought
back into use by heat, or hanging in a dry, airy room,
and when dry the mould, so far as possible, brushed
out ; but if combs are placed to a winter distance of 2 in.
apart (centre to centre) at right angles to a full entrance
with plenty of bottom air-space, they will not mould
provided that the roof and hive-walls are sound. — John
H. Howard, Holme, Peterborough,
(1.) If very weak I would unite two or three together;
but if only moderately reduced in strength and possessing
young queens, I would strengthen with brood from
strong colonies, being careful to only give it in such
quantities as the weak colony would cover with bees.
(2.) By adding frames of eggs and hatching brood from
strong colonies able to spare them, removing spare combs,
and gentle feeding. (3.) Brush off all the mould pos-
sible, and then place the combs in the centre of strong
stocks, and the bees will soon complete the cleaning.
(4.) Yes ; by giving them to the bees to clean off the
loose honey after extracting, and then hanging them in
spare hives, or boxes, and storing in a dry room until
wanted for use. — H. Wood.
Unite them, and, if possible, give one or more combs
of sealed brood — ■ taking care not to give more than the
bees can cover at once — and pack up warmly. Melt them
down and use foundation, unless the combs are very
even and clean ; then dry in the sun and brush as clean
as you can ; spray with salicylic acid, or phenol, and
fumigate with brimstone before re -using. Combs
covered with bees in a dry hive I have never found
mouldy. — W. E. Burkitt.
Build them up by giving hatching brood in such
quantity as they can cover easily, if the queen is of any
value ; cover up warmly and reduce entrances. To pre-
vent store in dry condition, half an inch apart in
autumn, and paint box with solution of carbolic acid ; if
good in other respects should utilise them later in strong
stocks. Fumes from burning sulphur, or weak carbolic
solution, are both excellent preventives of disease. —
John Edey.
If a weak colony possesses a prolific queen and has
commenced breeding, I would confine it between division
boards and give it a frame of sealed brood from a strong
colony, feeding gradually on warm syrup, and covering
up warmly, until it attained to the average strength.
But in cases of this kind everything depends upon sur-
rounding circumstances, and it is impossible to give any
but general rules. Melt down mouldy combs. — George
Raynor.
Having weak colonies in spring, I should prefer to
unite two or more together so as to make one good
colony. They may be strengthened by adding frames of
brood from other hives as the bees are able to cover, but
I doubt much if the latter would be profitable. Combs
found to be mouldy, and not clogged with pollen, should
be softly brushed and sprayed with salicylic acid sjlu-
tion, after which they may be hung up in a dry, airy
place for further use. If the combs are very mouldy, I
would put them into wax basket for melting down. In
these days of cheap comb-foundation no risk should be
run with old and doubtful - looking combs, — Wm.
McNali/y, Glenluce, Scotland,
May 10, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
237
Unite them to others; or if the queen is worth saving
they can be strengthened with frames of hatching brood
from other colonies. If only slightly mouldy the bees
will clean them out, hut if very much so the melting-pot
is the best place for them : can be prevented by dry
hives of sufficient thickness and allowing upward ven-
tilation, or wide entrances during winter. — Wm, N.
Griffin.
It would depend on the queen ; if she was worth
saving I should contract the brood-nest to three or four
combs, feed with 'Good' candy, to which some meal was
added ; and if I had a frame of brood I could spare from
a strong colony I should add that with as many young
bees adhering as possible ; but if the queen was aged I
should unite to next stock. I find a strong stock of bees
will soon clean out mouldy combs. Those combs that
are pollen-clogged and got mouldy had better be melted
down, as a strong colony of bees would work out a sheet
of foundation as quickly as they would clear the old
comb of mould besides leaving many of the cells full of
useless pollen: the new comb would be far more useful in
the brood-nest than the old one under such circumstances.
— W. WoODLEY.
If there is a stock standing near, I find it a good plan
to take the queen away, and unite the bees to the stock,
putting what brood there is in the centre, and move the
stock midway between where the two stood before. If
they are not too weak they might be shut up close and
stimulated by continuous gentle feeding; giving occa-
sionally a frame of brood from stronger stocks that
could spare them, and inserting in their place a frame of
foundation. Where there are any mouldy combs it is
best to take them out and hang them to dry, and as the
stocks increase in strength give sheets of foundation. I
have found some mould in my hives where there has
been too much covering on the tops of the frames, while
in other stocks that had not so much the combs were
quite dry.— John Walton, Honey Cott, Weston.
Unite and utilise spare queens by giving them to
queenless stocks. Great impetus can be given to me-
diocre colonies by reducing space between combs about
end of April or beginning of May if weather is fairly
warm. Give frames of brood from strong colonies after
weak ones have somewhat recovered. If rotten with
mould cut part out, but if only superficially mould)-, dry
and then brush off as much of the mould as possible,
then spray with salicylic acid solution, and return to
bees. Combs will never get mouldy if hive is dry and
thickly populated. Combs that have been removed from
hives will keep free from mould if properly cleaned out
by bees in autumn, and then put away in sound boxes in
dry position. — W. B. Webster.
Wait until a few young bees hatch, and then unite ;
or hold them until swarming time, then unite and use
one queen for a stock that may have swarmed. It is
very bad practice to rob the strong to help the weak ;
better far let the weak help each other by uniting
judiciously. Mouldy combs do not occur in a dry, well-
Ventilated hive. — Samuel Simmins.
ASSOCIATIONS.
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Committee have made arrangements for exhi-
biting hives and other bee-keeping appliances and honey
at the Irish Exhibition in London. Samples of last
year's honey will be shown at the opening of the Exhi-
bition, and in August it is intended to make a substantial
exhibit of new honey. Prizes will be offered to members
for the best contributions to this latter exhibit.
Since the Report published in the Bee Journal of 12th
April, the two following District Secretaries have been
appointed: — For Co. Leitrim, Rev. J. Gamier Digges;
for Co. Donegal, Mr. George Turner.
MONMOUTHSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
At the Flower Show to be held at Monmouth on the
loth and 16th of November next the following prizes
for honey will be given : — Section Honey, best six 1-lb.
sections— (1) 10s.; (2) 6*.; (3) 4s. Run Honey— best
six 1-lb. bottles of this year's honey — (1) 10s.; (2) 6s.';
(3) 4s. Further particulars may be had from Geo.
Tucker, Esq., Hon. Sec, The Shubbery, Monmouth.
HULL AND AND DISTRICT BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
A meeting of this Association was held at the Station
Hotel, on Wednesday evening, May 2, when Mr. David
Wilson, J. P., was unanimously elected President of the
Association, the Rev. R. M. Lamb of Burton Pidsea, and
Mr. E. Harland, were elected Vice-Presidents, and Mr.
Charles Howes and Mr. Henry Harland, lion, secretaries.
The objects of the Association, which is under the
patronage of Mr. Arthur Duncombe, M.P., are the ad-
vancement of rational and modern bee-keeping in
place of the old and barbarous sulphur-pit method, and
the spread of a profitable method of bee-keeping to the
advantage of cottagers and others in the Fast Riding.
The prospective arrangements include, amongst other
things, a lecture on some subject of interest connected
with bee-keeping at an early date, and a honey fair in
the autumn.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
ky his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jtc., must be addressed only to *The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
Ac, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
%• In order to facilitate reference, Corespondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
OUR HONEY IMPORTS.
The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom
during the month of April, 1888, amounted to 2508/.
[From a return furnished by the Statistical Department
H. M. Customs to E. H. Bellairs, Wingfield, Christ-
church.]
IN-AND-IN BREEDING.
[1022.] 'Theta' (1604) takes the bull by the horns
with a vengeance when he so courageously rushes in to
show your readers how much they are mistaken when
they imagine it possible to improve their bees (or, indeed,
the breed of anything) by a judiciously carried out sys-
tem of crossing"; or that they can reiuvigorate waning
or "expending force by a timely infusion of fresh blood.
He plunges in media* res and boldly tells us that as he
has, ' to a small extent, proved that there are no evils
to be feared from consanguinity ; ' that as Mr. Greene
has 'for five years bred from the progeny of a single pair
of fantails ; ' and that as M. de Roos married his cousin
without any serious results (if any), in-and-in breeding
is to be commended, and whole generations and feons of
historical record are to be by these means falsified, and
rendered worthless by this absurd new doctrine.
The letter of ' Theta ' is so well written and thought
out, that on that account it is worthy of consideration ;
but the germ of his communication would lead me to
dismiss it from very serious argument, so much am I
238
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 10, 1888.
convinced of the instability of the foundation on which
his structure is built. And this is more consideration
than is shown to their opponents by M. de Roos and Mr.
Greene ; for while M. de Roos says, ' The theoretical state-
ments of the adversaries of consanguinity may be lightly
esteemed' . . . He also states, *The results of numerous
direct and indirect experiments alone can solve the dif-
ficult problem.' Mr. Greene characterises ' the belief
that consanguinity is productive of deterioration' AS an
absurdity, and is thereby inconsistent with his subse-
quent statement: — 'Heredity is a potent factor in the
determination of health no less than of disease . . . but
when it comes from both (parents) the tendency to
either strength or weakness is increased to an appreciable
extent, or in the ratio of one to four, and so on in
geometrical proportion.' He also says that 'consan-
guinity alone will not produce disease in the offspring.'
Neither will an open drain near one's house, but both
will offer a specially prepared alighting place — a happy
hunting-ground — for just that very disease which goeth
about like a roaring microbe, &c. Yet Mr. Greene
himself tells us further on in ' Theta's ' letter that 'con-
sanguineous parentago transmits to posterity with redu-
plicated intensity ' certain diseases and characteristics ;
'in such cases Nature providing her own remedy, for,
after a time, the race thus produced will fail from sheer
lack of vigour to maintain it.' In order for this gentle-
man's experiments to be of service in an argument in
favour of in-and-in breeding, it would be necessary for
his fantails of to-day to be the descendants of nearest
relatives in each generation ; for, in a question of this
sort, we cannot allow breeders to look around for the
finest birds and keep breeding from them. We should
have consecutive generations of nearest kin crossed, and
to prove an argument ' the nearer the better ' in opposi-
tion to the opinions we hold of ' the further away the
better,' make us avoid relatives and proceed to the other
extreme — yourselves to give point to your argument. I
imagine the pigeon-fanciers of the future won't have
many of ' Greene's strain of fantails.'
Let M. de Roos carry his human experiments a
little closer to the argument and intercross in nearer
relationship (of course the nearer the better according to
these three authorities) for generations, giving nature at
least a chance, in point of time, to improve the race ; and
I think she would ' leave not a wrack behind.' The
directories of the period would be ransacked in vain for,
at least, male representatives of the family.
Even if the instances given of alleged improvement
by in-and-in breeding could hold water as proving bond-
fide improvement, they are so meagre and few compared
to the myriads of examples to the contrary we see in
a rough survey of animated nature, that they could only
be adduced as ' exceptions which prove the rule.' Be-
sides, it has yet to be proved that abnormal sports and
freaks of Nature, which are all right to ' the fancy,' are
at all improvements on original ancestors as to vigour,
size, fecundity, and hardness of constitution, just as it
has yet to be shown that M. de Rous' male grandchildren
(or even children) are improvements, mentally and
physically, on this celebrated author. Nearly every
man of middle age has seen instances of human degene-
racy or deterioration resulting from the marriage of
cousins in one generation ; and I have a well-authenti-
cated instance of cousins marrying for four generations,
the result being that all the progeny were devoid of hair
and nails, and were either imbecile or blind. On the
other hand, instances of benefit resulting from judicious
crossing of varieties are indeed ' too numerous to men-
tion ; ' they occur all through the animal and vegetable
kingdoms.
I regret that ' Theta ' instanced the Jewish race in
support of his theory : it is bringing Bible history into
the argument, and that should have been avoided; but
so Jong as it has been introduced, it is necessary to meet
the charge that interbreeding is, or has been, beneficial
to the Semitic race by the distinct statement that true
in-and-in breeding has not been faithfully carried on
by them, and even so far as it has been partially
practised it has been detrimental to them in my opinion.
In fact it is, in all likelihood, one of the causes of the
peculiar position of that people amongst the nations of
the earth, — wanderers, without organization or head,
over the whole surface of the habitable globe, subject to
persecution and misery everywhere ; not remarkable, to
say the least of it, for those vigorous qualities which go
to make strong nations, and which are characteristic
of peoples of mixed ancestry.
Your correspondent says that in all the sacred
writings there is no direction to 2>revent in-and-in
breeding. I will not contradict him, as it will open up
a religious discussion ; but as he is evidently interested
in this aspect of the question, I may be pardoned for
asking him to search out where Cain found his wife,
driven out as he was into the land of exile (Cain, the
first man born of woman !). Certainly not in a consan-
guineous union, of which there is, I believe, no instance
amongst the children of Adam. And though there is
nothing to prevent in-and-in breeding in the following-
passage, yet the inference, to my mind, is decidedly in a
preventive direction : — ' When men began to multiply on
the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto
them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men
that they were fair ; and they took them wives of all
which they chose. There were giants in those days ;
and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto
the daughters of men, and they bare children unto them,
the same became mighty men which were of old, men of
renown.' Let us leave the Bible alono, please, ' Theta,'
for we may not, all of us, take it as being a history of
the origin and growth of the whole human family.
It seems to me that ' Theta ' says a great deal to
upset his own argument, e.g., ' Take two known con-
sumptive or scrofulous human subjects and unite them,
and the chances are, many thousands to one, that the
progeny will be consumptive to a greater degree than
the parents.' Just so. That is exactly the point. You
emphasise a taint in the blood of the union, and if one
parent member of a family have a taint in the blood, his
or her descendants are likely to receive it hereditarily ;
eryo, to lessen the risk, relations should not intermarry,
and, q.e.d., the marriage of near relations is to be con-
demned because of this danger. Again, he tells us, 'An
evil of this sort is ten times more apparent when the
parents are nearly related,' because ' first cousins are the
produce of a pair of grandparents. Presume one or both
grandparents to be suffering from an organic disease, does
it not follow that both the cousins have the seeds of it
in their bodies, and that the bodies of their progeny are
favourable incubators for its propagation ? ' Here we get
Truth itself ; but I certainly read it as being condemna-
tory of consanguineous unions.
' Theta ' asks for a second Lubbock to arise. "Why
not let the first Lubbock arise (a second Frankenstein)
and speak for himself !J In his work on The Oriyin of
Civilisation (p. 125), Sir John Lubbock says: 'The in-
ferior energy of children sprung from in-and-in mar-
riages.' ' The advantage of crossing, so well known to
breeders of stock, would soon give a marked preponder-
ance to those races by whom exogamy was largely
practised.' On p. 123: ' Tho evils of marrying near
relatives.' ' Exogamy a reformatory movement to break
up the intermarriage of blood relations.' To quote further
would be to give you pages of marriage laws showing
how too near consanguineous unions were avoided.
Every one will, I think, admit that the lower we go in
the scale of humanity the more barbarous and rude are
the customs of the race as regards the relationship or
otherwise of parents towards each other, and, per contra,
the higher the civilisation the greater is the care exer-
May 10, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
239
cised to prevent what may seem too near consanguinity
(witness the action of the bench of Bishops with regard
to the Bill for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's
sister).
Sir John Lubbock, in his book, comes to the following
conclusions : —
1. That existing savages are not the descendants of
civilised ancestors.
2. That the primitive condition of man was one of
utter barbarism.
3. That from this condition several races have jinde-
pendently raised themselves.
And I gather from the many instances given in his
book that those races which practise, or have practised,
consanguinity in their breeding do not advance, but
either stand still or decline into mere savagery, and
ultimately die out, while the converse is the case with
those whom we observe as avoiding in-and-in breeding.
Without being insulting to any civilised race, I will
take the Australian nation, the Bosjesmen, and the
Redskins as illustrating the one practice, and the Eng-
lish, French, and German speaking people the other. —
R. A. II. Grimsiiaw, Horsforth, near Leeds.
BEES COLLECTING HONEY.
[1623.] Saturday, the 5th of May, I visited my bees at
Farnborough in Kent, about ten miles from my house. It
was a beautiful day, and quite a treat to be away from
London, to realise that the recent rains and the warmer
nights had at last started all trees, shrubs, &c, into
active life. The fields are green, and the buds of the
fruit trees are beginning to open, the gooseberries are in
full bloom, and my bees were busily at work on them,
bringing in honey quite fast, and had evidently, from the
appearance of the combs, been doing so for the last few
days, when the boisterous winds would allow. The
nightingales were singing close to me during the exami-
nation of four of my colonies. The hives were in
splendid condition, they had wintered well, and three of
them full of bees, and the majority of the frames of
combs nearly rilled with sealed and hatching brood on
both sides, just in the condition to have the advantage of
the whole of the fruit-blossom as it comes out, if the
weather is only propitious. In shaking the bees from
some of the combs during my manipulations the thin
honey positively poured out of the cells drenching the
bees as the}' left the combs ; the hives smelt quite strongly
of the gooseberries, the peculiarity of which no doubt
many of your readers have observed. The upper part
of many of the combs had been built out witli nice white
comb, a hint that supers must not long be delayed, and
had I not been pressed for time I should have at once
put them on. Fortunately professional business calls me
into the neighbourhood again on Wednesday, when I
hope I shall get time to super them.
Being at a distance it is impossible to give the bees the
attention they would otherwise have. I think, however,
that nothing that I could have done, had I been on the
spot, would have improved their condition. I am a
great believer that the majority of bee-keepers over-
manipulate and meddle too much with their bees;
robbing them too much of their natural stores. Feeding
late in the autumn, however judiciously done, excites
the bees, stimulates the queen to lay, when, if left to
herself, she would be resting. Many of the old bees die
from overwork and undue excitement, leaving the hive
in many instances ' to perish in the cold ; ' the young
bees hatching late are often unable to take the necessary
cleansing flights, spring dwindling and dysentery being
the result.
My bees were left with abundance of natural stores,
were not fed in the autumn, or anything done to them
since the beginning of October until about three weeks
ago, when I just looked under the quilts to see they had
sufficient food left after the long winter, and they have
not been fed this spring; nevertheless they are in as
good a condition for honey-gathering as I could wish
them to be. I am sure that in leaving plenty of natural
stores in the autumn we get amply repaid for so doing
the following season. — John M. Hooker.
SELECTED QUERIES : INFORMATION
DESIRED.
[1024.] I was very much pleased and instructed by
the answers to your ' Selected Query ' of May 3rd,
' What is the best thing to do with queenless colonies in
spring? Should they be united to those having queens?'
I should like to ask a few questions, perhaps some one
will answer. If they were queenless before May, or if
they were weak colonies, then the answers generally
were, ' Unite,' with the exception of Mi". Edey, who
would form nuclei, giving artificial heat. If queenless
in Ma)' and strong, the opinion which carries weight,
but needs further instruction, is, that brood or f^-'jn
should be given for queen-raising. Probably in the
south no difficulty would be felt in having drones flying
so early, but in some districts to the north there would
be danger of not having any Hying. Yet, by the answer
of Mr. McNally, that difficulty in his ease is got over.
Are the drones produced naturally, or are they produced
by giving empty combs to selected stocks? Mr. Edey's
answer has the appearance of increasing this difficulty.
It is true he applies artificial heat to the early nuclei for
queen-raising. Does he produce the select drones by the
same method ? If so, are they kept under cover ? Are
they allowed to fly in the open for fertilisation ?
1 was very pleased to find that Mr. Raynor had been
able to successfully winter nuclei of three or four frames
with young queens. They are of great value in spring
to replace the loss of queens during winter, or to build
up into stocks for summer work. To do this, is any
extra protection needed ? Would it be necessary to have
them in the house ? Would they be wintered in the
open garden? We think answers to the above would be
of great service to many of your readers, and could be
given with the greatest satisfaction bv the parties named.
— R. M.
BIRDS v. FRUIT-BUDS.
[1625.1 I am pleased that 'Birds v. Fruit-Buds' has
been revived in the pages of the Bee Journal by Mr.
Hiam. Although the subject is not strictly speaking an
apiarian one, yet it affects the bee-keeper more closely
than it at first appears.
The culprits of bud devastation are our old enemies,
the blue-tit, tomtit, and the bullfinch, a most accomplished
bud-consumer. It is simply incredible the amount of
damage two or three of these birds are capable of doing
in a few days. The buds are not safe from their vora-
cious appetites until almost ready to burst into flower.
It is not only fruit-buds that they have an affection for,
but hawthorn, bird-cherry, sloe blackthorn, myrobella
plum, &c, all come within their bill of fare. The
damage, of course, is done in winter and spring, and we
do not know of it until the time flowers should appear,
then we solace ourselves by blaming the weather, or that
it is not a fruit year.
As fruit-blossom forms a considerable item of bee-
forage it behoves the bee-keeper to use every means to
take advantage of it, and also to lessen the chance of any
of it being destroyed by birds, which ought to be shot
whenever they are seen at their destructive work. Many
people think that they are looking for and destroying
insects, when in reality they are simply and completely
relieving the trees of a valuable crop of fruit.
It is decidedly monstrous that so much legal and
moral protection should be extended to such numbers of
240
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 10, 1888.
our bird fauna. This protection is, I am sorry to say,
rapidly increasing, and, too, at the expense of agricultural
occupations (including bee-keeping).
It is very delightful no doubt, and I can thoroughly
understand the enthusiasm a suburban resident would
exhibit should there perchance visit his garden either a
bullfinch or blue tit, but should his feathered visitors
insist on acquainting their hungry stomachs with the quality
of his gooseberry buds, the suburban resident, I opine,
would (unless ignorant of the damage they were doing)
think, after all, that it was rather too much of a joke that
his crop of mellow gooseberries should be at the mercy
of his gay visitors.
In the country where these pests are more numerous,
it is a real nuisance to many a small holder, market
gardener, &c, to be always in the qui-vive, gun-in-hand
state, as it to him and to many others means a vast deal
more than those kind (?)Jhearted folks (some of whom tie
pieces of suet on a string and take pleasure in watching
the trying evolutions of the bird in his endeavour to get
a mouthful) are aware of.
I can put on record here the fact of a five-acre
orchard's produce being totally destroyed by these birds
two years ago.
I am glad that the sparrows here have not acquired a
taste for fruit-buds. I have watched them very closely
for years past, but have never detected them eating any.
They, however, destroy crocus and primrose flowers and
revel in green peas. — Henry Dobbie, Thkkthom,
Hethersett,
SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1626,] I am much interested in Messrs. Carr and
'Useful Hints" opinions on shallow frames, but has it
not come too late for them to lay down the bounds of
measurement seeing that there are so many thousands of
such frames in commerce already ? Mr. Carr declares his
conviction that a 0-inch box with a 5^-inch frame is the
best surplus chamber extant for all purposes connected
with working for extracted honey. Now why is the
above measurement of frame the best? Is not a 0-inch
frame equally as good ?
Mr. Howard, of Holme, exhibited at Norwich in 188G
super boxes containing frames of the usual standard
length by 6 inches in depth, and since then this practical
manufacturer must have sent out a great number,* and
I believe was the first maker to offer them to the public.
I use them myself and can find no fault whatever in the
size ; and no doubt there are many more bee-keepers like
myself to whom the Howard shallow frame is of some
interest ; and should the B.13.K. A. decide on any given
measurement for a shallow frame I trust the 0-inch
Howard size will not be ignored.
I fail to see the advantage or the reason of Mr. Carr's
' firm conviction ' as to his measurements being ' the best.'
No doubt his size is very convenient, and may work well,
but I claim for the other size the same good qualities. —
Henry Dobbie, Thkkthom, Hethersett.
RUST FROM SYRUP CAN.
[1027.] Not long since I purchased from a well-known
bee-keeper's supply firm a ' Bee Proof Syrup Can,' for
which I paid Gs., hoping thereby to save time and trouble
in carrying syrup about. The first time I used the said
can everj'thing appeared to go well. A day or two since
I placed a second lot of syrup in it, and filled my feeders
therefrom. To my surprise this morning on going to re-
plenish the same I found that all my stocks (eight) had
not taken any of the syrup, so I took off the said feeders
to ascertain the cause, and discovered that the syrup had
* I have communicated with Mr. Howard and learn from
him that he has sent out some 35,000 shallow frames of 6
inches in depth.
a brown yellow tint instead of pure white as syrup ought
to have. I find that the hinge of the can lid and the
spout had rusted, and the rusty liquid running down the
sides of the can had polluted the syrup. The result being
that I had to throw away twenty lbs. of syrup, and the
can I can't safely use again, so that there is a dead loss
of at least 9s, No wonder amateurs get tired of bee-
keeping when such things happen, and I think the above
should be made public as a warning to amateurs like
myself. — Lex, Sussex.
SAVED!
[1028.] In passing along amongst my hives at 2 o'clock
yesterday, I found, on the alighting-board of a stock
recently sent me in a present, and which I had not had
time to examine, four bees evidently in a weak state.
My suspicions of starvation were aroused. The hive was
still, no work going on. All the other stocks busy.
Plenty gooseberry blossom to attract them.
Lifting the heavy wooden cover, I found the bits of
carpet in a disordered state, freely admitting bees through,
these were crawling about in a half-dead condition. A
further examination showed me a hive well stocked with
bees, but nearl}' exhausted for want of food. Hastily
bringing two sections from the ' bee-shed ' I laid them
fiat side down over the frames covering all over with
fresh warm carpet, packing well all around. Above, I
laid across the sections (carpet between of course) a large
hot iron, covering over with more carpets, then the
wooden cover, stuffed the six little ventilating holes,
blocked up the entrance entirely. Across this and rest-
ing upou the entrance blocks, I placed another very hot
iron keeping it in that position for half an hour. By
that time there was a lively hum inside, removing this
iron to one of the side walls supporting it upon bricks,
thus warming the walls of the hive. Then gave space
at entrance for one bee to pass.
The bees were rejoicing, and gave every evidence of
returning vitality by a noisy hum, clearing out some
young chilled, well-advanced brood. But for the tiniely
arrival of artificial heat of food a good stock would
have been lost. To-day they are busy and active even in
the midst of showers. The hot irons were procured from
a friendly tailor's workshop near at hand.
The reader will notice the bees were not allowed to
touch the irons.— The Braes, Doune, N.B. May 1,
CAUTION.
Bees-wax Foundation v. Pure Comb Foundation.
[1G20.] Being one of your regular readers and a well-
wisher to all concerned in honest bec-ology, I thought a
word or two of caution to those intending purchasers of
comb-foundation, who, like myself, are not overdono
with ready cash, and at the same time are anxious to
buy in the cheapest market, might be seasonable and
acceptable if you will allow me the space in your paper.
When comb - foundation was almost a novelty, I
adopted it, and was delighted with the benefit derived
from its use. Since then I have used it freely ; by freely
I mean full sheets, everywhere instead of starters ami
half-sheets. When I commenced I believe the founda-
tion-makers in this country might be numbered on the
fingers of one hand ; now, according to what one can
gather from the different advertisements, there is quite
an army of them, no doubt called forth by the demand
for their produce ; but I am afraid the competition en-
gendered thereby has not been of any benefit to the
interests of bee-keepers.
The reformation of bee-keeping was advancing with
rapid strides from the dark ages of sulphur pits, and
honey looking like that juvenile corrective mixture
treacle and brimstone, with a flavour not much better,
May 10, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
241
aud medicinal properties producing results most delight-
ful from a motherly point of view, to the time of our
lovely tiger-like (in more senses than one) bees, sections
transparent, and honey brilliantly clear and tempting.
I am sorry to say these improvements have not gone
on all round, for, as the demand for comb-foundation
became greater, the makers — not all of them — have pro-
duced an inferior article, and deliberately advertise it to
the public as pure comb - foundation. To my own
chagrin I have used this horrible stuff, foundation is a
misnomer, as that is exactly what it is not. The bees
— poor deluded creatures, like myself — take to it like
ducks to water, and when warm and partly laden with
brood, honey and bees, the cells which should have all
sides equal' will be quite oval, and of no use whatever
for brood or honey. This is not the whole of the
trouble ; if it happens to be hot weather, nineteen out of
every twenty sheets will fall down and curl up, forming
a roly-poly bee-and-wax pudding on the lower bars of
the frames, binding them all together, to the disgust of
bees and bee-keeper.
I know of nothing more provoking than on a warm
evening you wish to extract some surplus honey, and,
upon opening a hive, you find your bees all in a mess at
the bottom; your queen (a beauty) rolled up in the
general wreck. If others can refrain from saying words
that ought not to appear in a Sunday-school primer,
they are more clever than myself.
Moral. — Get your foundation from some reliable,
honest, old trader, who is too anxious about his fair
name and reputation to risk compromising it by selling
such rubbish. Ask for pure bees-wax comb-founda-
tion, and see that you get it ! If it is a little more
expensive, pay and grin. Better pay and grin now than
stamp and swear after you have wasted your money
and ruined your colonies.
As a test for the quality of comb-foundation, ex-
perience has taught me that if you can wrap a piece
round your finger like the roll gingerbread sold by con-
fectioners it is utterly worthless; but, on the contrary,
if it will snap or split off upon being bent, you may safely
accept the sample. I am aware a few sheets get shaken
to pieces in transit, but I prefer to see it so, as that
proves, to my mind, its fitness for foundation. These
remarks more especially allude to the thick body foun-
dation, and not to super foundation, as my experience
has been highly satisfactory with respect to supers.
The prime cause of my writing this article is the
derisive, sneering, and jeering look of an old-fashioned
croaker, who has seen the mess I am in, and who says,
' Yah'U not catch me putting onny o' that 'ere darned
stuff to my bees ! ' The same man, a few years ago,
presented himself, all fragrant with tobacco-juice and
smoke, in my shop amongst a lot of ladies, and propounded
the very solemn question, ' Do yah want to buy onny
honey ? ' at the same time producing a sample of candied
stuff out of his coat-pocket in a piece of brown paper.
It is needless to say there was no trade between us.
But if we wish to assist the poorer classes and the class
from which this man comes, I think we ought not to
adulterate our appliances, and so weaken our chance of
proving to them the advantages of bee-keeping as taught
in your very valuable Journal. — Lincolnshire.
know there is a right and a wrong way of doing every-
thing, and the poor cottager, converted from straw skeps
and sulphur, yet unaided by the expert's superior know-
ledge as to the proper fixing up of bar-frames, would, in
all probability, hit upon the wrong way. I sincerely trust
your note at tiie end of ' Village Shoemaker's' letter will
have the desired effect, and that in future at shows will
be seen cottagers leaving the expert's tent enlightened
and not mystified as to the proper management of bar-
frame hives. — Edmund J. Jones, Ysgubor Fuwr, Pen-
deri/n, Aberdare, Mai/ 5th,
BEES AT SHOWS.
[1630.] I am glad to see suggestion made by ' Village
Shoemaker ' in a recent issue of your paper. I have
kept bees in bar-frame hives for the last three years, and
have attended several shows during that interval, at
which there are bee experts. They drive the bees from
one skep into another and stop at that point, not further
showing how to transfer from skep to bar-frame.
Neither do they show how to place sections in their
proper position, nor how to fix comb-foundation, We
SOFT CANDY FOB SPRING STIMULATIVE
FEEDING.
[1681.] Take seven pounds of lump sugar (white
crystallised will do"), two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one
teaspoonful of salt, boil together with one quart of
water, crush any lumps that may be still undissolved
and continue boiling until the mixture attains the heat
of -'40° to 245° Fahr. If you have not a thermometer
registering these high figures take a pipe stalk and dip it
into the sugar, after having' drawn off what adheres to
the pipe between the thumb and finger, try if it will
stretch out a fine thread between the thumb and finger
about an inch long ; if it is not strong enough to do that,
it is not quite ready and must boil again a little longer,
perhaps five minutes, according to the fierceness of the
fire ; but great care must be taken not to pass this degree,
which is called ' The Feather ' by confectioners, as the
candy would then be so hard the bees could not use it.
Upon the desired degree being reached add eight ounces
of flour, and stir upon the pan sides until it looks like so
much thick cream, in which condition it should be poured
upon a slab or smooth table, or, failing these, a door-
step, and with a long flat stick work it about thoroughly
for fifteen minutes, and then put it into any old card-
board box lids or sardine-boxes. Allow it to cool, and it
will be ready for using under the quilts of the hive.
This candy is about as stiff as candied honey and
looks very much like it. For spring feeding it is excel-
lent (especially in a cold spring like the present one).
There is no fear of it running down among the combs as
it is tenacious and tough like a piece of soft putty, or the
beautiful white cream we get in the finest quality choco-
late creams ; the manner of preparation is the same, of
course without the salt, vinegar, and flour. — H. S. F.
MODERN BEE-KEEPING.
PitooiiESS in Bek-kef.ping.— The last fifty years
have amply compensated for past neglect by the enor-
mous progress which has been made in our acquaintance
with this extremely interesting study. The anatomy of
the bees themselves, whether queens, drones, or workers,
has been minutely investigated under the microscope ;
the old straw hive, or 'skep,' has been abandoned in
favour of the wooden ' bar-framed' hive with moveable
combs; instead of suffocating his bees the bee-master
merely takes out one or more combs, brushes off the
bees, extracts the honey, and replaces the combs to be
refilled. It has been discovered that the most vindic-
tive bees may be subjugated and made perfectly tractable
by blowing among them a few whiffs of brown-paper
smoke, or the vapour of creosote, or by touching the
tops of the combs with a feather dipped in carbolic acid.
The bee-keeper, instead of leaving his hives undisturbed
until the autumn, is for ever opening them, manipu-
lating the combs, increasing or diminishing the space,
feeding the bees, or extracting the honey. The bees,
instead of having to make their own wax, at a vast
expenditure of time and labour, have sheets of wax
provided for them, in which the rhomboidal bases of the
cells are ready stamped by machinery, and the net result
242
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 10, 1888.
is that the annual yield of honey from each hive is from
five to ten times as great as under the old system, with
the further advantage that the lives of the bees need never
be sacrificed. No bee-keeper, in a favourable part of
the country, is now-a-days content with a harvest of less
than a hundred pounds from each hive, and even in the
suburbs of Loudon as much as forty or fifty pounds per
hive may be realised.
Why, then, is the army of bee-keepers so small? The
price of honey is not so high as it was, but it is still
possible to sell it in most country districts at a shilling a-
pound, and as the original cost of a bar-framed hive stocked
with bees, together with all the necessary appliances in the
shape of comb-foundation, smoker, veil, extractor, and so
forth, need not exceed !il. at a liberal estimate, it will be
seen that modern bee-keeping offers to amateurs the agree-
able inducement of a handsome profit ; and it is much to be
regretted that in spite of the praiseworthy efforts made
by the British Bee-keepers' Association the advantages
of bee-keeping as now practised are not more widely
known among the poorer classes. It is true that cottagers
as a rule have not much spare time, but it is wonderful
how little time need be taken up in attending properly
to a hive. Five or six hours a month in the summer
season, and five or six minutes a-week, at certain periods
of the spring and autumn, should be ample; and a man's
circumstances must be very unusual if neither he nor any
member of his family can find this little leisure. In every
poor man's garden there is room for a beehive; the flowers
of the field produce a store of nectar plentiful enough to
supply (without any appreciable competition) at least a
hundred times as many hives as are now in existence ;
and apart from the pecuniary profit, the study of bees
yields a peculiar pleasure of its own, opening up revela-
tion after revelation of minute wonders in endless suc-
cession. . . .
Work yet to be Done. — Although on the whole a
great advance has been made in apiculture, a study of
the British Bee Journal for the last two years reveals
the fact that much still remains to be done. That
the science has arrived at a stage from which avenues
of improvement open themselves in all directions is
evident from the fact that in matters of detail there
is a singular want of unanimity among its exponents.
On almost every point rival theorists are fiercely at
variance. The champions of the Ligurians, Carniolans,
or Syrians, will not listen patiently to the slightest
detraction from the merits of their favourites. The
advocates of salicylic acid laugh to scorn the cham-
pions of phenol or camphor. If by any mischance a
hive becomes queenless aud it is necessary to introduce
a new queen, the puzzled amateur is confronted by con-
flicting recommendations as to the proper course to be
adopted. If he desires to establish a new hive, and
wishes to obtain the best possible kind, he finds himself
in doubt between the 'combination' system, the 'storify-
ing' system, the Stewarton principle, the Ileddon prin-
ciple, and many others, between which, after all, there
is very little to choose. When it becomes necessary to
feed the bees he is distracted by the advocates of dry-
sugar feeding on the one hand and syrup-feeding on the
other.
However much they may differ in other matters,
all bee-keepers will agree that bee-keeping is a most
fascinating pursuit. An old French writer, Be Gdlieu,
once remarked that he had never met a bee-keeper who
loved his bees moderately, they were all enthusiastic
devotees. Certain it is that a beehive i3 a little kingdom
filled with the most astonishing marvels. The study of
it is endless. If it is a source of pride and of gain to its
possessor, it is above all a wonder of wonders to the
naturalist. So exquisite is the mechanism of a bee's
organs and muscles, so varied and complicated, so
mysterious and well-nigh inexplicable are its instincts,
and so faithfully and beautifully does it perform its
appointed work, that we can think of no branch of
science the study of which is better calculated to arouse
an inquirer to enthusiasm. — Good Words for May.
&i\m from % Hitos.
Appleby, Doncaster, May Is?.— This ought to be the
beginning of the bee's spring, with the thermometer at
50J by breakfast time ; but no, the wind is very high, and
so it has been bad weather of some kind the whole
winter. In consequence I have scarcely seen my workers
out, and knowing that I added driven bees to my stock
somewhat late last year, I expected, as has proved true,
that I should have blanks in my rows. I only looked
through the hives a few days ago, and found plenty of
food, but in no case more than two patches of brood, the
size of the palm of your hand. Curiously the best and
strongest hive consisted of one packed away in the worst
manner. It was late aud I put a lot of driven bees into
a Carter's seed-box, \ inch thick of wood only, holding
six frames, placing a poor old quilt and tick over, and
spare roof by way of an umbrella. Another also in an
inner box of a Cowan hive, barely quilted and roof stuck
over, is at least as good as any if not better, although in
extra strong hives. So I lose faith in double walls
and chaff packing, thinking a good, dry, taut hive
will do as well as a better! The two hives I lost
were the only ones I have on the right-angled system,
and I have never had bees do so well as in the parallel
style. I fear we shall, with difficulty, build up our
stocks for the white clover, unless it, like the whole
chapter, be late too. My best hive last year was a
Cowan piled up, and to try every recommendation I
kept the old brood nest at the top, thinking, as written in
the Journal, that the queen would descend ; but no, she
stopped at the top, never leaving the original box to lay.
I am much pleased with the wire embedder, figured
in the B. B. J, last year, it has saved me many a comb
when extracting; in consequence, I advise all to use wire
if working for extracted boney.— Eastern Counties.
Cottingham, May 7.— Since my last ' Echo ' a great
change has come over this part of the bee world. The
bees get out every day, or nearly so, and pollen is going
in the hives with a 'rush,' eggs are being laid fast,
especially by the Carniolans and Italians; and if the
bright weather continues, we shall soon be at boiling-
point. To-day I examined all my hives, and found
combs already whitening at the top, which is the result
of a large area of gooseberry bushes near at hand. I
received a Carniolau queen on Friday last from Mr. F.
Benton, and made up a nucleus for her in the following
way ; — Placed three frames in a hive, one of food, one
empty, and one brood from a strong stock, on which I
caged her majesty in a cage 6 X ,4 X |. I then re-
moved a very strong stock of Italians one foot from its
position, and placed the nucleus six inches on other side,
so that the flying bees got pretty well divided between
the two. This morning I released her, and noticed how
kindly she was taken to by the bees. To-night, at six
o'clock, I took a quiet look again and found the empty
frame filled with eggs on both sides, and from end to
end. Am trying both, 'right-angle' and 'parallel'
hives, aud find, up to now, the brood-nest is the largest
in the 'parallel' hives in every case. — Charles
Howes.
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington, May 7.— The
weather here seems to have changed for the best this last
few days. The bees are rushing off to the woods and
gardens where there are any blossoms for them to rifle,
a great contrast to what it was a week ago. Yesterday,
though it was a dull day, they were off by thousands,
and I might say tens of thousands ; indeed they were
May 10, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
243
going so thick and fast that a young man said to me, as
he stood looking, that a swarm of bees had passed over
him. He seemed rather astonished that they still con-
tinued passing and repassing. Though this has been a
backward spring, I think bees have progressed very well,
and appear to be in good order to take advantage of this
favourable change in the weather. — John Walton.
Killarney, May 1st. — My bees did very well last year.
I got 600 lbs. from ten hives, and only two swarms. I
got l.'JO lbs. from my best stock, the queen of which is
four years old. From the same hive 1 got 120 lbs. in
'85 arid 75 lbs. in '87, which was a very bad year. We
have no foreign bees in this locality, and no new blond lias
been introduced at this side of the 'flood.' — F. J.
M'Donogh.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, g'teries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
G. Downer. — lloney. — We do not think so slight-
ingly of the honey as you appear to do. Its peculiar
flavour is not to us objectionable. There is no dis-
agreeable smell about it. The bees no doubt will be
glad to have it. It will not in any way be injurious
to this 3-ear's crop.
Turc Village Blacksmith. — 1. Working Sections.- -
Your plan of working sections appears to be a simple
one when two bee-way sections are used. With you
it would be found easy of practice, but with others
the question would be, What is the cost of the hoop-
iron frame and the screws ; how are these to be pro-
cured byjone who is not a ' village blacksmith ?' 2.
Frame for Extracting. — With regard to the frame,
something similar has been suggested by Mr. W. B.
Carr, of which we hope to hear a report further on.
There is no object in using a middle bar unless to
steady a fidl sheet of foundation. If a triangular
piece of foundation is used as you suggest, the proba-
bility is that the lower corners and sides would be
filled with drone-comb.
E. Clowes. — Bees Deserting Skep. — From particulars
given wo should say your bees were unable during a
sudden chill to keep up the necessary warmth, con-
sequently many deserted, and, joining other hives, so
weakened and disheartened the remainder that they
swarmed out ; a few of the more loyal bees would be
sure to remain with the queen. The queen might,
after being in a warm room for an hour or two to get
lively, have been introduced to a queenless colony, but
the probabilities are she would have proved of little
real use.
W. liiGDKN. — Doubtful Queens. — We should recom-
mend you to unite the two doubtful hives, and if in a
week's time you still find the eggs placed irregularly,
as detailed by you, remove the queen, introduce a
frame of eggs (just hatching) from your other colony
on the third day, cut out all queen-cells which may
have been commenced on anj* of the old original
combs. Repeat on the sixth day if any more have
been started on any comb except the one introduced.
Destroy all except two on that comb.
W. Truslove. — Transferring. — Do this on the very
first favourable day. Stimulate gently, but regularly.
Sorry to hear of your unsuccessful wintering. Your
bees had dwindled owing to the continued bad
weather preventing breeding. You did wisely to
unite. Better one strong colony than two weak
ones.
F. W. Pudsey. — Andrena. — The specimen forwarded
belongs to the family Andrenidee, of which there are
about eighty British species. The specific name of
the one sent is Andrena fulva. The specimen is the
female ; the male is a small black bee, very different
in appearance from the bright, golden-tinted colour of
his mate — so dissimilar, indeed, are they that ento-
mologists at one time were very doubtful as to their
relationship, but by observation of them in their
burrows this was satisfactorily established. These
bees appear in great numbers about the time of the
apple-blo isoius. After a time the fulvous pubescence,
through exposure to tho atmosphere, wears off, and
the female's colour fades into a pale yellow, and that
of the male into a dull gray. They burrow in the
earth, their tunnels varying from five to six inches in
depth. The architecture of their cells, and their pro-
vision for their young, are an interesting study.
E. II. L vttt. — The name of bee forwarded U Melecta
armata.
II. .'. S. — 1. Excluder zinc. — In our pamphlet on Doubling
and Storifying we say, ' We have long .-ince discon-
tinued the employing excluder-zinc, OS we have found
that it interfered with the work of the bees, and that
we always got much more honey without its use than
with it.' 2. Allow not less than a quarter of an inch,
and not more than three eighths, between rack and
frames.
Received from Mr. C. Hedshaw, South Wigston, Leicester,
his Catilogue of Hives and Bee-keepers' Appliances (20
pages). This catalogue is a well-assorted lietof the various
appliances required by the bee-keeper. Our attention was
especially drawn to a very simple wax-extractor, with
directions for use ; also to a suitable exhibition section case
for shows, grocers' shops, &c. With the catalogue we
received a sample of Mr. Eedshaw's honey labels, which are
neat and effective.
Received, the schedule of prizes for the fifth annual
show to be held at the Market Place, Aberdare, on
Thursday, August 16th.
Correction. — We omitted to state that the letter on
' Honey,' p. 215, was taken from the Bee-keeper's Magazine.
Several replies are postponed till next ireek.
pgusiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCE8.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hdtchinqs, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
244
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 10, 1888.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Sisimins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H, Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kekt * Oo., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained o£ all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents :—
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDRETJ, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Briatol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts. '
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford,
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
S°if V J- R- J^-i Ttt«ington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London. '
OVERTON C. T„ Crawley, Sussex.
5F.R? H.A V > c' canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKQT, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London: and at all Rail.
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
The best Journal of its kind, edited and published by the
renowned C. F. H. Gravenhorst, Brunswick.
DEUTSCHE ILLUSTRIERTE BIENENZEITDNG.
Sample copies sent on request.
Also, ' DEB PRAKTISCHE IMKER.' Compendium of
Rational Bee-culture, by C. F. H. Gravenhorst. Fourth en-
larged and improved edition, with fifty-two new original
Pictures, and a frontispiece. Price 4 marks (4s.), stitched ;
well bound, 5 marks.
C. A; Schwetschke & Son (M, Brum), Brunswick,
SPECIAL NOTICE.
A large Stock of HIVES and APPLIANCES
READY FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY.
CATALOGTJE POST IFIR-IEIE.
HENRY F. ROW, Steam-power Hive Factory,
BRAID-TREE, ESSEX.
THE SOLID WOOD FEEDER
Is made on the principle of the ordinary Tin Feeder, but
Wood being substituted for the objectionable Metal is more
conducive to the comfort of the Bees, and does not rust or
corrode. Price, post free, 2/-. Address —
J. J. RICE, 16 Wensum Street, NORWICH.
We have a large Consignment of
4Jx4J,lJ, If, and 2"; either with two
or four bee-ways. Apply early to
Lowfield, Crawley, Sussex.
SIMMINS
BEE COMPANY
LIMITED.
The YORKSHIRE Bee-keepers' Supplies.
FOUNDATION,
FEE DEBS,
SMOKERS,
fyc. Sri:
WM. DIXON, 5 Beckett Street, Leeds.A axa
PUBLICATIONS OF THE
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING BEE-CULTURE
and the Eelation of Bees to Flowers. Drawn by
Frank B. Cheshire, F.R.M.S. Approved and recom-
mended by the Science and Art Department. 8s. per set.
MODERN BEE-KEEPING. An Illustrated Hand-
book for Cottagers. Forty-fourth Thousand, con-
siderably enlarged and revised. The soundness of its
information, the simplicity of its instruction, combined
with cheapness, make this Handbook invaluable to all
intending Bee-keepers. Price Id,., post free.
WINTERING BEES. By Thomas W. Cowan.
The most complete work on the subject of Wintering
published. Third Edition. Price 3d.
BEE-HIVES AND HOUSES. By the Rev,
George Baynor. Second Edition (enlarged). Price 6d.
QUEEN INTRODUCTION. The Ligurian Queen
Bee and her Introduction to Alien Stocks. By the Rev.
George Raynor. Second Edition, enlarged and fully
Illustrated with engravings of the various Cages in use.
Contains full descriptions of the different methods
practised in this and other countries by Chloroform,
Caging, Direct Introduction, Ac. Price 3d. , post free 3Jd,
THE MANAGEMENT OF STRAW SKEPS.
Designed to teach the Cottager how to obtain the best
results at the least possible cost. By attention to its
teachings, Cottagers will be enabled to make their
Bees a more profitable source of income than hitherto
Price Id. Ditto in Welsh, 1<(. Per dozen, 9A placing excluder-
zinc over the hole. We should prefer transferring
them to a bar-frame hive as the more profitable plan.
Rip Van W. — Queen thrown out. — We should say your
bees have superseded the old queen. We would advise
you to make an early examination to ascertain if worker
brood is being raised. This is in case the queen may
have missed fertilisation.
Amateur. — Dead Queen. — This was so smashed on
arrival that noopinion can be given. (See reply to ' Rip '
above.)
H. J. Savory.— 1. Wax-moth. — The 'maggot' for-
warded is not the larva of the wax-moth. It must
have dropped from an overhanging tree. If you
should see the larvae of the wax-moth, you must
promptly destroy them either by crushing them,
or, if they are wriggling out of the comb, by pricking
them out with a pen-knife. 2. Casting out Brood. —
Casting out brood al this time of the year indicates
either the want of food, or, it may be, the removal of
brood that has become chilled.
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenohurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin,
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. EL, Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keefers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H. , Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Keht & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDET & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington. Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLT, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM. M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T., Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, c, Canal St., South Wlgston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKLN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
The best Journal of its kind, edited and published by the
renowned C. F. H. Gravenhorst, Brunswick.
DEUTSCHE ILLDSTRIERTE BIENENZEITUNG.
Sample copies sent on request.
Also, ' DER PRAKTISCHE IMKER.' Compendium ol
Rational Bee-culture, by C. F. H. Gravenhorst. Fourth en-
larged and improved edition, with fifty-two new original
Pictures, and a frontispiece. Price 4 marks (4s.), stitched;
well bound, 5 marks.
C. A. Schwetschkb & Son (M. Bruhn), Brunswick,
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 17, 1888.
W. IB. BAEEE,
MUSKHAM WORKS, NEWARK.
OUR NOTED 1 A HIVE.
Contains all necessary Fittings,
Price 10/6
As originally made by this Firm, and
Advertised for several Seasons.
Brood Foundation.
Super Foundation.
Wired Foundation.
Smokers,
Clark's or Bingham.
Carbolic Fumigators.
Hives, of various Patterns
Metal Ends, [and Prices.
If with six sheets of Foundation in
Frames, and Foundation in Sections,
ready to receive a Swarm,
Price 14/6
Too well known to need description.
Sections.
Feeders, in great variety.
The 1/- Bottle Feeder.
Honey Bottles.
Extractors.
Wax Extractors.
Wicker Covers for Honey
Bottles.
Sting-proof Gloves.
Bee Veils.
Sting Lotion.
Section Holders.
Comb Cans.
Honey Labels.
Uncapping Knives.
Straw Skeps.
N.B.— DO Ten-Frame HIVES for Sale, quite new, 6/6, 2 for 12/-, 3 for 17/- 40 Strong Stocks in Bar-frame Hives for Sale,
SB- WRITE FOE CATALOQITE. "S»
♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦•■:•*♦♦♦♦♦♦•♦#♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
'SXZUE
ICIT
HIVE.
Registered No. 1)8332.
In placing this Hive before
the public I venture to say that
it is one of the most simple and
practical yet brought out, and
possesses many advantages over
the ordinary Bar-frame Hive.
The Floor-board is hinged to
the back of the Hive as shown
in Fig. 2, and, when in position,
is supported by a simple bar of
wood across the centre, held in
its place by two cleats. The
Moor-board, as will be seen, can
be let down in an instant with
the least possible trouble, and
as quickly replaced, completely
doing away with any difficulty
in cleaning, &c. — a great ad-
vantage.
The outside walls fall U ins. below the floor-board all round, thus ensuring freedom. from damp, as it is absolutely
impossible for rain to drive into the Hive.
The entrance to the Hive is through a slit cut in the floor -board about 4 ins. from the front wall, and the alighting
board being directly underneath is protected from wind and bad weather, and is always dry. The bottom bar of the
third frame from front wall hangs just over the entrance slit, thereby preventing any direct upward draught into the
cluster. By means of a metal slide the entrance can be contracted in winter, or in the case of robbing.
There are no projecting pieces on the Hive, such as alighting boards, porches, &c, to get broken in transit.
Price 10/-. Pitted for a Swarm, as No. la, 14/-. A reduction allowed if three or more Hives are ordered.
No. 1 B. Fig 1.
Fig. 2.
=2^
Registered No. 98331.
The Hive contains nine frames, Standard size, with metal ends ; oua
dummy ; one quilt ; has a stout body made of sound red deal ; is double
walled, and grooved, and has a water groove down each side underneath to
exclude wet. The floor-board is hinged, and can by removing two screws be
let down for cleansing purposes. There are also a good landing board and
two entrance contractors. Price — Body, Frames, and Roof, 5/-.
The rim shown between body and cover is made to drop exactly on to the
body, and is kept in position by a block at each corner. It is for the purpose
of carrying a section crate of twenty-one 1-lb. sections, and thus the whole
form a complete and compact Hive. The rim and section crate can be had
for 2/6 extra, making the complete Hive 7/6. Six of the frames can be
fitted with half sheets of brood foundation for 1/-.
Customers buying the above Hive at 5/-, can at any time obtain the
rim and super when wishing to raise section. They are all made to a size,
and a fit is guaranteed.
British
THE
\
^A^}
Communications to the Editor to be addresied ' Stbanoswatb' Pointing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 309. Vol. XVI.]
MAY 24, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
Ctriiorial, ^atuts, #t\
THE REV. L. L. LANGSTROTH.
There is, perhaps, no man living to whom bee-
keepers of the present day owe more than to the
Rev. L. L. Langstroth, or, as he is termed by our
American friends, ' Father Langstroth.' How often
in the progress and development of a science or
industry the pioneers, those who were amongst tho
first, and who worked the hardest, very soon become
forgotten. It is so in bee-keeping ; those who have
done the most, and by their exertions have enabled
many in the present day to become not only bec-
keepersbut successful honey-producers, are forgotten
and ignored. But this is not all, for those who
have benefited by others' brain efforts and experi-
ences are frequently those who do their best to
crush them. Do we not find repeatedly that claims
are made to inventions and improvements without
regard to what has been done before ? Names of
inventors, discoverers, and benefactors, are frequently
forgotten in the eagerness to benefit at their expense.
We might mention numbers of instances at the
present day, where inventions are used with but
slight alteration, and the users deriving a pecuniary
benefit, whilst the originators, to whom the inven-
tion cost a large expenditure of brain power, many
sleepless nights, and perhaps a large sum of money
into the bargain, are completely ignored. We have
a most striking instance of this in the case of the
Rev. L. L. Langstroth. We do not wish to enter
into the question of whether Langstroth, Munn, or
any one else, was the first to invent the frame, but
what we wish to point out is that Langstroth was
the first to make the moveable comb hive a practical
success, and by his work, The Hive and Honey Bee,
which is still the standard on the subject, he opened
up to the world the improved methods of bee-
culture, which have led to the enormous success
witnessed at the present time. Does every bee-
keeper realise that in using a moveable comb hive
.he is morally indebted to Mr. Langstroth for the
benefit he is deriving from it I And if he does, is
he prepared to make some acknowledgment and
return for this obligation ?
For many years Mr. Langstroth, who is now
seventy-seven years of age, has suffered, and only
from time to time, and at long intervals, has he been
able to take up with his favourite pursuit. We
regretted that when we visited America last summer
he was not in a condition to see us, and nothing
would have given us greater pleasure than to have
grasped this veteran's hand aud looked into his
benevolent face. Ever devoted to the science he
loves so well, according to a friendly letter we
received from him a few days ago, he was even
then, during a period of convalescence, at the apiary
of Mr. Heddon studying the capabilities of the
Heddon system. His head troubles have prevented
him from earning his living, aud it is because this
master of bee-keepers has been robbed of his means
of livelihood by some of those who have reaped the
benefit of his labours that he is not now, in his old
age, in comfortable and independent circumstances.
From time to time small sums have been subscribed,
and in 1879 ' The Langstroth Fund ' was started
in America. In that year Mr. Newman visited
England, aud at a meeting of British and Foreign
bee-keepers held at our residence in Horsham, a
subscription was started which amounted to about
6/. 6s., the whole amount collected here and in
America barely reaching 40/. Since that time
small sums have been remitted to him, but how
out of all proportion is this to the benefits conferred
by him on the world ! It is now proposed in
America to raise a sum of money in order to pur-
chase an annuity, and every bee keeper there will
have an opportunity to pay some tribute to his
great leader.
But why should we stand aloof and do nothing?
On another page our correspondent ' Amateur
Expert,' in his pathetic appeal, says, ' Let us, as
British bee-keepers, give practical expression of
brotherly feeling by subscribing to the fund ; it
will only stimulate his countrymen to do more, and
make the annuity the greater.' These sentiments
we heartily approve, and think it the duty of the
many who have benefited by Mr. Laugstroth's
labours to do something on his behalf, so that this
good old man may pass the remainder of his days
in comfort, cherished by the thought that there are
noble and honest minds on either side of the
Atlantic that do appreciate his efforts, aud prove a
brotherly love and feeling are ready to recognise
them. We shall be pleased to open a subscription
list to be called the ' Langstroth Fund,' and
earnestly hope that our appeal will be heartily
responded to. Let us bear in mind that ' hegiveth
twice who gives in a trice.'
258
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May H, 1888.
Donations sent to us, or to Mr. Huckle, Kings
Langley, Herts, will be acknowledged in the B. B. J. ,
and forwarded to America. The list of contributions
is headed : —
£ s. d.
T. W. Cowan 5 0 0
Geo. Neighbour and Sons 2 10 0
Rev. Geo. Raynor 1 1 0
W. Raitt, Blairgowrie 10 0
' Amateur Expert' 0 10 0
Geo. Henderson 0 10 0
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Hiving Swarms.
The bee-keeper must have hives and all he may re-
quire for his swarms in readiness for their reception. If
he has decided to have natural swarms, and has made
his arrangements accordingly, now is the time when they
are usually to be expected. He mast keep a look-out
for them, for strong hives will frequently throw a
swarm without the usual clustering outside, which is
the general outward sign with skeps. The signs of
the approach of swarming are the crowded state of the
hive, and the presence of drones and queen-cells. The
first swarm usually issues between ten o'clock in the
morning, and four o'clook in the afternoon on a fine day ;
and although we have known swarms occasionally to
leave the hive earlier and later, it is not often that they
do so. • When bees swarm they will after a short time
settle and form a cluster, which will gradually grow in
size as the bees join it. A s soon as most of the bees have
joined the cluster, we generally sprinkle them with cold
water, using for this purpose a garden syringe. This
cools them, close clustering is the result and very much
facilitates after operations. If they have clustered on a
bush near the ground, and the hive be one without legs,
they can be hived in the following manner : — Spread a
sheet, cloth, or even a large newspaper will do, directly
under the cluster on the ground, and at one end of it
place the floor-board bringing one end of the sheet over
the edge of the board.
The object of using the sheet in this way is to prevent
the queen and the bees running under the floor-board,
which they would be liable to do if the board were stood
on the sheet. The prepared hive is then placed on the
board and the front raised about In inches by means of
a block of wood or a stone placed under the hive. The
frames will be placed at right angles to the front of the
hive so that the comb-foundation will hang perpen-
dicularly; otherwise, if placed parallel to the entrance, the
inclination of the hive will cause the foundation to be
displaced, when it becomes warm and consequently soft.
The front of the hive should be as near as possible to the
cluster. Then give the branch on which the bees have
clustered a smart jerk so as to dislodge them and cause
them to fall on the sheet in front of the hive. In a few
seconds the bees will make a start towards the hive,
which some of them will enter, and by their joyful hum
will let the others know that they have found a suitable
dwelling. Their call will be answered by the others
following, and nearly all will enter. Like human beings,
some will be late, but after a little time the stragglers on
the sheet and those flying about will join the rest. If
they are a long time in entering the hive a sprinkling
with cold water will make them go faster. When the
weather is very hot it is as well to shade them with a
leafy bough, or a towel-horse with a sheet spread over it
will answer the purpose. If the branch is not a valuable
one and is small it will sometimes facilitate matters to
cut it off ; but be very careful to avoid all jarring. Then
shake off all the bees by a sudden jerk in front of the
hive. When all the bees are in, give a puff of smoke
to drive in the stragglers or those that are fanning;
remove the block] and the sheet and carefully lower
the hive on to the floor-board. Then carry the hive
steadily, place it on the stand it is intended to occupy
and adjust it. As we prefer frames at right angles to
the entrance, our floor-boards are always arranged to
have an inclination towards the front, the hives being
set level across the frames.
Those who place their frames parallel to the entrance
will have to arrange their hives so that they stand per-
fectly level. If the bees have clustered on a branch too
thick to be cut off or too high to admit of shaking the
bees on the ground, they should be first shaken into a
skep, box, or pail, and then from this into the hive.
Hold the skep bottom upwards in one hand under the
cluster, and with the other give the branch a smart
shake so as to dislodge the bees into it. They can then
be shaken out on to the sheet by inverting the skep and
giving it a sudden jerk. Bees do not always settle on a
branch, and sometimes choose very awkward places, fre-
quently trying the patience of the bee-keeper to secure
them. Sometimes they will settle and spread on the
trunk of a tree, and in such a case we must either brush
them gently into the skep or place its edge near the upper
part of the cluster and persuade the bees to ascend into
it ; and if a piece of comb containing brood can be placed
in the skep it will be more attractive. Occasionally the
queen, which accompanies the swarm, will alight on the
ground ; and when this happens the bees will also settle
with her, and spread out for a considerable distance.
In this case put the hive as near the bees as possible, and
witli a spoon carefully place some bees near the entrance.
With hives on legs, and those too heavy to move, we
have only to take the bees in a skep, or, what we think
still better for this purpose, a pail, and then introduce
them into the hive in the following manner: — Turn up
the quilt, push back a division-board, and remove three
or four of the frames. The bees are then poured out of
the pail into this space and covered over with a quilt.
They will not be long before they run in and cluster
amongst the other frames, when the division-board can
be pushed up into its place. Swarms should always be
placed on the stands they are intended to occupy, and
the hives adjusted as soon as possible after they have
clustered, because as soon as they have found a dwelling
they at once commence work and mark the spot where
they stand. If left until the evening before they are
removed to their stand many bees will have already got
used to the spot where they were first hived and will be
lost. This, however, does not apply to swarms which
have to be sent to a distance. These had better be left
where hived until the evening, and when all the bees
have settled down quietly they may be taken to their
destination and at once hived.
In a future article we shall speak of catching swarms
and the appliances used for that purpose.
May 24, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
259
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather. — After a gentle, refreshing rain we have
a day (May 18) of brilliant sunshine, and our bees are
wild with excitement, several colonies showing signs of
swarming, although doubled, and drones flying in abund-
ance. Our supers are not yet on, as we have little fruit
bloom from which to gather early surplus honey.
Some of our Kentish brethren, we hear, have sections
in position which the bees are rapidly filling, but Kent is
a county of orchards'and abounds with sainfoin, both pro-
ducing early first-class honey. We less favoured apiarists
must bide our time, and patiently await the hawthorn
and white clover bloom, building up our colonies until
they overflow with population, and preventing swarming
as best we may by nether ventilation, and getting on our
surplus cases ready for action when the good time arrives.
Shallow Frames. — Mr. Bobbie, in nis letter (1626),
p. 240, makes reference to shallow frames 5| inches deep
as advocated by Mr. W. B. Carr and ourselves, and men-
tions the fact of Mr. Howard having sent out .'!o,000
shallow frames 6 inches deep, deprecating the establish-
ment of a standard of the former depth. Now in Mr.
Cheshire's Bees andBee-keepiny (Vol. II. p. Ill) the depth
of Mr. Howard's ' Small body-boxes,' as used in his
' Holme Wood Hive,' is stated to be 5g inches, and the
small frames used in these boxes are said to have no
bottom rail. We do not understand, therefore, this ap-
parent discrepancy of using 6-inch frames in 5^ -inch
boxes (unless the frames were sent out independently of
the boxes), or how Mr. Howard can be said to advocate
a shallow frame of 6 inches deep.
Weak Colonies.— ' K. M/ (16.34, p. 250) suggests
that our plan of strengthening a weak stock at the
expense of a strong one by changing positions might
result in the production of two moderately weak stocks.
No doubt, such might be the case if the exchange were
made without thought or foresight. The time of ex-
change, the time of the honey-flow, and the fecundity of
the queens, must all be taken into account. With a
late honey-flow the exchange should be made not later
than the end of April ; and the weak colony should be
moderately weak only, while the strong one should be
very strong. A colony covering two frames only is not
worth preserving ; and a strong one, having given its
flying bees to a weak one, recuperates more quickly at
this season perhaps than ' R. M. supposes, unless he has
made the trial. In a former letter ' R. M.' expressed a
desire for further information as to the wintering of
nuclei. During several winters — notably the last — we
have wintered nuclei, both in houses and in the open,
successfully and without loss. Each has consisted of
three or four frames, well covered with bees, and having
sufficient sealed honey for winter store. Our hives
contain four frames only — of course, we prefer four to
three for wintering — are well made of inch pine, and
protected by ample roofs, with quilts, &c, just as our
other hives are wintered. Such nuclei, well prepared
for winter, with young and prolific queens, will come
through the winter better than they would if packed in
a ten-frame hive between division-boards. Thus, in fact,
we prefer to winter our small ' after-swarms,' and find
them most useful when spring arrives for uniting and
other purposes.
For strengthening a deserving weak colony at the ex-
pense of a strong one — for that is the only alternative —
many advise, and with reason, to take from the strong
one a comb of hatching brood, with adhering bees, to
jar it slightly, causing the older bees to take wing and
return home, while the young remain on the comb, and
then to insert the comb and bees in the centre of the
weak colony, at the same time uncapping a little honey
around the brood-nest, and removing all other combs
which the bees are unable to cover, and finally closing
up the division-boards and covering up warmly. The
process to be repeated as occasion shall require. In lieu
of the frame taken from the strong colony, a frame of
clean worker-comb, as new as possible, is inserted in its
place, and is quickly filled with eggs. But we again
say that if a colony does not possess four frames, well
covered with bees at the end of April, it is most advan-
tageous to unite it to a moderately strong one.
Giving Room in the brood-chamber is now a matter
of importance, if we wish to prevent ewarming, with a
view to honey-production. During fine and warm
weather a frame of nice clean comb may safely be in-
serted in the centre of the brood-nest, and may often be
done with advantage immediately before putting on the
section case. Colonies should be occasionally examined
in order to ascertain their wants during the latter por-
tion of this month, as the objection to manipulation is
less now than in the early spring. By a careful exami-
nation in suitable weather, bees now suffer no disad-
vantage, and where the desire for pilfering has disap-
peared, manipulation may be carried on during the hours
of flight, but care should be taken to keep the hive open
for as short a time as possible, since the hatching larvae
are quickly chilled. 'Giving room,' as recommended
above, will bo understood to apply only to colonies which
have not yet attained to the maximum of population.
Where such is the case, ' crowding' the bees before
putting on surplus cases, is generally advised at this
early period, but there are so few districts in which
early surplus can be gathered, that there is a wide
margin for discretion here. In fact, bee-keepers, perhaps
more than any other class, must act in accordance with
surrounding circumstances.
Swarming will no doubt have commenced in southern
counties before these words are in print, and all apiaries,
whether worked for honey or for increase, should be
carefully watched during swarming hours — say from
9 a.m. till '■'• p.m. Apiaries left to themselves often lose
swarms -which are never missed by their owner. It
must also be borne in mind that some seasons are far
more productive of natural swarming than others are.
Showery weather, with frequent gleams of sunshine,
and a scarcity of honey, are conducive to swarming. A
large skep, or pail, a sheet or cloth, a pail of water, a
garden syringe, a short ladder, or steps, are all useful aids
towards capturing swarms. When the swarm is well
out, and soaring aloft, a few well-directed shots from the
syringe will generally prevent its departure to some
distant pre-selected rendezvous, and prevent its loss. As
a rule all swarms settle, and remain a short time, in the
neighbourhood of their hive before decamping. But to
this, as to all other rules, there are exceptions, and we
have often witnessed the departure of a swarm, especially
a second swarm, direct from the parent hive, without
the slightest delay or settlement. Such swarms usually
rise aloft at once, sufficiently high to clear the tops of
the tallest trees, and then dart away in a straight line to
the selected spot, at a pace very difficult for any biped
to maintain.
To hive a swarm when settled, having first sprinkled
it with water from the syringe, take the skep, mouth up-
wards, in the left hand, having the cloth lying across the
left arm, and its edge grasped, together with the skep,
by the fingers of the left hand, shake the swarm with a
good hearty shake, into the skep and cover it quickly
with the cloth. Tighten the cloth around the skep
mouth, and at once invert the skep in a well-shaded spot,
near the place of settlement, and allow it to remain thus
for a couple of minutes.
Next raise the edge by placing under it three thick
wedges, by which it is raised a couple or three inches,
all round, from the cloth. Shade well with rhubarb-
leaves or green boughs, and sprinkle frequently during
the day with water, and at night remove the swarm to
its future stand, shaking it out in front of the frame-
hive which it is intended to occupy, wedging up the
front of the hive, and using the carbolised feather to
260
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 24, 1888.
hasten and direct entrance of the bees. By brushing a
little carbolic solution on the branch where the swarm
settled, stragglers will be prevented from congregating
there. If a swarm settles upon a post, a stump, a wall,
or similar place, set an empty skep above it, and by the
application of carbolic solution, drive it up into the skep
by passing the feather repeatedly around the post, close
to and beneath the bees, until all are in. The speed
with which the bees will run upwards into the skep will
astonish a novice in the art. Be careful, however, to
allow no smear of carbolic on the skep, or a sudden
exodus will follow.
Queen-Introduction to the parent hive, after the
departure of a first swarm, is easily accomplished by
cutting out all queen-cells and caging the new queen for
a short time.
The Pond Method. — Mr. J. E. Pond, writing to
the Canadian Bee Journal (current vol. p. 68) on this
subject, gives concisely the method which he has
practised successfully for many years, thus : — ' On the
afternoon of a fine day, when the bees can fly freely, I
remove the old queen, taking care at the time to see that
no queen-cells have been started. On the evening of
the same day, after the bees have all returned to the
hive, I allow the new queen to run in at the entrance of
the hive, taking no further precautions. I then allow
the hive to remain unexamined for four or five days,
except carefully examining the entrance to assure
myself that the queen has not been killed and carried
out. As yet I have never met with failure, and, so far
as I can learn, no failures have resulted with those who
have tried the plan by following exactly the method I
have briefly outlined. No time is lost in the introduction,
which is of considerable importance in the honey-
gathering season, or the season preparatory therefor.'
Zinc Excluding Honey-Boards. — In the current
number of the American Bee Journal (May 2nd), in
answer to the query, 538, 'Have you demonstrated in
practice that the zinc queen-excluding honey-board is a
hindrance to the free passage from the brood-chamber to
the supers ? In other words, Have you found any
difference in the quantity of honey stored where such
boards were used ?' The answers given were fifteen in
number. Of these, ten are highly in favour of the zinc
excluder. Of the remaining five, three report that they
have not sufficient experience to give a decisive answer ;
on?, Mr. Ilambaugh, says that he ' has not experimented
largely, but he thinks there was a difference ;' and the
fifth, Mr. Brown, states that ' the disadvantages over-
balance the advantages.' The ten approvers are Pro-
fessor Cook, Mrs. Harrison, Messrs. Mason, Eugene
Secor, Doolittle, Heddon, Taylor, Pond, Demaree, and
Newman (the Editor). Mr. Heddon writes: — 'I have
demonstrated, by the use of several hundreds of them,
and for three years, that they are not a hindrance.'
Mr. Taylor says : — ' I had several colonies with excluding
honey-boards that stored more surplus honey than any
colony which did not have them.' Mr. Pond states : — ' I
have satisfied myself that they are a great advantage.
I do not find that less stores are secured when zinc
excluders are used.' Mr. Demaree says : — ' The per-
forated excluder is a success ;' and the Editor remarks : —
' The zinc queen-excluders are no hindrance to the bees.'
This is important testimony, and we hope some of our
leading English bee-keepers will make trial of these
honey-boards during the coming season, and report
thereon.
ASSOCIATIONS.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The usual monthly meeting of the Committee was held
on the 17th inst. Present, the Bev. Geo. Raynor (in the
chair), the Bev. Br. Bartrum, the Ilev. F. S. Sclater,
Rev. R. Errington, H. Jonas, J. M. Hooker, and the
secretary. The minutes of the last committee meeting
were read and confirmed.
The consideration of amendments in regard to the
mode of conducting examination of candidates for third-
class certificates was under discussion, and various sug-
gestions in reference thereto were considered. It was
resolved, that a special sub-committee, consisting of the
Rev. Geo. Raynor, Mr. Hooker, Rev. F. S. Sclater, and
Dr. Bartrum, be appointed to consider and report on the
proposed amendments, and that the secretary do prepare
a tabulated statement of the examinations which have
been held under the present rules. The secretary re-
ported that upwards of 230 entries had been made for
the bee department of the Roj'al Agricultural Show, to
be held at Nottingham. The several arrangements for
this exhibition having been considered, the meeting
resolved itself into
The Quarterly Conference.
There were present the following County Representa-
tives, namely, C. H. Haynes, Worcester ; W. Rushton,
Bedford; J. P. Sambels, Herts; Rev. W. E. Burkitt,
Wilts; W. Lees McClure, Lancashire and Cheshire;
J. Garratt and F. Cudd, Kent ; W. B. Webster, Berk-
shire ; F. II. Meggy, Essex.
The minutes of tho last Quarterly Conference were
read and confirmed. In reference to the proposed
amendments for conducting third-class examinations,
the Chairman reported that a special committee had
been appointed to consider the question and to report at
the next meeting of the General Committee. The sug-
gestions already sent in to the Committee on this sub-
ject were calculated to strengthen the present system
adopted, more especially in regard to the knowledge of
the candidate in reference to foul brood. On this point
the Chairman mentioned the fact that recently some
candidates competing for the higher honours in the ex-
aminations had never met with a case in their lives.
They, however, possessed a good general knowledge of
apiculture.
Mr. Meggy was of opinion that there were many good
experts who were not thoroughly acquainted with the
subject of foul brood, and that if candidates wore ex-
pected to have an intimate knowledge of this subject he
feared that many might be found who would fail to
satisfy the examiner in this respect, and yet be good sound
practical bee-keepers and thoroughly competent to teach
others how to manage an apiary. Mr. Sambels sup-
ported the views of Mr. Meggy, he thought it would be
very hard upon the candidate who showed a good general
knowledge of bee-keeping to he plucked in his examina-
tion simply because he had never met with a case of foul
brood. Providing the candidate showed a knowledge of
the subject and how it should be treated, he considered
that Lis certificate should be granted. A discussion
ensued in regard to the regulation for catching the queen
in these examinations. Mr. Garratt considered that the
queen should be pointed out when ascending even if she
were not caught. Circumstances might prevent the
candidate from actually handling the queen without
injury, and if the examiner's attention were called to the
fact and noted by him tins might be considered sufficient.
The meeting was generally of opinion that if the candi-
date failed either to catch or point out the queen, the ex-
aminer should take some trouble to ascertain whether the
queen was present and if not to make allowance to the
candidate accordingly. The Chairman promised that
the suggestions given by the county representatives and
others on this subject should have every consideration.
Mr. McClure reported that the subject of the prizes
offered at county shows, which were open to members
of the British Bee-keepers' Association only, had been
considered by the county representatives at their pre-
liminary meeting. The following resolution in reference
thereto having been passed — viz., ' That the exhibitors
May 24, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
261
competing for these prizes should be members of the
county Association where the show was held, in addition
to being members of the Central Society ' — the Secretary
read the minutes of the Quarterly Conference held in
July last year, from which it was gathered that the
regulations made in regard to these prizes were considered
and approved by the county representatives.
Mr. Garratt suggested that it would be well to modify
these regulations, so as to include the members of all
county associations, similar to the rule of the Bee De-
partment of the Royal Agricultural Show. At the time
the regulation was made the impression prevailed that at
some future time man}' of the present county Associa-
tions distinctions would cease, and that it was verydesir-
able to strengthen the Central Society as much as
possible.
Mr. McClure was of opinion that the present arrange-
ment was calculated to draw off the exhibiting members
from the County Associations, and he considered that it
was very desirable to retain these members in theCounty
Associations, whilst the larger county gentlemen sub-
scribing their guinea annually might be handed over
to the Central Society. The Lancashire and Cheshire
Association would most certainly work to this end. lie
hoped next year that the Central Society would increase
their grant under this head very considerably and under
more suitable regulations. The Chairman pointed out
the amount granted for the purpose must depend ujk in
the Central Society's income. If the County Associations
would act on the lines laid down by Mr McClure, then
the Central body would be in a position to do more for
the Counties.
CoNVEnSAZIONE.
The Rev. G. Raynor, upon being elected chairman,
expressed his regret that a county representative had
not been chosen to fulhi such duty. However, he
accepted the office with pleasure, and hoped there would
be an interesting and instructive discussion. There
were several appliances and inventions for inspection,
but the proceedings would commence with the reading
of a paper by Mr. Sambels, entitled, ' The Future of
County Associations.'
Mr. Sambels apologised for the hasty way in which
his paper had been prepared. He thought the subject
would be an interesting one for discussion, but had not
decided to commit it to writing until that very day.
He then read as follows : —
The subject of the future of our county associations is
one that is occupying the minds at the present time of most
of us who are interested in them. The question that re-
quires answering seems to be — Have they attained the
ends for which they were established? Is their work
done ? Is there any object to be gained in continuing
their existence ? They were established, as all are
aware, to make for bee-keeping a fit and proper status as
a national industry, and to especially benefit the agri-
cultural labourer. These are objects in common with
our august parent the British, and, of course, the
affiliated associations have brought bee- keeping home to
the doors of the cottager in a way that the British never
could ; but my observation of Hodge and his suscep-
tibilities to be benefited in the way of what you can teach
him towards helping himself leads me to the conclusion
that the philanthropic work of our county associations
must in the main — I say in the main — be dropped, and
if we continue these organizations in the future, it
must be chiefly for their commercial importance. De-
pression is everywhere complained of, but chiefly in
the rural districts. The clergy complain, and justly,
tithes are low and increasingly difficult to collect ;
the landowner complains, too, rents are lower even
than tithes. Settled incomes are and have been di-
minishing, consequently everyone is looking around for
opportunities of reducing their expenses, and in many
cases the subscription to the bee-keeping associations bas
to go. Moreover, the idea that if you invested in the
best hive and a colon}' of the best bees — which in most
cases were the greatest novelty and the race known least
about — and set them down in your garden, they not only
looked pretty, but a return of 100 per cent per annum
was assured, is exploded ; as also is the other — that bees
are as harmless as flies. The truth is out. Bees have stings,
and some people have unhappy ways of handling bees to
induce them to show their stinging powers ; and I know of
few easier ways of losing money than for a slipshod
person who is not methodical and who does not pay due
regard to details to invest in bees, and persist in trying
the newest inventions in spite of repeated failures.
The last three years have seen the loss of most of the
above class from our associations as well as a large
number of subscribers who supported us in our endea-
vours to benefit the labourer. This brings me to
'Hodge' again. There are not a few agricultural
labourers who are good bee-keepers and are making
money by their bees. We have the wife of one in the
Association of my adopted county that comes to my
mind at once. But these are exceptions. As a rule,
they have not the money to invest. If you set them
up most of them are too slow to learn to help them-
selves, and their ideas so centre around the old straw
shop with its small returns and simple methods of
management that very many of them slip back into
the old method, only allowing an advanced man to
1 drive ' their condemned bees, instead of calling in the
old barbarous sulphur-pit. We in Herts did at one
time succeed in getting large numbers of such to
subscribe Is. per annum, but they are dropping off;
and nothing seems to induce them to continue to sub-
scribe, and so we are even better off, financially, by their
withdrawing, however much we desired to retain them.
Then, again, the novelty of the thing to the general
public is gone. The bee-tent has long ceased to be a
source of profit to us. Everybody has seen what can be
done by the expert, and has failed to repeat the operations
so successfully themselves with their own bees in their
own gardens. Shows, again, are a source of deficit to
us ; they are not of sufficient general interest to draw a
crowd, and no, or at least few, horticultural societies
care to amalgamate with us, as the}' will get just as much
gate-money without us as with us.
Then you argue that our associations have done their
work, and are of no further practical utility ? No ! On
the contrary, I argue they can be made of very great
service to bee-keeping in the future ; and I would call your
attention to the fact that bee-keepers' associations are
being largely increased and extended on the other side of
the Atlantic, both in Canada and the States. But they
will consist almost exclusively of people who make
bee-keeping pay, and are more what our Transatlantic
cousius call ' Specialists,' and they must in future be
conducted on lines more suitable to the altered position
of things. In place of the one large organization em-
bracing the whole county with a large central committee
with its members living thirty or forty miles apart, we
must have something more compact. The county must
be divided into districts, and instead of spending a lot of
money on the expert's tour and the circulation of the
Journal, each individual member must subscribe to the
B.B.J, or Adviser privately if he wants it, and the
districts must hold frequent conferences. "We are nothing
if not fraternizing. And what even would the British
be to us but for these quarterly conversaziones ? Each
district must have control of its own funds, a small
committee and a secretary, who will find his own smaller
area quite as much as he will care to look after, and
then a general committee formed from the most enthu-
siastic members of each district for special purposes,
with jierhaps a paid county secretary, and the organiza-
tion is complete. From henceforth only the real honey-
262
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 24, 1888.
getters will care to belong to it, because the meetings
will only be of interest or profit to them, except they be
lovers of natural history. Then again, we ought to
increase our efforts to get bee-keeping recognised as a
legitimate branch of agriculture. The Royal and other
larger societies may well be copied by many of the
county agricultural societies, and as many of them have
sub-committees for poultry, butter-making, &c, so they
may well add another for bee-keeping. I am sure if this
was pressed upon our vice-presidents, who, as a rule, are
large subscribers to agricultural societies, they would see
the wisdom of the proposal, and bring their influence to
bear in this direction to the benefit of both agriculture
and apiculture.
I am especially sorry to raise this question now,
because I fear those counties that have not been suffi-
ciently worked will use it as an excuse for relaxing their
efforts. We want the whole ground covered and worked
by the expert and the bee-tent, that will find out the bee-
keepers that are really worth their salt, and bring them
together for future mutual edificatim and profit; but
without this 1 fear in some parts the sulphur-pit will
still reign. Whatever comes, I believe the British will
not suffer. Having fairly established Apiculture
throughout the kingdom as a national industry it will
ever be her part as parent to guide and control every-
where. To open up new fields, to advance the scientific
aspect especially, and when necessary, to claim, protect,
and watch over our interest in the legislature and the
schools. The counties were always a source of outlay
to her, not of profit, and if the affiliated associations
were dissolved to-morrow many of their best members
would at once join the British, who would thus be
swelled by the ablest and best of the county bee-keepers,
and would continue to pursue its course of usefulness with
even greater dignity and lustre. I have been induced to
put these few remarks together since I came to town this
morning, in hopes that it may raise a discussion on a
subject which has not only been under serious consider-
ation in Hertfordshire, but I find is also being considered
by many others in various parts of the country.
The Chairman thanked Mr. Sambels for his able
paper, which bore traces of careful thought, although
produced hurriedly. Many points therein were of great
importance, and well worthy of consideration.
Mr. Oarratt thought it was not a little curious that
the views expressed in the paper came from the County
of Hertford — the first county to form an association, or,
at any rate, the first to achieve any prominence under
the able and energetic guidance of the late Mr. Peel.
As an impromptu effort he considered Mr. Sambels'
paper very praiseworthy. He had for some time past
endeavoured to form a definite idea as to what the
immediate future of County Associations would be. In
reading the B. B. J., one could not but discern the notes
which had been sounded in different counties, and those
were indicative of a diminished interest on the part of
not only the officials and managers, but also of the
general body of supporters and of the public in general.
While that feeling existed it would do much to lessen
the efforts and reduce the enthusiasm of those who had
the interests of the Association in their keeping. Some
counties wero in a flourishing condition, but the bulk
were not so. Some of the counties which had been
foremost in the movement had disappeared from the
field entirely, which fact compelled him to admit that
Mr. Sambels' paper raised a subject which was ripe for
discussion. In his own county of Kent, a periodical
meeting of the Committee or Council had been sum-
moned for the purpose of deciding upon the advisability
of holding an annual show. No member attended the
meeting, nor was a single response to the summons
received. Under such circumstances the Secretary and
Treasurer could not assume the responsibility of any
action in the matter. That state of things was ex-
tremely regrettable, nevertheless it was too significant to
be ignored. It would be a good arrangement if the
district branches could by some means be maintained as
units, and be held together in the different counties by
some simple tie.
Mr. Webster trusted they were not officiating at the
obsequies of bee-keeping in England. He attributed the
failure or success of the county Associations to the
apathy or energy of the executive officers thereof.
Some secretaries made light of obstacles and difficulties,
which they always surmounted, and in such cases the
counties prospered. He knew of one such secretary
who had obtained no less than thirty-two members that
year. His own county of Berks had not been ex-
haustively worked, nevertheless it was fairly successful.
The old custom of bee-driving and catching the queen
in the bee tent was out of date, and something new
must be substituted in order to maintain public interest.
The counties should be divided into districts, and small
periodical conversazioni held in each locality, when
matters of interest relating to apiculture could be dis-
cussed and appliances shown and examined.
Mr. Slade dissented entirely from the desponding
opinions expressed by Mr. Sambels. In his own county
of Gloucestershire, interest in bee-keeping was kept up
by means of district branches, which were all allowed
the privilege of home rule, and were therefore satisfied.
At Wotton-under-edge the subject was not permitted
to languish, for a monthly meeting was held throughout
the winter. In Gloucestershire bee-keeping was a
profitable investment, as many of the cottagers could
testify.
Mr. Meggy said, as secretary to a neighbouring
county to that of Mr. Sambels, he was much surprised
to hear the doleful account emanating from Herts. He
had always looked upon Herts as the pattern county,
and had endeavoured to follow its example, especially in
the matter of one shilling subscriptions from labourers.
He could not endorse Mr. Sambels views. The fact that
the labourers were not willing to reap the advantages
they might from the County Associations proved that
it was necessary to work among them more persistently
and educate them. Neither could he allow that shows
and bee-tents were played out. In his own county the
bee-tent did not pay financially, but there was no lack of
interest in it when manipulations were exhibited free of
charge. He thought efforts should more generally be
made to hold shows in connexion with the County
Agricultural Associations, and he prided himself on
managing to obtain a good show in Essex for an ex-
penditure of not more than 2/. or 3/. On the question
of committees, he quite endorsed the remarks of Mr.
Garratt as to the difficulty of securing a meeting. No
doubt the work mainly depended on one individual ; the
Secretary should not fail in his duty if the Committee
did. If the plan proposed of allowing district branches
to carry out their own work in their own way came into
force, he could only say that the duties of a County
Secretary would be considerably lightened. As regarded
Essex, he felt sanguine of continued success.
Mr. Sambels said in reference to the remarks of pre-
ceding speakers that the Associations represented by
those gentlemen were about three years behind the
Herts Association. About three years ago the latter
Association was flourishing, new members entering its
ranks in great numbers. Then the institution was new
and popular, but as time went on there was a difficulty
in keeping up the interest. Nevertheless, the Herts
Association had worked hard. It was the first to map
the county out into districts, and appoint a secretary and
local advisers. The latter were instituted at the suggestion
of the late Mr. Jenyns. Then, as to the Secretary, it
was not possible to find a more energetic one than the
Rev. Mr. Seager. That gentleman had actually spent
May 24, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
263
one summer holiday in his dogcart visiting every bee-
keeper in the county. Every parish in which it was
Eossible to give a lecture had been lectured in. Not only
ad the bee-tent been shown free of charge in all local
flower shows, but it had been exhibited on gentlemen's
lawns, and the mysteries of the bee-hive explained over
and over again to labourers invited there for that purpose.
The subject had also been worked through the Natural
History Society. He had known cottage bee-keepers,
who were full of enthusiasm at first with the bar-frame
hive afterwards go back to the straw skep. He did not
think the rule of county Associations was played out ;
nevertheless, he could not help believing that in future
these bodies must be worked on different principles.
Recent experience in Herts showed that, except in the
case of enthusiastic persons, it was difficult to obtain
attendances at quarterly conferences held for the pur-
pose of mutual education. In the United States and
Canada matters were different. There the Associations
did not work from any philanthropic motives — it was
entirely a matter of dollars and cents; but they contrived
to keep up the interest in bee-keeping by treating^ the
subject entirely from a commercial point of view. They
held periodical meetings, and mutually encouraged one
another. He did not wish it to be supposed that Hert-
fordshire would relax its efforts ; the executive would
always be glad to assist any one in the county to learn
apiculture, and do its best to promote the same. They
had been considering a scheme of management by which
the district branches would be allowed control of their
own affairs, and be permitted to appoint one — and in
populous districts two — members to act on a Central
Committee, which would work for the benefit of the
whole county. The local Agricultural Society had not
given them unstinted support, and they were determined
during the present year to press on that Society the im-
portance of bee-keeping as a recreation and means of
livelihood for the agricultural labourer.
Mr. McClure was sorry to hear the unsatisfactory ac-
count of Mr. Sambels. In his (the speaker's) own county
(Lancashire) not much had been done up to the present.
That county was rather too large to be conducted on the
same principles as Herts, and lie would be glad to hear
what plan of action Mr. Sambels would recommend for
Lancashire. They had had applications from six dis-
tricts, which had not even seen a bee-tent. Their local
Agricultural Society had asked them to write a paper
for insertion in the journal published by that body, and
appeared willing to render every assistance.
Mr. Sambels said the district of Herts in which he
resided comprised eight or ten parishes. The local secre-
tary lived in the town of Hertford, and his business
caused him to travel over a considerable portion of the
country once, and sometimes twice, a-week. Kuowing
all the bee-keepers individually, he seldom passed any
by in his journeys without calling on them. Thus he
kept himself in touch with them ; and besides that he
never lost an opportunity of urging clergymen to give
facilities for lectures in their parishes during the winter
months, and the exhibition of the bee-tent in their
grounds during springtime. Many of the lectures he
(the speaker) had given, often driving seven, eight, and
even ten miles to carry out such work, sometimes jour-
neying through deep snow for the purpose. Quarterly
conferences had been regularly held, at which all local
bee-keepers were invited to come and bring their appli-
ances, no matter how simple and primitive these might
be. At one of the meetings referred to the Canadian
gentlemen were good enough to be present, much to the
satisfaction of the crowded audience which assembled in
the schoolroom at Hertford. He recommended Mr.
McClure to adopt some measures of the kind he had
indicated.
Mr. Slade said his county had only one tent, and
would be glad of more. He argued that bee-keeping
was a prosperous undertaking, and, in fact, paid much
better than most businesses ; therefore he could not
understand the doleful view taken by Mr. Sambels.
Mr. Sambels said that Mr. Peel, who was a far-seeing
man, shortly before his death, remarked, ' The bee-tent
jn Herts has had its day ; sell it, and use the money for
other purposes.'
Mr. Meggy said that in Essex they considered it best
to send the expert to every bee-keeper twice a-year. He
believed that for cottagers it was better to introduce a
modern skep than the bar-frame hive. He thought it
would be impossible to advance much further with the
labourer until bee-keeping was made a subject of educa-
tion in elementary schools.
Mr.'Garratt, while admitting the force of Mr. Sambels'
remarks, advocated continuous eudeavours to popularise
bee-keeping. Nevertheless, the experiences of that even-
ing should teach them that the work could not be carried
out exactly on the old lines.
Mr. Sambels said he had entered on the subject with
great reluctance, although convinced the difficulties he
had alluded to would have to be faced by all of the
Associations sooner or later. He trusted that his re-
marks would tend towards increased and judicious
energy rather than desponding apathy.
The Chairman thanked Mr. Sambels for the infor-
mation he had supplied respecting the management of
county Associations. Mr. Webster's remark about
individualism they would all endorse, but the difficulty
was to find in each county the required individual. He
could bear testimony to the energy of Mr. Meggy, who
had done a great work in Essex for the County Associa-
tion. He had let the Agricultural Society have no rest
until they supported the movement in favour of bee-
keeping. He was glad to see that Mr. Jesse Collings was
about to introduce a new bill into Parliament which, if
passed, would, from an educational point of view, advanco
the interests of bee-keeping. He quite agreed with those
who thought that the driving of bees in the bee tent and
catching the queen was out of date. He thought the
frame-hive had not been sufficiently introduced to
cottagers. It needed more explanation and demon-
stration in the methods of handling and manipulating.
Interest would not flag among the cottagers if an expert
were to visit them twice a-year for that purpose.
Mr. T. Lowth, of Brunt Broughton, Newark, Notts,
exhibited his ' Lowth's Unique Extractor.' This extractor
is specially made for the purpose of extracting honey from
the comb made in unshapely, unfinished, and unsaleable
one-pound sections. The machine will be found handy
for extracting honey for exhibition purposes, the honey
being easily ejected from delicate comb without a risk of
damage in breakage, and with a minimum of waste, the
quality and brilliancy of the honey being preserved.
264
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 24, 1888.
Bee-keepers with small apiaries, who work on the section
principle, will find this extractor desirable. The machine
is provided with three extra cases for the purpose of
holding comb honey to be extracted other than that of
sections. The extractor can also be adapted for the
reception of two-pound sections. The illustration will
furnish au explanation of its mode of working.
The workmanship of Mr.Lowth's extractor was highly
applauded, but it was thought that the work it could do
could also be effected by the larger extractors.
Mr. Webster showed his new method of fastening
whole sheets of foundation into sections. This is done
with the aid of a specially made block. Three sides of
the section are in halves, so that when folded the fourth
side acta as a hinge or joint to a pair of jaws formed by
the other three sides, these jaws being opened by the
thumb and forefinger of one hand, a sheet of foundation
is dropped in with the other, the section is then placed
in the block, which keeps it perfectly square, a lever
pressed to shut the jaws close together, which fastens
the foundation very securely. We think quite secure
enough for the purpo-e wanted, but Mr. Webster pushes
two little tin staples into the section. This renders the
section a deal more rigid, and the foundation more secure
than any means that we have at present seen adopted.
This invention was much approved of by those present.
Mr. James Ross, ; of Stranraer, N. B., exhibited an
improved Feeder. This feeder is of wood, and therefore
is not so susceptible of changes of the atmosphere as
glass or metal. It has no corners into which the bees
have no access, and therefore they clean out thoroughly.
It can be shut against bees entering without removing
it, and it can be easily filled while on the hive.
Mr. W. II. Jenkins exhibited his Reversible Section-
crate, for which he claims the following advantages : —
That sections can be quickly inverted and reversed.
A finished section can be taken out and replaced by an
empty one in a few minutes ; the state of the sections
can be ascertained and the whole crate cleared without
taking it off the hive, with no jarring, and with far less
disturbance of the bees than with the ordinary section-
crate. There is a bee space left at the ends, sides, and
between the rows, so that bees can pass to the upper
crate without having to walk over the lower sections
and soil them. They also offer a safe means for transit,
sections being kept clear of the sides of the travelling
box by the projecting edges of the holders.
The Rev. G. Raynor exhibited some sections of honey
which had been built by the bees without the aid of
separators. The sections were particularly fine speci-
mens, being perfectly straight and even.
Air. McClure moved, and Mr. Hooker seconded, a
vote of thanks to the Chairman, who briefly acknow-
ledged the compliment, and the proceedings closed.
EBOR BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
A meeting was held at the Commercial College, York,
on Friday, May 11, the Rev. J. Hodgkinson in the chair,
when the ' Ebor Bee-keepers' Association ' was started.
Mr. Samuel Peel was appointed Secretary and Treasurer.
A few resolutions were passed relating to subscriptions,
and it was also decided to hold a honey fair in the
autumn, when it is proposed to offer prizes to the
members of the Ebor B.K.A. for honey exhibited in its
various forms. Mr. Jemeison has kindly consented to
act as travelling expert to the Association.
€axx£8$ariiimtt.
'FATHER' LANGSTROTH.
[1642.] Dear Editor, you have given us in last week's
Journal the long letter in defence of the poor drone,
from the pen of the one whom ' all the States own.'
Blood is thicker than water, and the whole Anglo-
Saxon race is one people, moreover ' one touch of Nature
makes the whole world kin.' The dear old man has been
afflicted, and with the saddest of all sorrows — head
trouble. He is so far restored as to be able to write
what you gave us last week, but as an actual fact he
is past work in the way of bread-winning.
He has been defrauded of the results of his brains by
his fellow bee-brethren from lack of power to defend his
rights, and being worn out and in poverty they have
decided to buy him a small annuity. Surely we can
endorse the sublime words of C. Mackay : —
' I'love you, if your thoughts are pure ;
What signifies your poverty,
If you can struggle and endure ?
'Tis not the birds that make the spring —
'Tis not the crown that makes the king.
If you are wise, and good, and just,
You've riches better than all other !
Give me your hand — you shall - you must —
I love you as a brother ! '
Let us, as British bee-keepers, give practical ex-
pression of brotherly feeling by subscribing to the
fund; it will only stimulate his countrymen to do more,
and make the annuity the greater. What if the Ma-
loneys, ' Amateur Experts,' and Ileddons do occasionally
have a ' rough and tumble,' let us show we are one
mother's children by giving our] mite. Here are two
dollars to start, from — Amateur Expert.
SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1640.] Referring to the letter, No. 1626, in your last
issue, I have no desire to engage in any lengthened con-
troversy on shallow frames, and so will content myself
with a simple answer to Mr. Dobbie's query as to why I
consider a 5i-inch frame better than a 6-inch one — this
being the real point at issue.
It is well known by all who have read anything I
have written on shallow frames in 6-inch boxes, that I
use these boxes and frames for brood-chamber as well as
for surplus honey. I have also asserted, very confidently,
that any bee-keeper who adopts them as surplus boxes
will, under certain circumstances, use them for brood-
chambers, as I frequently do myself. In proof of this,
and as Mr. J. H. Howard's name has been mentioned, I
may say, in passing, that that gentleman is coming to
the same conclusion himself, for he wrote me a month
ago to say, — 'Shallow brood-chambers I have found
very good, and methinks I shall prove them ahead.'
Here, then, we have the fact that Mr. Howard and
myself are as one in adopting shallow frames for brood
as well as for surplus.
The boxes in which my shallow frames are worked are
six inches deep, each holding nine frames ; and as two of
these are required to form the hive body or brood-chamber,
we have eighteen frames in the latter, with a comb-sur-
face of about 265 inches more than that of a ten-frame
standard hive. I call this extra 265 inches a fault
lather than an advantage ; ten standard frames of comb
being abundant for all breeding purposes. But if we
adopt a 6-inch frame, we get about 500 inches in excess
of what is justly considered a full-sized brood-chamber,
so the fault is increased in the same ratio. Should the
shallow frame be so fortunate as to merit discussion at
the hands of the committee of the B. B. K. A., I don't
doubt but weighty reasons can be given for preferring
the 5^-inch size ; indeed, even Mr. Howard's only objec-
tion to it lies in the fact that he has made and sold
a large number of the 6-inch ones, and so must, perforce,
keep to it in the interest of his customers. Curiously
enough, Mr. Cheshire, describing the ' Holme- Wood
hive of Mr. Howard in Bees and Bee-l;eepmy, p. Ill,
says the frame is 5J inches in depth.
[n conclusion, and since your correspondent has raised
May 24, 1888.]
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
265
the question, I can assure him that Mr. Howard was not
the first maker to offer a shallow frame of standard
length to the public. For myself, not being either a
maker or dealer, I can only speak as a user of these
frames, and 1 believe I was the first person in the king-
dom to use them. I had them in my apiary for some
years prior to the Norwich Show in 1SSG, both as surplus
chambers for working over standard frames and as
sectional brood-chambers on the Carr-Stewarton plan. —
W. Bhoucjiiton Carh, Higher Bebington, Cheshire.
SHALLOW FRAMES.
■ [1644.] There have been advocates of the o^-in.
frame, and there have been advocates of the 6-in. frame.
These both may be very good, but I cannot see one
special advantage of the size claimed for either of them,
whereas I think you might almost as well have an
8J as a C-in. frame. Every one praises his own, of
course, so I offer another size which I think best, and
can mention positive advantages in its favour. Instead
of having the side pieces 8 in., as in the large frames,
why not have them 4 in ? Advantages: — (1.) For
getting super foundation pulled out before the honey-
llnw, it would cut out for sections without any waste.
(2.) Two half-body boxes would make one big one, and
could be used for standard frames. (3.) Two shallow
frames would lit in each cage of extractor, thus four
could be extracted at once where two large ones were
before, whereas, with an awkward size of shallow
frame, no more could be extracted from at once than of
the standard frame, and there would be waste in cutting
out for sections. (4.) Of course there would be still
less need for wiring foundation in, than in a larger.
(5.) This coidd be put on before the bees were strong
enough to hear a larger box. Of course I am too
unimportant to cause that my frame should be adopted,
but still, why shouldn't I have my say? — F. '1. Buzz.
I should like to ask ' X-Tractor ' about the plumbers
scraper. If one angle is a right angle, what are the others
to be ? The figure looks as if it is an equilateral triangle.
SPREADING THE BROOD.
1 1645,] From several tests made by leaving whole rows
of hives through the bee-yard undisturbed, while a row
alongside had the brood spread as about to be given, I
find those manipulated gave results above the others
more than double enough to pay for the extra labour.
The trouble with most of those who try the plan for the
first time is that they begin to manipulate the brood too
early. There can he nothing gained where there are
three or four combs, one-fourth full of brood, by spreading
them apart and putting an empty comb between ; for
by so doing we simply spread the brood out in an un-
natural position, and work on the plan of scattering the
heat instead of concentrating it. Besides, as long as this
state of affairs exists, they have already got brood in
more comb than they should have ; for all will see that,
if all this brood were put in one comb, and that comb
placed in the centre of a chaff-hive made for only one
comb, the bees that hardly covered it before could
hardly crowd into the space it now occupies.
To get at what I wish to illustrate, let us suppose that
we could get that ordinary colony of bees with its brood
in four combs as above, all on one comb, and no room
for the bees except in this space, it will be seen that
quite a proportion of the bees would be obliged to cluster
outside. To obviate this outside clustering we would
enlarge our hive so as to take one more comb, which
comb is put in. Now having our heat aud bees con-
densed to the right proportion, we would find that the
queen would lay in this comb at the same rate she
would in July, filling it with eggs in three or four days ;
while, had we not done this, the brood in the four combs
with a whole hive to carry off the radiating heat, would
not have advanced to the amount of one-sixth ofi
frame. In a few days, more young bees from our first
frame have hatched to such an extent that they are
again crowding out at the entrance, when we once more
enlarge the hive and put in another comb (putting it in
the centre this time), which is filled as quickly as
before, and so we keep on till our hive is enlarged to
the breeding capacity of the queen. Does anyone doubt
but that we shall have a hive full of brood and bees long
before we should if nothing had been done ? If such
doubt exists, an experiment or two along that line will
convince any.
Well, now to practical work. As soon in spring as
the first pollen appears, shut the colony on to the
number of combs containing brood, using sometimes to
confine the heat as much as possible for a division-board.
If these combs of brood do not contain honey enough,
use a feeder such as I described a few months back for
that division-board, and feed, or leave combs of honey
beyond the board so the bees can have access to it. Xow
Now leave them till the two central combs have brood
clear down to the bottom outside corners of the frames ;
for manipulation previous to this would not help a bit,
as they already have all the chance for spreading their
own brood that is needed. As soon as you find the two
central combs thus filled, revei'se the brood-nest ; by
which I mean put these two central combs of brood on
the outside, and those outside in the centre, when, in a
very few days, we shall have our combs and colony in
just the shape of the supposed colony we spoke of above,
and are to proceed in the future on the same plan.—
Gt, M. Duoi.ittlk, Borodino, X. Y. (Gleanings.)
COMPENSATION ON EVICTIONS, &c.
[1646.] Will any of your numerous readers kindly
give me some idea of the amount (if any) per hive
which can legally be claimed for forced removal of bees ?
I live in a direct line with the Manchester Ship Canal,
and have received from the promoters three weeks'
notice to quit. As I am a yearly tenant, compensation
in the shape of twelve months' rent has been offered me
in common with others of my neighbours, but as I have
four fine stocks of bees, I think I am right in claiming
some compensation for the loss which will ensue if they
are removed to a fresh site which I have taken less
than a quarter of a mile away. If they were removed
to a location, say, five miles distant, there would be the
cost of moving back and to ; also rent of ground (though
small) to pay. Could this be claimed for ? I expect to
get a few days' grace after the expiration of notice, so any
advice from legal or other readers will be in time and
thankfully received. No one in our part expected them
to begin work here before next spring.
Turning to other matters, I am extremely pleased to
see published in the journal a biographical sketch of
Mr. George E. Hilton of Michigan, U.S.; but could you
not also arrange to give us some sketches and photo-
graphs of prominent British bee-keepers — those with
whose writings and names we are so familiar and yet
many of us have never seen ? Take, for instance,
' Amateur Expert.' I have long enjoyed this gentle-
man's letters, appearing from time to time in the
Journal, and have often wondered what he is like,
whether old or young, and what is his real name, and
in what part of the country he lives;* and there are
many others as familiar in name whose history as
regards bee-keeping would to me be of lasting interest.
I have seen very few of the scientific bee-keeping fra-
ternity. I am unable to go to the great shows
and places where the great leaders of the craft do
* In the first number of this year's Journal we gave an
illustration of the apiary of ' Amateur Expert,' with some
particulars of his life. — Ed,
266
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 24, 1888.
congregate, hence my proposal could, if adopted, make
up somewhat for such disadvantage. I am exceedingly
fond of my bees and all connected with them, and five
outside the town away from my work at a sacrifice
purposely that I may indulge my fancy. The bees are a
great comfort to me, and have taught me many of the
useful lessons mentioned by Mr. J. Eaton Fearn in his
letter in last Journal. — F. Pearson, Stockton Heath.
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK.
[1647.] Will you kindly allow me to ask, through
your columns, if any of your readers will favour me with
directions to prevent a drink made with honey from fer-
menting? I have been looking through a number of
back years of the British Bee Journal and find several
recipes for mead, &c, but as they all ' work ' or ' fer-
ment,' or have yeast introduced, none of them will suit
us, as we are thorough abstainers, and want to get a
good non-alcoholic drink. As the summer is coming on,
no doubt many would be glad to know how to make a
light beverage from their honey. — The Wife of a
Sussex Bee-keeper, Ticehurst, May loth.
[We should be specially obliged by some bee-keeper
replying to the above. — Ed.]
TEN TONS OF HONEY.
[1648.] I have received numerous letters since the
above advertisement appeared, and I have found it
entirely impossible to reply to one half of the inquiries
as to price, &c. Allow me to thank all those who have
written on the matter, and to say that during the season
I shall be very pleased to quote for new season's honey as
per advertisement ; also sections. — J. D. McNally.
(SrJHjes from % |§te.
North Leicestershire, May 21st. — From the 4th to 21st
inst. inclusive, the bees have been hard at work without
a day's interruption. Some little rain fell on the 17th,
but the weather was so warm that the bees continued
work through all but the heaviest showers. On Friday,
18th inst., the thermometer went up to 68° Fahr., and a
copious honey-flow set in, and still continues. Saturday,
the 19th inst., was a wonderful day for bees. The ther-
mometer stood at 76°, and the busy workers were card-
ing in pollen, nectar, and water for fifteen hours. Stocks
are rapidly increasing in strength ; some few are abnorm-
ally strong, and nearly all are crying out lustily for more
room. Supplies of pollen and nectar are just now being
drawn from wild cherry, plum, sloe, sycamore, currant,
gooseberry, arabis, dandelion, chickweed, shepherd's purse,
gillyflower, ribes, and celandine. — E. B.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Th' Aspen. — The queen forwarded was unfertilised.
G. Beestone. — Wax-moth. — The larvae forwarded were
those of the wax-moth. They should be destroyed
whenever seen by crushing them or extruding them by
aid of a pen-knife. They may be avoided by keeping
stocks strong, or having Ligurian bees.
P. T. C. Box. — Fumigator. — -We believe this can be pur-
chased of most dealers. Please consult our advertise-
ment columns, as we do not recommend one dealer in
preference to another.
J. P. O'Flaherty. — 1. Swarming. — We cannot recom-
mend the plans you suggest, but consider that under the
circumstances it would be best to make an artificial
swarm in the manner pointed out in Modern Bee-
keeping. If the swarm is put in a frame-hive and
placed on the old stand, the super should be placed on
it. In this case it would be better to use starters only.
2. Fanning. — Fanning is to reduce the temperature of
the hive, and evidently there are signs that your bees
will swarm before long. '6. Painting Hives. — The
whole hive should be painted.
R. Auld. — 1. Full Sheets of Foundation. — It is advisable
to use full sheets of foundatiou if properly secured in
the frames, care being taken that they hang perpendi-
cularly and that there are sufficient bees fully to cover
both sides of all frames. Starters may be used at all
times, but if the honey flow is at hand and large,
drone-comb will most probably be built. 2. Old Combs
having Honey. — Old combs with honey in them may
be utilised for swarms, the cells in which there is
honey being first uncapped.
Enquirer. — If your candy is wholesome and sweet it
may safely be re-liquefied.
C. Gilbert. — Moving Bees. — We would recommend
you to allow your hives to swarm, and get the
swarms forwarded in swarm-boxes, and sell the stocks
on the spot. Frame-hives will travel well on the rail-
way if there is some person to see to the hives being
so placed in the train that the combs hang in the
direction the train is going, and not across the carri-
age, or the combs may probably be dislodged from
frames by a sudden jerk or stoppage.
R. J. Sankey. — Bees Dying. — The queen is at fault,
being constitutionally .^weak. Introduce a new queen
and the mortality will cease.
H. Bishop. — Joining Association. — Apply to Mr. J.
Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts, who is Secretary of
the British Bee-keepers' Association.
J. F. — Doubling Hive. —The upper portion ought to be
the exact size of the lower and interchangeable with
it, viz., 17 x 15J x 8J inches, inside measurement. This
size allows of a lateral movement of frames, which is
important.
Beauly. — 1. Arrangement of Bar-frame Hive.— Your
surmises are correct as to arrangement of boards. We
very much object to the narrow entrances in such
hives ; the entrance should be the whole width, with
arrangements for contracting, on the outside, when
robbing is rife. 2. Uniting Cast. — You would keep
the youngest queen, which would be with the cast. If
two colonies of bees are separated from their hives,
combs, and brood, and are while in this condition
thrown together, they will unite peacefully.
G. Field. — Hybrids. — The bees sent are Ligurian and
English hybrids. When the bees hung out last season
they were superseding their queen, and the dead queen
found was the old one ; the virgin queen left was
fertilised by either a Ligurian or a Ligurian- English
hybrid, hence the bee3 now are imperfectly marked.
When an English stock is hybridized a portion only
of the population have 3-ellow bands, and many have
the three yellow bands ; but where an English stock
is crossed by a hybrid, a greater scarcity of bees with
the distinguishing marks of Ligurians are noticed, and
so on as each successive cross increases or diminishes
these marks.
^Business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Eoad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bbitish Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howaed, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
May 24, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
267
Hutchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meal-ham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothaed, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley, A. D., 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
When & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 .King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Siumins, S., Bottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, FenchurchSt.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Nbeighour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn,
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenohurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
IT OT ICIE.
The British Bee Journal ia published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Malum, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. Jy Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY. WoHasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington. Ledbnry, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. T.. Crawley, Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. Jy Wensum Street, Norwich.
ItUDKIN, P., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail,
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
'WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading,
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
STRONG PLANTS of STOCKS, ASTERS, PE-
TUNIAS, LOBELIAS, VEBBENAS, Xc, *c, ready
in May, from id. per dozen. Orders booked and forwarded
in rotation. Strong, well-rooted Celery Plants, red or
white, Is. 3d. per 100, post free. All Plants carefully
packed in wooden boxes. Address H. Dobbie, Hethersett,
Norwich.
NEW BEE DRESS,
COOL AND COMFORTABLE.
See Advertisement in Bee Journal of May 3,
CHARLES BARNETT, Tailor, Godalming.
a3%8
MANIPULATE WITHOUT SMOKE.
Webster's Fumigator
(Carbolic)
With Bellows complete, *,'6. Bottle of Agent, 6d.
A Piece of Carbonate (common crystal form) of Ammonia
should always be kept behind Sponge.
FIRST PHIZES: Indian and Colonial Exhibition ; Royal
Agricultural Show ; Royal Counties Agricultural Show.
BEE SUPPLIES of all Descriptions.
CATALOGUES FUSE BY POST,
QUEENS, STOCKS, NUCLEI.
WEBSTER'S NEW SECTIONS.— The only
Method yet invented of Securely Fastening Three
Sides of the Foundation, thus entirely preventing Sagging
and ' Pop-holes.' 6■»♦»♦» o ♦ <
Fig. 7a,
Price : Each with 21 four bee-way Sections, with bee-space
round each Section, 7/- per pair ; for two bee-way Sections, 6/6
per pair ; full sheets of Foundation fixed, 6d. per pair extra.
In Flat : Lots of Five subject to 33 per cent discount. Sec-
th Reversing Arrange- \ion& &., complete.
pnf. nnri Hmifiv Board. ■»■
iuent and Honey Board,
EDEY'S DOTJBLEH;
Is fitted with Honey Board and Crates, &c, two bee-way Sections, complete as En-
graving, 16/-; cheapest hive sold. In Flat : In lots of Five, less 33 per cent.
Send for Catalogue of Bee Furniture. Specially Good Foundation now rolling.
EDEY & SON, Steam Joinery Works, St. Neots.
\7s7~. IB- H4 A nFc HIT?,
MUSKHAM WORKS, NEWARK.
OUR NOTED 1 A HIVE.
Contains all necessary Fittings,
Price 10/6
As originally made by this Finn, and
Advertised for several Seasons.
If with six sheets of Foundation in
Frames, and Foundation in Sections,
ready to receive a Swarm,
Price 14-/0
Too well known to need description.
Brood Foundation.
Super Foundation.
Wired Foundation.
Smokers,
Clark's or Bingham.
Carbolic Fumigators.
Hives, of various Patterns
Metal Ends, [and Prices.
Sections.
Feeders, in great variety.
The 1/- Bottle Feeder.
Honey Bottles.
Extractors.
Wax Extractors.
Wicker Covers for Honey
Bottles.
Sting-proof Gloves.
Bee Veils.
Sting Lotion.
Section Holders.
Comb Cans.
Honey Labels.
Uncapping Knives.
Straw Skeps.
N.B.— 50 Ten-Frame HIVES for Sale, quite new, 6/6, 2 for 12/-, 3 for 17/-. 40 Strong Stocks in Bar-frame Hives for Sale-
tT •WRITE FOE C -A- T -A. LOO- XT IE. "M
J
^±^t
iRITISH
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbanobwatb' Pbiniino Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 310. Vol. XVI.]
MAY 81, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(ftfoitorial, itotkes, tit.
LANGSTROTH FUND.
Donations sent to us, or to Mr. Huckle, Kings
Lang-ley, Herts, ou behalf of the above Fund, will be
thankfully acknowledged in the B.B.J., and for-
warded to America. The following is the list of con-
tributions received up to date of present issue : —
£ s. d.
T.W. Cowan r, 0 0
Abbott Brothers 3 3 0
Geo. Neighbour and Sons 2 10 0
Rev. Geo. Raynor 1 1 0
W. Raitt 1 0 0
W. Broughton fan- 1 0 0
II. Howard 0 10 6
'X-Traclor' 0 10 0
' Amateur Expert' 0 10 0
Geo. Henderson 0 10 0
John Hall, Wigton 0 6 0
W, M. Graham, Lowfield Apiary .... 0 8 0
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Catching Swarms.
If swarms wore always to settle near the ground, or
within easy reach of the bee-keeper, hiving: them would
be easy enough, but sometimes they select places on
trees too high to reach in the ordinary way, or even con-
veniently with a ladder. When hives are kept in lofts
or in places above the level of the ground, swarms
usually settle ou high trees. We at one time kept nearly
40 hives in lofts above our stables, and during the whole
time they were there every swarm settled high and out
of reach, and we had not one that we could hive without
a ladder or some special contrivance^for the purpose.
We bave sometimes been able to get a swarm away
together with the branch of the tree on which it alighted
if this was not too large. The branch is cut off without
jarring by means of an instrument called a ' secateur,'
and which we use for tree-pruning. This instrument is
found in every gardener's hands on the Continent, and is
gradually coming into use in this country. A branch,
j or even 1 inch in thickness, can be easily cut through
without the slightest jarring, therefore it is very much
better for the purpose of getting a swarm than a pruning-
knife. When the branch is much thicker and assistance
can be had, a pruning saw could be Used. The assistant
mounts a ladder, and with the ' secateur ' prunes away
the small twigs surrounding the cluster. Then he takes
hold of the branch while the bee-keeper from below saws
carefully through it with a pruning saw. A pruning saw
is generally made to fix to a long handle, and has the
teeth set in such a way that they cut through green
wood rapidly and without clogging up, as an ordinary
saw would do. Our pruning saw has a long handle of
four joints which screw together so that the length
can be adjusted to the height of the branch from the
operator.
An assistant is not always at hand, and to enable bee-
keepers to take their own swarms with little trouble a
number of contrivances have been introduced. The
oldest, and one we have used for upwards of twenty
years, and the pattern generally used on the Continent, is
shown in the illustration. It consists of a jointed hoop
fixed to a ferrule A, which fits on to the end of a pole.
The hoop is hinged at
B, B, one half of it is
rigid and attached to A,
while the other half C is
connected to a cord which
passes through a hole on
the fixed portion of a
hoop, and through eyes
along the pole. To the
hoop is fixed a bag, seme-
thing like a butterfly net,
only made of calico. Ours
is made of glazed calico,
with the glazed surface
inside. The bottom is nut
sewed up, but it is tied
round a couple of inches
from the end by means of
a piece of tape. We pre-
ferred this arrangement
because we found it much easier to hive the swarm than
when the bag has to be turned inside out. The glazed
surface also dislodges the bees much more easily. The
way of using this appliance is very simple. Bring it up
to the swftrm, holding the pole in one hand, and with
the other gently pull the cord. This will draw the two
halves of the hoop together and enclose the swarm in
the bag. Lower it gently, and remove the bag from the
pole by pulling off the socket A. Bring it to the hive
you wish to introduce the swarm into, and untie the
tape at the bottom of the bag. One smart jerk will
dislodge all the bees, as the sides of the bag are parallel
and the opening at the bottom the full width of the bag.
A very simple contrivance, which we saw when visiting
Mr. Root, Medina, and which is described by him in his
A 11 C of Bee Culture, is the invention of Mr. Shephard.
It is simply a box made of J-inch basswood boards, 8
inches square by 16 inches deep, the bottom closed and
top open. The sides are bored full of f -inch holes. The
270
THEJBRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 31, 1888.
bos is then fixed to a pole which passes through two of
the sides ; and fastened in this way it can he turned in
any direction and brought in position to receive the
swarm. Another pole with a hook is sometimes useful
to shake the bees from the branch into the box. A so-
called improvement has been advocated by Cheshire,
more theoretical than practical, in which he proposes to
have a thin iron rod pass 'loosely through the box above
the centre of gravity so that the latter always rights
itself whatever may be the position of the pole ; ' but the
fact seems to have escaped notice that the centre of
gravity of a shifting cluster of bees is moveable, and such
an apparatus would be very likely to precipitate the bees
on to the operator's head when he least expected it. It
is also a much more expensive contrivance, and more
likely to get out of order, than the Shephard apparatus,
whose extreme simplicity is its recommendation. The
rigidity of the box constitutes its safety.
When visiting Mr. McKnight, at OwenSound in Canada,
he showed us a very simple and ingenious device he used
for taking swarms from trees. This consists of a stick,
the end of which for about 18 inches is planed, six-sided
pieces of lath are cut in lengths varying from 6 to 10
inches, and are nailed at right angles to the stick on the
six sides. Close against the stick these laths touch each
other, but from the fact of there being six sides to which
the laths are nailed, the ends are from 3 to 4 inches from
one another. About a foot of the end of the stick is
furnished with these laths, aud at the other end there is
a ferrule, by means of which the stick can be fixed to a
pole. When the cluster has partly settled the bristly
end of this pole is pushed in among the bees, which
cluster on and between the laths and can be brought
down and shaken off. In this way Mr. McKnight told
us he had never failed to secure a swarm.
Mr. J. B. Hall, of Woodstock, uses a contrivance made
of a cheese-box fastened to a pole. A piece of cheese-
cloth is fixed to one side of the box, and by means of a
cord is drawn over the opening of the cheese-box, and in
this way the swarm is secured. Mr. Pettit uses a box
in which a couple of frames of comb can be placed.
This, held up to the cluster, induces the bees to run in
amongst the combs. There are many other ways of
securing swarms that have settled high besides these, but
they are all based on the same principle. Sometimes it
will be noticed that bees are not inclined to settle at all,
but will rise higher and higher into the air. When this
happens the bee-keeper should arrest their movements
by throwing water from a syringe over them in such a
manner as to resemble rain. Some use sand or earth,
but we have found water much more effectual for this
purpose.
EQUALISING STOCKS.
The spring is the best of all times for getting bees to
mix freely, because most, if not all, of them are com-
paratively young ; consequently, they fraternise more
freely than in the autumn. But if you wish to make a
comparatively weak stock strong at the expense of the
stronger, the chief requisite for success is brains.
To exchange places on a bright day, thus giving the
weak stock the foragers that did belong to the strong, is
a simple method, but the queen of the weak stock must
be first caged, or she will probably be ruined by
' balling ' for some hours ; and I am disposed to think
that ' balling ' does more harm to full-laying queens than
most of us are disposed to think. To find and cage one
or two queens when hives are full of bees and brood is
an operation likely to take some time in the hands of
people who are likely to profit by any good advice I may
be able to give in this article, and the experienced will
not require any from my pen — they always have means
and ' short cuts' of doing things ready to hand. Then
again, the queen or queens have to be liberated, which
means another overhauling, and over-manipulation is the
bane of unsuccessful bee-keepers ; consequently, I do not
suppose this method is likely to be popular, but it is
workable in some hands.
Another method is, if the weak stock has a comb in
which the queen has not laid, and there are sufficient
bees to cover it, take a comb of brood from a very
strong stock and give it to the weak one in place of the
comb that has no brood in it, giving the strong stock
the empty comb— making an exchange, in fact, if the
empty comb is clean ; if not, give a clean comb or a
sheet of foundation — thus keeping the strong stock at
work and its queen egg-laying. In making the exchange,
do not give a comb containing eggs only, let the brood
be sealed if possible ; at all events, let it be above five
days old, past the ' weaning ' stage, a9 young brood is
always a greater strain on the colony to prepare food for
it than the older.
Another plan still is, to smoke and gorge a weak and
strong stock, or, perhaps, two strong stocks if necessary,
and taking a comb with its adhering bees from the
strong stock, carrying it out well in front of the hive, and
gently jarring it on the top bar with one hand, while you
hold it firmly with the other. This operation will cause
all the old foraging bees to leave the comb by taking
wing aud flying home. The bees remaining adhering to
the comb will thus be young ; and if you cannot spare
comb and all, they may be shaken off the comb on to the
top of the frames in the weak stock or outside the
dummy, if your dummy has a bee-space underneath it,
as all mine have. By the way, let your dummies fit
well at the ends, but always have a bee-space underneath
them. Some recommend shaking the young bees in front
of the entrance on to a hoard, and allowing them to run
in. You may do so, but young bees, especially the very
babies, are intensely silly and will run all ways but the
right, and, moreover, can ill bear being chilled.
If one stock cannot spare enough young bees, some
may be taken from a second and added in precisely the
same way ; and I know of no readier method of building
up than this, as some of the bees thus given soon become
foragers, thus bringing in a greater amount of food, and
the very young become nurses, and thus the weak colony
is strengthened on all hands.
If you have two weak ones, of course the simplest
method is to unite them, reserving the best queen, or if
both queens are good, disposing of one of them. Queens
are always marketable, especially in spring.
A few words of caution as what not to do are
generally far more important than what to do. First, a
njlly good strong stock at the commencement of the
honoy-flow is worth three moderate ones. Next,
equalising is of no practical value when the honey-flow
has begun. Again, if you have a stock very strong some
time before the flowers are ready, to give some of the
bees and brood to a weak one is the very best thing you
can do, because it is more than probable if you do not
divide them they will swarm. And if they swarm they
are not so likely to give large results. Once more, do
not attempt to give native bees to foreigners, except
Carniolans. In the old days, when I was enraptured
with the Syrians, I knew a mere handful to kill and
carry out all the black bees on six frames that were given
them in one night — the savages ! Once more, it is a
simple but wise precaution to feed stocks over night with
a little scented syrup if you are going to unite or add to
them, thus making both lots taste alike. Above all, what
you have to do do quickly, firmly, and resolutely. Avoid
over-manipulation ; it is a long double word, but four
letters spell it for bee-keepers, it is R-u-i-n. — Amateur I
Expert.
May 31, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
271
Sfclrcteft ($itcm.
[11.] Bo you advise the use of separators? Are wood
or tin best? What is the proper width when they are to
be used -with 4j in. sections to prevent the comb being
built, so as to project beyond them at top or bottom ?
Yes, if you wish to glaze or handle the sections
without damaging the honey-comb. I prefer tin to
anything, but it should be a* good thickness. ' Taggin
tin,' used by some makers of slotted dividers, bends, and
is much too thin for the purpose. The width or depth
should be 3A in. in the narrowest part, —John M.
Hooker.
No. Separators should be 3j in. deep. — Sam. SlMMlNS.
1. Yes, particularly on sections over If in. wide. 2.
Wood. 3. Cut the separator to the size of section, and
take the bee-space out of top and bottom nearl}' half
inch deep, or all round for four bee-way. Latter are
preferably cut from tough English wood to prevent
splitting. — John Edet.
No, but I admit real practical knowledge and confidence
are necessary ; without therefore, beginners, and old hands
who will not admit, by advanced practice the better way,
must use separators, which should be of wood only.
Separators should never be more than 3§ in. nor less
than 3£ in. wide, and kept at equidistance from the top
and bottom of a 4J in. section. — John H. Howard,
Holme, Peterborough.
1. Yes, most certainly, if marketable sections are re-
quired. 2. I have used wood separators, but have
discarded them as they were so easily split and damaged.
I use zinc dividers only; some with slots and some plain.
3. As the openings in sections vary very much from half
to a full bee-way, there should not be more than quarter
ineb top and bottom. The bulk of my dividers in use are
3A in. wide. Some lent years ago are not quite so wide,
and I have occasionally had a few projecting cells. I
mark the divider, and if it occurs again it is thrown
out. — W. Woodley.
1 . For 2-in. sections, yes ; for narrow sections, not so
necessary. 2. Taking all things into consideration, I
prefer tin. 3. 8| in. — Roland Green.
I advise the use of separators for either wide or
narrow sections. Tin is better than wood, and zinc is
better than either, as it is not so. liable to rust. The
proper width of separator to fit 4J in. sections is, full
depth, ±\ in., at comers; at centre, 3^ in.; that is, ^ in.
taken out of top and bottom edges of separator. —
William McNally, Olenluce, Scotland.
Yes, certainly. I find tin the best for many reasons.
I use the 3| in. wide, and find this width succeeds. The
distance allowed at top and bottom coming opposite the
piece cut out in the section, gives the bees ample room
to pass. — Wm. N. Griffin.
Yes, decidedly. I prefer tin to wood when honey is
coming in and stocks are strong. I never find any
difficulty with getting bees into supers. About 3£ in.
wide, placed equidistant from top and bottom. — John
Walton, Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington.
1 . Yes ; I always use separators, and consider wood
the best, being the warmest. 2. 3i in. wide, placed so
as to give a § in. passage top and bottom on face of
section. — H. Wood.
Yes. Metal separators (No. 5 zinc) are the best and
cheapest, especially with four bee-way sections, in which
case they must be slotted. Four niches from bottom of
foot to top, or 3| in. if without feet. — W, B. Webster.
Decidedly. Tin of course are more durable, but I
think the bees prefer wood, and they are certainly
warmer, so, on the whole, 1 prefer them if, like Abbott's,
thin enough. Thicker ones are an abomination. To
secure an even face to the combs, only \ in. should be
allowed top and bottom, i.e. the separators should be
3| in. wide. — W. E. Burkitt.
Yes, and I prefer tin to wood, as being more durable,
not liable to warp, and better adapted for cutting slots,
but the tin should be light and thin. With ' four-way'
sections I use dividers of 3| in. wide, which allow a
space of T% in. at top and the same at the bottom of the
sections. This allows passage for the bees and prevents
bulging of combs. — George Raynor.
€axx£B$aribzmt.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by kit correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shou>s, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
ic, must 6e addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," clo Messrs. Straugeu'ays and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
CCrcus, ir.CV All business commiuuoations relating to Advertisements,
ic., must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of .dduertisements).
•#* I»i order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by 7nentt'oning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
< RA.YNOR EXCLUDING-HONEY-BOARDS.'
[1049.] As the slatted-honey-boards, for excluding
queen and drones from surplus boxes, now in general
use in America, are likely to gain an introduction into
the apiaries of this country also, I should be glad to say
a few words respecting the one I use. As the time for
their use has arrived, and unavoidable circumstances
have prevented an earlier reference, I would say that
without an engraving it is difficult to give a full
description, but they are very similar to the American
boards, and are made by Mr. Neighbour of 149 Regent
Street, and by Mr. Dines of Maldon, Essex, either of
whom will supply a pattern with full particulars and
price. The board is made to cover a ten-frame standard
hive, outside dimensions 17 x 10. It consists of a frame-
work containing eight slats and nine interspaces corre-
sponding in width and direction with the top-bars of the
brood frames and the interspaces between them. The latter
are fitted with queen and drone-excluding zinc slides,
having two rows of perforations of a new pattern, which
allow perfectly free passage to worker bees, but effectu-
allv exclude queens and drones. This new 'zinc-ex-
cluder ' is manufactured and supplied by Messrs. Harvey
& Co. of the Kent Zinc Works, Lewisham, S.E., and
has been registered by them under the name of ' Raynor's
Queen and Drone Excluding Zinc' The under side of
the honey-board has a full bee-space of three-eighths of
an inch, being intended for use on hives whose frame-bars
are flush with the sides of the hives, and the slats on the
upper side are flush with the outside framework of the
honey-board, to which it is intended that all section-cases
or crates in use at present having a bee-space below
their framework may be adapted, as it is considered
that a bee-space both above and below the honey-board
should be afforded for the freer passage of the bees. I
may add that I obtained sections last season worked on
these honey-boards better in quality, brightness, and
colour, than any I had previously obtained without
the use of queen-excluding honey-boards, and the bees
manifested no indisposition whatever to pass freely
through the perforations, nor had I a single swarm from
hives on which the boards were used. — George Raynob,
Hazeleiyh Rectory, May 2Qth.
272
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 31, 1888.
BEES AND FLOWERS.
[1650.] Possibly many of your readers are expecting to
see a few lines from me once again, having promised last
autumn that it should be so. By your permission I will
first say a few words about the bees. I closed up for
the past winter with seven old stocks, seven swarms,
and three lots of driven bees. Thirteen lots weathered
the winter well and came out this spring nice and strong.
Three lots were rather weak, and one lot starved to
death with plenty of stores in their hive. Well,
say you, that is strange talk, but permit me to
relate the circumstances. Most of my hives hold
fourteen standard frames, and this lot was packed for
the winter on seven frames, and having some frames
of comb which had lately had the honey extracted from
them. My dummies don't reach the bottom of the hive
by f of an inch, and behind this I left four of these
empty combs for the bees to clean, and by some means
the queen got in with these empty combs and the
weather set in cold, so I did not disturb them, not think-
ing, of course, that the queen had got out of place ; but I
suppose the fact of her being behind the dummy all the
bees followed her, and there they stayed and starved to
death with abundance of stores on the other side of the
dummy.
Now I had three queens which were in their third
year and I decided to unite these three weak lots and so
utilise the two spare queens, they being young and
healthy. And I will here relate that I decided to follow
some of Mr. T. Bonner Chambers' advice, which he gave
us in 11. B. Journal for April, 1888, pages 180 to 18^.
The advice which I followed is that which he calls an
excellent method, on page 181, for 'queenintroduction.'
Now two of these weak lots were in one hive with a
close-fitting dummy (only) between them, with a piece
of board to divide the entrance on the flight-board; I
had previously brought the single weak lot up to the
double one. I did not take quite so much pains as
our friend 'T. B. C advised, but I will tell you just
what I did. I got two ordinary lucifer-boxes and put
one in each waistcoat pocket, opened all three lots of bees
and spread a carbolic cloth on the tops of frames for
about one minute, then lifted frames one at a time until
I had caught two of the queens and slipped one in each
lucifer-box and back into, this time, my trousers pocket to
keep them warm. I then took one frame from No. 1
hive and shook the bees on the platform in front and re-
placed it at one end of the hive which had the two lots
in; I then took a comb from No. 2 hive and No. 3 hive
and treated them all in a like manner, one by one, until
I had been through all three lots, and then covered the
frames with a quilt and left the bees to run in while I
went with my two queens to two other stocks, first
arranging the platform and then taking the combs one
by one, and caught the old queen and gave her a pinch
with the thumb and finger and threw her down (of
course dead). Then I began in like manner to shake the
bees from the combs and replacing them in the hives; so
here you see, that 1 did not at any time have more than
one comb out of the hives at one time. 1 did not take
any notice of the loose bees which were on the sides and
bottom of the hives when I had been through all the
combs, and of course as fast as 1 could handle them I
dropped the queen on the heap of bees from the lucifer-
box and they all ran in.
The next day one would not think the hives had been
disturbed unless they were acquainted with the fact. I
have changed many queens for myself and neighbours in
this same way, and all have gone to work as though
nothing had interfered with them in the slightest way.
But here 1 will mention, if there is much fresh and thin
honey in the combs, I should not introduce queens in
this way, as a deal of the honey would be shaken out of
the combs, and, of course, nearly drown, and perhaps
quite drown, many bees, I myself used a cage in intro-
ducing one in a hive on the 12th of May, this hive having
much thin honey in it. In this case I let the queen re-
main in the cage twenty-four hours. I use a long cage
to go down between the combs. This is put directly
under feed-hole, so you can release the queen without
even disturbing quilts, and you can take the cage out
when it suits you, or, say, after the queen has had
twenty-four hours' liberty. I never remember losing a
queen, either with or without the cage, so I think either
of the above is a good plan, and perhaps many others are
as good, but I have not tried them, so must leave it to
those who have. I may say that Mr. R. Green, the
Kent Bee-keepers' Association expert, called on me on
the 14th of May, and found this cage in the hive. He
wanted to know why I used a cage. He was satisfied
with my explanation, but he says he has long practised,
and recommends the shaking bees from combs in the
front of the hive, then dropping queen, as above, and it is
the safest plan he knows of.
I am afraid I am trespassing too far on your space, but
if you can spare me I should like to say a few words
upon bee-flowers. I told you before that many of our
friends have sent me different kinds of seeds, cuttings,
and plants ; I beg to return thanks to all. I have done
my best with them, but upon my soil I find nothing to
equal the borage and Nepeta Mussini, therefore they are
still my [favourites. I had many applications for the
latter last autumn which I could not supply, I therefore
promised to strike large quantities this spring and offer
them to our bee-keeping friends. Now I have done so,
and I think I have supplied all my last year's orders, so
I have advertised in the advertisement column of this
issue a fresh batch. Cuttings and seed will be free as
before, namely, applicants paying postage. — C. II. W.,
Ayhsford, near Maidstone, Kent.
JOTTINGS BY WOODLEIGH.
[1651.] There has been a great deal written during
the past year or two on improving our race of bees, and
I think it is quite time some one should say a few words
in favour of the drone bee. Writers on bee matters are
generally in favour of using full sheets of foundation in
the brood nest, or at least of leaving a space in some
outside corner of the comb for the bees to build if they
like a patch of drone-comb; and if they do not think tit
to build their drone-conib at that particular spot, they
will in the near future be under the necessity of raising
drones in elongated worker-cells. Looking at the fact
from a physiological point of view, could there ever be a
more fallacious proceeding on the part of prescient man
who prides himself on improving his race of bees. Recent
writers have compared stock-raising, &c, to bee-culture,
yet what stock-raisers would ever think of introducing
foreign blood into their strain as a means of improving
the breed, and neglect the first and greatest desideratum,
viz., a sire of the noblest and amplest proportions ? Yet
the tendency of modern bee-culture is to prevent drone-
brood raising in the natural way, i.e., in natural built
cells; and cons«quently if drone bees are raised by a
colony in elongated worker-cells, they must of necessity
be smaller than if raised in a larger natural size drone-
cell. In the first place, the nurse bees would not have
room for the insertion of so large a quantity of food as
in the natural cell ; then the bee itself could not grow
and thrive so well as in the natural cell by reason of its
restricted dimensions, the cocoon from which it emerges
being small, how can the baby bee grow to a normal
size, where if we are advancing it ought to be a little
larger rather than smaller than the drone of twenty years
ago? I commend this little jot to the thoughts of bee-
keepers, and the query rises to my mind, Are we really
advancing in excluding natural drone-combs from the
modern bar-frame hive ? I fear our greed for gain by
raising worker bees only is in an opposite direction as
May 31, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
273
regards the improvement of the race of bees. Then by
every means let us look to the improvement of the drone
bees as the first stepping-stone to an improved race, for
unless the sire is in good form and condition, the progeny
must deteriorate.
We have had a beautiful rain in our district during
the week, and on Friday, May 18th, our first honey flow
for the season. Every colony was in a state of excite-
ment, as though they had discovered some deserted hives
replete with stores. They continued to work with a
will until very late in the evening, in fact, till darkness
prevented them. In the evening I started in quest of
their newly-discovered Eldorado, to discover, if possible,
the source from which they were busy extracting their
sweets, and a walk of about a quarter of a mile from the
apiary I found some large sycamore-trees literally
covered with flowers and bees at 7.15 p.m., also some
beech-trees had a great abundance of blossom and
attracted a considerable number of bees even at that
late hour of the day, though not so many as were on
the sycamore-trees. There are large fields of permanent
grass yellow with the dandelion in our immediate
vicinity, and this Saturday morning I walked across one
of the fields and found large numbers of bees sipping
honey from the flowers. I was tempted very much to
super some of my strongest colonies, but to-night it is
much colder, and so I shall leave the supering until late
in next week after the holidays (weather permitting) ;
the earliest date I have put on supers has been May 2.'!,
and in an early season. I would caution young hands
in bee-keeping not to super too early, also to well wrap
up their crates whenever they do super to conserve the
heat of the hive and keep up the normal temperature
of brood-nest. Saw first drone this season on May Oth.
RECORDS OF QUEENS AND SUPERSEDING
THEM.
[1052.] In the American Bee Journal just to hand
there is the following query (540) : — ' 7s it best to keep
a record of the queens so as to supersede them when they
are two or three years old, or let the bees manage in their
own wag ? ' Some prominence was given to this subject
in your article of June 17th, 1880, when you say : —
' When queens arc stimulated to their utmost, and as
much as possible is got out of them, they are of little use
after the second year.' The following week (899) I took
exception to this, and pointed out that many prominent
apiarists preferred leaving the superseding to bees them-
selves. 1 say that ' my experience tells me that there
are many things that bees do much better than we can,
and I think this superseding of worn-out queens is one
that, if left to themselves, the)' will do at the right
time. If a queen during her second year has been as
prolific as we could expect her to be, and has shown no
signs of want of vigour, it appears to be a cruel as well
as an unwise thing to depose her to put a young and
untried, artificially bred queen, in her place,' and run the
risk of introducing foul brood into your apiary with the
queen, which, if bought or imported, may possibly be as
old, or older than the one superseded, for all we know.
The following are the answers reported in the
A. B. J. from men whose names will be familiar to
many, particularly to you, Mr. Editor : —
It is best to keep a record. — J. P. H. Brown.
Let the bees do it. — Padaxt & Son.
let the bees take care of that matter. — G. M. Doolitth:.
Perhaps so, but I never have superseded my old queens.
— Eugene Secor.
Keep a record of everything, and supersede the queen
when she ceases to be prolific. — A. B. Mason.
I have never kept a. perfect record, but I am inclined to
think that is the best way. — Mrs. L. Harrison.
Keep a record anyway ; but I do not know what is best
as to the superseding. — C. C. Miller.
It is much better to keep a record. Supersede the queens
when they begin to fail— it makes no difference if they are
one or three years old. — P. L. Viallon.
I let the bees manage it in their own way with all
valuable queens. — G. L. Tinker.
Deeds, not days, determine a queen's usefulness. With
experience you can tell when a queen becomes unprofitable
by looking into her hive, and I should assist the bees as
much as possible to supersede worthless queens. — R. L.
Taylor,
I prefer to keep a record of all queens, including pedigree,
so far as ascertainable. But I let the bees supersede a good
queen. They know when to do it. — M. Mahin.
I keep a record only of my fine breeding queens, and the
older they are, the better for breeding purposes. I let my
bees supersede their own queens. — G. \V. Desiaree.
No ; let the bees manage it. I keep records of sale
queens only. The bees do it better than we can, cost
considered. — James Heddon.
Keep a record always. Thus you will know the pedigree,
ttc, and be able at any and all times to know the age of
every queen in the apiary. — J. E. Pond.
Yes, keep a record of queens, but supersede them only
when they decline in vigour. Superseding by rule would
often depose queens of great value. The bee-keeper must
have brains as well as a record. — J. M. Shuck.
I think that the bees can manage the matter for them-
selves. If queens are found that are doing very poorly, it
pays to supersede them ; but age is not the test. Our
vision will serve better. — A. J. Cook.
As a rule the bees will attend to these matters more satis-
factorily than you could possibly do, and before you are
aware that such was their intention. It is well enough to
know which hive your best queens occupy, and if you
have many colonies it will necessitate a record. — J. M.
Hamraugh.
I find that the bees manage that thing very success-
fully if you let them alone. You will rind many cases
where it is best to supersede, and you will not be obliged to
keep a record to find it out. For a beginner in the business
a record of all work is an excellent help. — H. D. Cutting.
I think that it would be a good idea to keep a record of
the age of queens. I do not think, however, that it would
be advisable to supersede queens less than four years old
unless they prove inferior ; in that case, do so at once. I
supersede only such as fall below my standard. — C. H.
Dirbebn.
It is certainly best to keep a record of queens, but as to
superseding the queens, the bees will manage that more
satisfactorily themselves. — The Editor.
I would call particular attention to the answer of
Mr. Doolittle, who is himself a large breeder of queens,
as evidence in favour of the let-alone plan. — John M,
Hooker.
SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1053.] A word or two explanatory as to the frame
0-inch deep sent out by myself.
Having convinced myself of the utility of a narrower
frame than the standard for the purpose of storifying,
&c, I was sufficiently bold to introduce it at Norwich
Show in 1880 at a time when the standard frame was
the sine qua non. The depth of shallow bodies (for
use either above or below the standard body) was ruled
for the working of 2-lb. sections, 5J inches deep, sus-
pended in a divided hanger or frame, and side-spring
dummies brought all work in that direction together as
though crated in the ordinary manner. It may be now
seen how a frame 0 inches deep was necessary to take
the place of the 2-lb. section and its hangers of necessary
strength, to keep all in position when stored with honey.
Soon after the Norwich Show, ' Useful Hints ' wrote,
describing even such a hive as I had exhibited, and asks
274
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 31, 1888.
— or to the effect — Who will give us such ? and here we
had a good recognition of the shallow frame. About
such time the Deep Frame of Mr. D. A. Jones was
acknowledged by some to be far ahead, and in an
' Universal ' hive such a frame was to be used, which
also admitted the standard and W. B. Carr frames if
preferred. Hence ' Universal ' and Bebington hives fol-
lowed to have a place in the bee world market.
I do not wish to infer that these frames and systems
did not exist prior to my 6-inch frame, but rather to
show that when I knew they were to be put into the
Market, was I willing to meet, if possible, the size of
of our friend, W. B. Carr, and more especially as
2-lb. sections were then (1886) at a discount. There-
fore a shallow body, differing from the original, was sent
with my ' Holme Wood ' hive to Mr. Cheshire, and from
this Mr. Cheshire gave his figures no doubt.
At the end of that year I ran through orders executed
during the past two seasons, and found it would be too
much to asli of my customers to accept a ;H in. frame ;
so I kept to my original depth, and the great numbers
of, 6-inch deep frames I have sold bear testimony of
their utility, as well as many written acknowledgments
received. With Mr. Bobbie I think that my patrons
must feel from vested interests the 6-inch frame of as
much importance as the 5i, and especially so as 2-lb.
sections (now reascending) can find a place side by side
with the former. Surely the B. B. K. A., having once
set up 'A Standard,' will not weaken its position by
another, but rather let its significance be shown in the
clustering around it of the many divergencies before and
after its adaptation. — John H. Howard, The Model
Apiary, Holme.
"VALUE OF SMOKE IN MANAGING BEES.
[1654.] When honey was at the highest price ever
known in this conntry, viz., from 1863 to i860, little
use was made of smoke by the greater number of bee-
keepers. Even Rosewell C. Otis, the veteran who
mainly introduced the Langstroth hive in New York
and the West, only used a cigar in his demonstrative
work. It is true that Mr. Langstroth had explained the
action and value of smoke in the control of bees, and the
principle on which its effect rested, in his most efficient
work, Langstroth on the Hive and Honey Bee.
Hunters of bees had used burning straw about bee
trees when cutting them down, and found the cloud of
smoke a protection against stings. But the main con-
ception of the value of the smoke in the management of
bees was associated with the common pipe or cigar.
This fact, no doubt well based, came from the prompt
action of tobacco-smoke, — an action more efficient than
any other smoke, and also more convenient with the
means then in use, especially when the bee-keeper was a
tobacco smoker. (And such habit was likely to prevail
with bee-keepers whose aversionsto the habit of smoking
were not strong.)
The invention and application of the direct - draft
principle in bee -smokers at once revolutionised the
management of bees. Tobacco-smoke was no longer of
value because more condensed and in use by pipe and
cigar smokers. The great abundance — a cloud of smoke
enveloping tho user of a Bingham smoker, and the fact
that such smoker never went out, and that smoke in
clouds could be instantly applied to bees — at once sup-
planted the tobacco, pipe, and cigar in their management.
While it is not the province of this paper to discuss the
tobacco habit, the direct-draft smoker plays an impor-
tant part, as there is no excuse for a bee-keeper smoking
tobacco so far as bee-keeping is concerned.
The fact that bees fill their honey-sacs with honey
when frightened, and do not, when so filled, volunteer
an attack, and the ease with which smoke is applied,
has led, no doubt, to the abuse of smoke in managing
bees. Bad habits are common from superficial methods
of reasoning, when a more thorough analysis of ap-
parent results would eradicate or modify them. This
is especially true in the use of smokers, and the
smoker in the case of the apiary. The fact that a cloud
of smoke around a bee tree reduces the anger of the
bees, and removes the danger of attack from them, leads
directly to the conclusion that such cloud of smoke
would have the same effect in an apiary. Circumstances
which have come under my observation lead at once to
this conclusion. As an evidence of the fact allow me to
cite the sale of smokers at certain seasons of the year,
and the sizes most sold at such season.
The inference from the sale of any particular sizes of
smokers, at a season when smokers are not much in use,
is that the most experienced bee-keepers provide them-
selves with such tools as they are likely to need before
they are actually required for use in the apiary, while
the amateur waits till the case becomes urgent before he
decides, and then is likely to consult the first cost (which
he sees clearly) rather than the results and principles
underlying his purchase which he does not so clearly
understand.
Early in the spring, and also in autumn, our sale
of smokers is as five of the two largest to one of the
smaller sizes ; while in the middle of the season, when
the young bee-keeper is obtaining his urgent outfit, the
small and medium-sized smokers lead in sale the three
largest sizes somewhat, so that the entire season wings
round with about the same total number of each as sold.
As the larger sizes hold more wood and make as much
more smoke in proportion, it is safe to infer that bee-
keepers of experience do not object to an immense
volume of smoke in handling bees.
This conclusion, providing the premises on which it
is based are correct, leads to the decision that bee-
keepers, whether they understand the principle or not,
recognise the value of a continuous cloud of smoke in the
apiary at all times when bee-keepers are of necessity
or choice among the hives and bees.
It is idle to presume that, a peaceful, non-aggressive
apiary can be foun 1 where gloves and veils are resorted
to instead of constant and overwhelming smoke. Witli
abundance of smoke, the eye of the bee-keeper holds the
temper of bees as the experienced horseman holds the
vicious horse, and any careful manipulation may be
made without a puff of smoke, provided always the
smoke is abundant in the air, and at the service of
the operator should occasion require.
The above leads directly to the most discussed fuel for
smokers. Of course circumstances alter cases, and the
means of obtaining fuel of any particular kind will play
a conspicuous part. One thing, however, will be found
advisable under all circumstances, viz., to consult the
smoker. It is useless to try to burn anthracite or hard
coal in a box stove designed for burning wood. It would
be equally futile to attempt to burn stove wood in a
smoker not having a strong, continuous draft. This
being understood, a clear understanding of principles
leading to results desired, it seems to me but one con-
clusion can be reached, viz., that sound sun-dried or
other perfectly dried maple stove wood, meets, in the
highest degree, the needs of the bee-keeper using a direct
draft smoker.
Some of the reasons why perfectly dry hard wood is
preferable for use is that it burns only at the bottom or
lower end. That is, it renders the direct-draft smoker a
base burner. (Rotten wood burns all over and is soon
gone.) Wood in sticks does not obstruct either the draft
or blast, both of which render quick and continued action
easy. Sound wood which has live coals left after it has
ceased to smoke, maintains sufficient heat to prevent un-
pleasant sooty accumulation, and furnishes hot, dry,
strong smoke all the time without working the bellows,
thus rendering it ready for use every instant. Of course
May 31, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
275
the direct-draft smoker will burn anything combustible,
and he who uses it may choose his fuel according to
circumstances and tastes.
It may be asked here if it would not be better to have
cold smoke. Such an idea has been advanced very much,
but as the object of smoke is to frighten bees, not convert
them into bacon, anything that will accomplish the fright
in the easiest and most effective manner will serve the
purpose best. Hot air will do this just as well as smoke,
as far as it goes, but the air cools, so quickly it is of no
value except just as it leaves the smoker. The making
of smoke goes on fast or slow just in proportion to heat,
so that when there is little heat there is little smoke,
and vice vend, where there is much smoke ' there is
some fire.' — T. F. Bingham (From the Beekeepers
Guide).
EXPERIENCE.
[1655.] I have twelve hives of bees. Last year I
bought some starch and salmon boxes, as I could not
afford 8s. to 10s. for bar-frame hives, so I made some
makeshift hives out of these boxes. I bought a
bit of | in. board for making the frames; the frames
are as near standai'd size as I could make them. The
6almon-boxes had to be cut shorter, 16| in. in length.
The swarms I had last year were put into them. They
were dummied up to six frames. A crate of twelve
sections was put on the same time as hiving. The first
swarm gave thirty-six one-pound sections, the last gave
twenty. I gave one-inch starters of foundation on the
frames, and nearly filled the section. In the autumn I
bought some boards and made some good standard hives
holding ten frames. I bought the little book Modern Bee-
keeping, and consulted it, and made the hives as near as
possible to those in it. It is a useful little book : I
think every cottager ought to buy one ; its cost is only
6d. As soon as my hives were finished and painted, I
brought the bees into a warm room and shifted them into
their new hives, and packed them up for winter ; and
now, May 17th, I think they are in good order, one hive
especially. They are on ten frames, drones flying freely.
Three of the straw hives are full of bees. I am ex-
pecting them to swarm every day. The other frame-
hives are on six frames. I am going to give extra frames
next week. I will give you a few names of flowers
near me. My bees have been working on palm, wild ane-
mones, wild cherries, and blackthorn; next come the
May and maple trees. I shall write again a little later
On.— IlAYniNDER.
GIVING A LAYING QUEEN TO PARENT
COLONY IMMEDIATELY AFTER
SWARMING.
[IGoG.] For years we have been told that no colony
should go without a laying queen for a single day, if it
were possible to give them one ; and plans of introducing
queens which required that the hive should be queenless
a few days previous have been severely criticised. We
have also been told, for years, that the bee-keeper who
wished to secure the best results from his bees should
have a laying queen ready to give to each old colony as
soon as they swarmed, as the time lost to them, by rear-
ing a queen, is equivalent to a swarm of bees. Being
eager to know for myself all the plans which would give
the best results, I have experimented largely ; and the
truth of the statement, that the time lost to the bees in
rearing a queen in natural swarming was equivalent to a
swarm of bees, is the first reason that the plan has not
been a success with me. If it were bees I were after, the
case would be different. With us white clover yields
enough honey to keep the bees breeding nicely, and pre-
pares them so that they mainly swarm from June 20 to
July 1. Our honey-harvest is principally from basswood,
which blooms from July 10 to 1G.
Now, all who are familiar with natural swarming
know that the bees are comparatively few in number in
the spring, and increase by the rapidly increasing brood
produced by the queen, which, in due time, hatch into
bees, until a swarm is the result. By giving a laying
queen to a colony immediately after it has cast a swarm,
we bring about the same result (swarming), as before,
or we place the bees in the same condition. The only
difference is, that, having plenty of brood, they built up
quicker, and are prepared to swarm in a shorter time.
As this second swarming, brought about by giving a
laying queen, comes right in our basswood-honey harvest
it cuts off the surplus honey ; for it is well known that
bees having the swarming fever do little or no work in
the section boxes ; and, if allowed to swarm, the object
we have sought after (section honey) is beyond our reach.
Having given my experience on this point, let us see how
the same colony would work had we not given the bees a
laying queen.
Eight days after the swarm has issued, the first young
queen will have emerged from her cell, as a rule, when
the apiarist should remove all the other queen-cells from
tin' hive, so that second swarming is entirely prevented.
In ten days more our young queen is ready to lay, which
is about the time basswood begins to yield honey largely.
During the period between the time the swarm issued,
and the young queen commences to lay, the bees, not
having any brood to nurse for the last half of the time,
consume but little honey ; hence, as fast as the young
bees emerge from the cells, they are filled with honey:
for bees not having a laying queen or unsealed brood
seldom build comb in the sections. Thus, when the
young queen is ready to lay she finds every available cell
m i ired with honey. At this point the instinct of the bees
teaches them that they must have brood or they will
soon cease to exist as a colony, and a general rush is
made for the sections. The honey from below is carried
above, so as to give the queen room, and in a week we
have, as a result, the sections nearly filled with honey.
I have had such colonies fill and complete section honey
to the amount of GO lbs. in from eight to twelve days,
while those to which I had given the laying queen im-
mediately after swarming did little but swarm during the
same time. Bear in mind, we are talking about pro-
ducing comb honey, not extracted. Different locations
may give different results; still, I think that nearly all
sections give a large flow of honey at a certain period
during the season, rather than a steady, continuous
honey-harvest the whole season. To such sections these
remarks are especially applicable. My second reason is,
that after basswood we have a honey-dearth, hence the
bees from the introduced queen are of no value, but, on
the contrary, become consumers. On an average, it takes
twenty-one days from the time the egg is laid to the
perfect bee. Then if the colony is in a normal condition,
this bee does not commence labour in the field till six-
teen days old; hence, the eggs for the honey-gathering
bees must be deposited in the cell thirty-seven days before
the honey-harvest ends, or else they are of no value as
honey-producers. As the basswood is all gone before the
eggs of the introduced queen become honey-producing
bees, and as the larger part of them die of old age before
buckwheat and fall flowers yield honey, it will be seen
that a great gain is made by letting each old C0I0113',
having cast a swarm, rear their own queen; for thereby
we save the expensive feeding of the larvae, which are to
become expensive consumers of the honey of the hive.
Also the chances are, that, when the colony rears its own
queen, they will be stocked with younger bees for winter-
ing in November than where a queen was introduced
immediately after swarming.
The one point worth knowing above all others in bee-
keeping is a thorough knowledge of the location we are
276
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 31, 1888.
in, as to its honey resources, and then getting the largest
amount of bees possible at that, or those times to gather
honey, having just as few at all other times as is con-
sistent with the accomplishing of this object.
In working so that we get tho bees out of season, we
have to pay the same price for them that we would to
get them, so that each one becomes a producer instead
of a consumer. If all who read this article will study
their location, and then rear their bees in reference to that
location, I think they will find their bees will do as well
as their more successful neighbours'. We often hear it
said, that one colony in the apiary did much better than
the rest, and, had they all done as well, a rousing crop
of honey would have been the result. The reason that
one colony did so well was because it happened to have
a large proportion of its bees of the right age to gather
honey just in the honey-harvest; and if we can get all
in this condition we can assure a like result from the
whole apiary. — G. M. Doolittle, Borodino, N. P.,
April -J, 1*88.
SELECTED QUERIES AND REPLIES.
[1657.] Replying to ' R. M.'s ' query, it may not be
amiss for me to give him my plan of wintering bees on
three or four frames, as he asks Mr. Kaynor to give his
plan on page 2:39. I get driven bees, saving those
queens that I know to be young, and put them on about
four frames (some more), and feed them up in the
autumn. They are placed in hives only i inch thick,
and shut up close at side with one dummy, the other
comb goes up near to the side of the hive, with an
entrance about 1| inch or 2 inches long. These lots I
place in pairs about my garden, and in spring I take
queen away from one lot, when I get orders for them,
and join the bees and combs to the next lot, and by
that means I get a fair stock. I wintered over twenty
in this way this last year, and did not lose a single lot.
I merely cover the top up warm with two or three
quilts and a folded rice-bag, and lay a roof right on top,
and tie them on so that they cannot get blown off ;
there is no protection at the sides. In answer to same
questioner of May 10th, by my Baying ' shut up close,' I
do not mean the bees were not to be allowed to come out,
but to only have a small entrance, but to be shut up
close with a dummy, and fed and stimulated. 1 had in
my mind a case, about three years ago, when I sold
sixteen stocks to a gentleman at Cheltenham. I offered
him at a price these stocks, and included this same
nucleus with a Carniolan queen and bees only on
two frames, and a few others on the third. However,
he did not have this said nucleus, and it was quite at
the end of April. I fed them and inserted a frame of
foundation in the centre of the brood-nest, and looked
to them, so that they never wanted for food, and as
soon as they had filled the frame of foundation and
sealed up brood, I gave others, till I got ten frames well
covered with bees, just in time in June, when honey
was coming in well; and I supered them, and took over
thirty 1-lb. sections from them. I did not give any
brood at all from other hives. — .John Walton.
AFTER THE WINTER.
[1658.] After reading with interest the notes of a
correspondent from Farnborough, in a late edition of
your Journal, I feel anxious to describe a somewhat
opposite state of things to those which he was fortunate
enough to find in his colony. Of four good stocks last
autumn, but two are left to start this season. One of
the survivors was from a straw skep, and the other from
a bar-frame hive. Now, why are the others dead ? not
because, as your correspondent remarks is often the case,
too much honey was taken last year, for there were at
least two bars in each hive with two or three pounds of
sealed honey in them. Why had the bees not helped
themselves? or may it be that, the extreme coldness of
our early spring prevented them from coming on to the
bars for food till it was too late ? If so, what could have
saved their lives ? An extra supply of honey would in
this case have been of no avail. You may be interested
to hear that the stock from the straw skep was most
successfully transferred into a frame-hive one fine day
last week. There was not much brood-comb to be re-
moved, but one or two pieces were wired on to the new
bars, and by now they seem to have settled down to
their new quarters most comfortably. With best wishes
for a good honey-bee season, my notes from the Anerley
colony must be concluded. — Brathay.
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK.— No. 1.
[1050.] One ounce of citric acid dissolved in two pints
of water, this gives us a fluid about the strength of
lemon juice with its good chemical action on the liver
and stomach. A tablespoonful of this, ditto of honey,
in a tumblerful of water, gives a perfect cooling summer
drink, but having the objection that it will not keep. It
should be kept prepared in its acetous form, honey and
water being added when mixed for drinking. — R. A. If.
(iltlMNHAW.
NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK.— No. 2.
[1660.] One pound of clear extracted honey to one bottle
of the Montserrat pure lime-juice. These can be mixed
a few bottles at a time. The writer has used this drink
the last twelve months continuously, but for a summer
beverage it cannot be beat. Mix three parts of water to
one part lime-juice and honey ; some prefer more water.
If mixed in cold weather, the honey must be warmed.
— Another Bf.e-keepino Abstainer.
INFORMATION DESIRED.
[1061.] Will experienced bee-keepers give me any
information they can? First: On the possibility of
beginners being able to procure bees in the neighbour-
hood of Queenstown, Cape Colony, and about what price
should be paid for them ? Second: As to the likelihood
of colonists being able to take out stocks or swarms
safely from England, and the best way to pack said
stocks?— M. E. Eyton.
WHAT MAY BE DONE IN A CASE OF
EMERGENCY.
[1662.] If I shall not be trespassing on your valuable
space I should like to say what experience has taught
me last summer and this winter, as I think it. may be
interesting to some of your numerous readers. I live on
the border of the remnant of Sherwood Forest, there
being several apiaries in the village, my small one
amongst the rest. Last summer there was a swarm left
my next neighbour's apiary and took up its abode in an
unused chimney. The owner not wishing to fetch them
out, I asked if I might do so. Having got his consent I
at once went to the occupier of the premises and asked his
leave, and it was given at once. In examining the place,
t found it was a chimney belonging to an out-building,
the gable end to the orchard, with a parapet wall about
twelve feet high, flat top, running from the gable end.
I took with me an empty straw hive, also some scorched
rar'. The chimney was built up from the inside of the
room, but fortunately there was a hole into the
chimney I could use. I at once set fire to the rag, and
with a thin rod of wire pushed it into the chimney,
smoking the bees out at the top. I then placed a ladder
on the wall and rested it against the gable end of the
building. When at the top I found a flat stone covered
May 31, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
277
the top of the chimney, to the underside of which a
previous stock of bees had built comb, but had died and
left it unoccupied. The swarm had taken possession of
the comb and had been working in it for several weeks.
When I lifted the stone I broke down some of the comb,
but there was a good quantity left attached to the stone,
which 1 turned upside down and carried down on my
head, and laid it on the wall the same side up I had
carried it down the ladder. I then pulled up some long
grass and brushed the bees that had settled on the out-
side of the chimney into my skep, brought them down
and placed them over the stone. In an hour they had
settled to the skep. In two hours I took a cloth and laid
it on the grass in the orchard, carried down the stone
and skep, placed them in the centre, tied the four corners
above, putting a strong stick through. With the assist-
ance of my son I removed them to my apiary, where I
had an empty bar-frame hive with comb worked out. I
shook the bees out on the bars, having set them about
two inches apart, covering quickly with an empty sack;
they settled down in a short time. The next day 1 put
the bars the proper distance, the bees all the time being
very busy. I examined the hive this morning, and tind
that they have gone through the winter well, and cover
about six frames two inches deeper than standard size.
Being the first bar-frame hive I possessed I still keep it,
the bees always working fairly well in it.
If you think it will interest any of your numerous readers
I shall be glad to say in another letter how I succeeded
in transferring a stock the last week in November. —
W. Robinson, Mansfield, Wbodhoute, Notts.
[We shall be pleased if you carry out your promise. —
En.]
WAX SECRETIONS.
[1663.] All bee-keepers know the origin of wax. It is
secreted by thin membranaceous glands just beneath the
ventral segments of the abdomen. These glands take
elements from the blood and form the liquid wax ;
which, by osmosis, passes through the eight wax-plates
and is moulded as thin scales on the outside of these
plates.
In most all cases secretion is wholly involuntary.
From analogy then we should suppose it would he in
this case. The cow has no control over the milk secreted
in the milk-glands as to time of secretion, quantity, or
quality. No more have we as to whether our salivary
glands shall secrete spittle or not, or whether our liver
shall form bile, or our pancreas its peculiar liquid. In
case of bees then the burden of proof rests with him
who believes that the wax-glands of bees are under the
control of the will.
Some years since, when foundation first came into use,
I felt that this was an important question, and I attempted
its solution as follows : I hived three good prime swarms ;
one on empty frames, one on foundation, and one on
empty combs, and then weighed each, each day, after
the bees had collected in the hives for the night. I
found that the colony without either comb or foundation
gained in honey much more slowly than either of the
other two, and that far less bees flew. The other two
colonies increased nearly the same, but the gain was
slightly in favour of the colony with combs. Since then
I have had my students try the same experiment, with
similar results ; except, in one or two cases, the colony
on foundation has done the best.
Now one of two things must be true. Either the bees
have control of this function, or else, by their action,
whether of rest or motion, they indirectly control secre-
tion. The horse that works very hard raises a poor colt,
because she cannot do so much muscular work and
secrete enough milk for her offspring. I wish to fat my
fine shorthorns for the shambles at Christmas time. I
shut them up in a warm, comfortable, quiet stable, and
give them no exercise. If they have to eat to supply
muscular force they can furnish less for fat. Now, it
would seem that this might explain the fact given above.
When combs are to be built the bees hang qnietly from
the top of the hive, eat much ; and, as no muscular force
is to be expended, much wax is formed. When the
mare works hard she forms little fat or milk ; when
quiet she may produce much of both. Likewise the bee ;
only the condition of the hive is what induces the action
or quiet.
But there is one more tangle to this knot: when bees
are hived in an empty hive, we find that even the field
bees are secreting wax. Nearly every bee will show the
scales. On the other hand, put a swarm into a hive full
of empty combs, and it is difficult to find a bee within or
without with the wax-scales in the wax-pockets. I have
repeatedly noticed this in looking for bees with the wax-
scales to show my class. Here it must be voluntary,
unless the bees do less outside work in the one case, and
so use vital energy to produce wax, and more in the
other, and so do not have any vital force remaining to
secrete wax. — A. J. Cook, Agricultural College, Mich.,
( American Ajn'cul/urlst).
BIRDS AMI FRUIT TREES.
[Kil'4.] Sparrows destroy buds and catch bees, too, and
will soon destroy peas, when they are beginning to appear
above the ground, unless they are protected. Some people
say they destroy crocuses, i\c. ; others say the great tits
destroy bees; I have often watched, but have never seen
them take any hut dead bees: they feed mostly on insects.
I should never think of destroying them. Surely in these
days of invention those gentlemen could think of some-
thing to scare away birds: there are imitation birds of
prey to be bought from Hickman and Clive, Wigan.
There are directions given in Gardening Illustrated,
May 26, to frighten sparrows. We never know the want
of water till the well is dry, and birds will never be
missed until they are gone. When I see the mischief
done to plants by insects I often wisli there were more
birds. Bullfinches do not take hawthorn, wild cherry,
sloe, blackthorn, myrobella. Here I have fed them during
the severe weather in winter. Cherries were only about
two hundred yards away, but they never touched them.
I have had the management of many stocks in this
neighbourhood. If short of food I feed my bees until the
white clover appears. I always think of what an old bee-
keeper said to me when talking about flowers ; I asked
him why he did not grow them, his reply was, ' I leave
t he farmer to do that.' I think we may conclude the same.
It is the acres of clover, trefoil, and alsike, and the ten
thousand blooms which we must depend upon: at least
such has been my experience. When the snow is on the
ground I have seen the bullfinch clinging to the black-
berry cane, and his lovely colour contrasting with the
snow, one of nature's lovely pictures which ever present
themselves to the eye of the observant traveller. I have
also seen the goldfinch eating the thistle-seed, and the
woodlark up in the clouds, the music falling to the earth :
alas, you look and listen in vain ! for the birdcatchers
have caught them up in Staffordshire. The Psalmist
sang of them in his da}7 : ' By them shall the fowls of
heaven have their habitation, and sing among the
branches,' and Solomon rejoiced to sing of the ' birds of
spring.' — T. Hill.
THE JUNIOR COLUMN.
'Something for the Boys.'
[1665.] I also think from the contributions we got
to the Tom-tits Problem that we could muster a fairly
good staff to our Junior Column, and I feel it my duty
to reply to Master Freestone. The readers of this
column will be sorry to hear that I have been un-
successful in my pursuits of last summer. I had half
my stocks of humble bees ruined last autumn during
278
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[May 31, 1888.
my absence from home by boys coming and playing
with them, and when the bees flew round them, they
struck at them with their hats. I fear also that I
didn't keep my stocks strong enough, and had not
plenty of bees to keep up the temperature.
For fear of starving them, I bored a hole in the top
of the box, and put a section over it, and a piece of
glass over that, and the syrup in a tin-lid inside. The
drones are easily distinguished by a light yellow stripe
down between the eyes (Bombus terrestris), which I
notice neither the workers nor the queen have got. I
find the workers get so that they don't care where they
go and ramble away — I think to find a place in which
to die in peace.
One time 1 kept my bees in an attic, and had no
queen, so all the workers died off, and the drones, as
they hatched, were so miserable that I could not keep
them prisoners any longer.
I have tried catching a queen early in spring with
the intention of persuading her to build with me.
She would fill her honey sac with syrup, but would not
build under observation. No doubt she had a home of
her own already made elsewhere. My book on humble
bees says : — ' My observation of the colonies I have kept
has always dated from about this stage. I have never
been able to induce a queen to commence house-keeping
under observation. I have kept the young queens from
my nest till the following spring, as well as those
captured in the fields late iu the autumn, and I have
also tried with two caught in the early spring. My
colonies have always been taken from the meadows.'
I got a nest last autumn without a queen, thinking if I
kept workers all the whiter, I could introduce a queen in
spring, and have kept them in a glass tumbler, putting
bits of an old nest round the sides of the comb to keep
them warm. In the middle of the day we used to let
them fly out in the house, and they would take bearings,
and then go to cull nectar from the flowers on the wall-
paper. I am certain they went for the flowers, because
they avoided the leaves, which were not so brightly
coloured as the flowers, therefore not so attractive to
the eyesight ; and when they found there was nothing to
gather, they seemed to rest awhile (I fancy they looked
disappointed), and then either flew to the light or back
to their tumbler home.
I trust we shall have some more contributions from
junior bee-keepers interested in our column. — Dabcy
Grimshaw, Crag Hill, Horsforth, near Leah.
A LETTER TO AN UNCLE.
A Young Bee-keeper Inserts Three Frames by
Written Directions.
[1GGC] When I got home on Friday night my father
gave me a letter of yours to read, which I did with
great care, so that I might be able to manoeuvre in some
degree right.
After dinner on Saturday we went to Dixon's, and I
bought the things you mentioned in your letter, and
then we set off for Stapleton ; and when I arrived I saw
the hive down there for the first time, and was delighted
with it, and also the place where you had put it; and I
am sure I cannot thank you enough for the trouble and
pains you have taken in getting it down so nicely
for me.
We put the foundation into the broad-shouldered
frames, and then took them and placed them against the
wall ; we had veils, pipes, and apifuge on our hands. I
then took the top off the hive very carefully, then
turned the covers over to the dummy, loosened it with
my knife, blew a few whiffs in, put covers back, gave
hive a little kick or two, then turned covers back. Bees
were nice and quiet ; and then while I moved dummy
back, Gov. put the new ones in, which just filled it up ;
and altogether we did it, I think, very well, and ever
since I have felt as if I could be looking at them every
other minute, — in fact, I can feel a bee fever coming
on very strong, and I believe in a short time I shall be
an out-and-out bee-fancier.
Now I must start with what I ought to have done at
first, but which I feel most unable to do in words, which
is to thank you sincerely for the very handsome present
you have made me, and the happy times it wiil give me
in the future. — Your affectionate nephew, David G.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries ashing for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
J. M., Glasgow. — Honey-Boards. — Iu answer to your
query, see in our correspondence columns letter (1649)
on ' Honey-Boards.'
A. C. — Swarm- Feeding. — It is always best to feed
swarms during the first week after issuing whatever
the weather may be. The necessity is evident when
we consider that almost the whole population is
required for the elaboration of wax wherewith to
build the new combs, the amount of honey consumed
in the process, the degree of heat requisite, and the
few foragers which can be spared.
One in Difficulty. — Swarming. — See 'Useful Hints'
during last and present month in the Journal, where
directions are given for placing the swarm on the
parent stand, and upon it the super arrangements,
setting the parent stock beside the swarm, and uniting
in the autumn. To prevent swarming give plenty of
room for storing surplus, by placing section-case under
section-case ; and if the weather prove hot, air below
the brood-chamber, by inserting small wedges at front
and back. This plan is better than returning
swarms.
Forethought. — Late Breeding, Transferring, ifc. —
Want of pollen probably prevented the queen of your
condemned bees from breeding earlier. With so little
brood towards the end of May 3'ou must not expect
surplus this season. Give more frames, with sheets
of foundation, as the bees require more room.
Allow your skeps to swarm, and place the swarms in
frame-hives on sheets of foundation, setting them on
the stands of the old stocks, and placing the latter
close beside the swarms, with the entrance turned
away from that of the swarm ; and in the autumn
you can transfer from the skeps to the swarms, making
the latter strong for wintering. If the honey-season
prove good, super the swarms with sections about a
week after swarming.
\V. D. Griffiths. — Brown Sugar Feeding. — The 'ex-
perienced bee-keeper ' who advised you in the autumn
to give 6 lbs. of brown sugar on newspapers over the
frames, gave you very ill advice. The deliquescing of
the sugar, rendering bees and combs a damp, sticky
mass, was a necessary result. In future you will do
well to adhere closely to Mr. Cowan's advice, and feed
on syrup according to his recipe. We never knew
syrup, when properly made, to cause dysentery. At
all events, if it does so in frame-hives, it will als; i:i
skeps. When you consider the myriads of colonies of
bees now kept healthy and prosperous in frame-hives
in this country, you surely cannot think of going back
to the old 'sealed book,' the skep, with all its
disadvantages.
May 31, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
£7
Wood Green. — Pollen Feeding. — This is conducted in
the following manner :— Procure a box, such as a
Hudson's extract of soap box ; in this place some
shavings and over the shavings sprinkle pea-flour.
To attract the bees to this box place a few drops of
honey on the shavings. A lid must be provided to
keep out rain, and the box should be raised a little
above the ground as a preventive to dampness. It
is too late now for pollen-feeding, bees will not take
artificial when they can get natural pollen.
Kia TE Whiki. — Removing Bees from Cottage Roof. —
An ordinary smoker is quite sufficient if you can get
near the combs. The combs must be cut out, the
portion containing brood tied into frames and placed
with some or all of the bees in a box and so trans-
ported to the place required. If you can secure the
queen and a few bees, make them ascend into a skep
placed close to where combs have been removed from ;
in an hour or so, if done towards night, all the bees
will join them ; they can then be taken away. Some
bees must bo put with combs to keep brood from
chilling.
J, "White. — Returning Swarm to Bar-frame Hioes. —
The queen-cells in the hive must be cut out and the
old queen run in with the swarm or remove old queen
from swarm and cut out all but two queen-cells.
Drone-comb. — Always allow a few inches of drone-
comb in stock hive.
A. 0. — Porch. — We have tried a very similar plan by
having a piece of zinc hinged on front edge of porch,
and found it acted well in preventing bees from flying
in bad weather, especially when snow was on the
ground.
S. A. B. — 1. Honey at Highgate. — You will not get much
honey except from the lime-trees in July. Have your
bees strong then. '2. Lilac — Lilac is not found of
much use to bees except for pollen.
Wm. Mitchell. — Suspicious Comb. — This appeal's to
be chilled brood only. The circumstances detailed by
. you support this view. Your plan should do.
Bedford. — Pollen-bearing Bees. — The proportion of
bees carrying pollen varies under continually changing
conditions. We have counted the bees entering a
very strong, prosperous colony, with a young queen
who was breeding very fast, and found about ninety
entering during a minute, of which about fifty were
carrying pollen, as many as eighteen pollen-bearers
marching in without any non-pollen-carriers inter-
vening. Later in the same day at the same colony
we have counted seventy per minute, of which not
more than six carried pollen. "We do not therefore
consider your query can be inserted as a Selected
Querg.
Correction.— The article, ' The East Coast of Florida,'
on page 224, was credited to Gleanings, from which it was
taken. It should have been credited to the B;e-keepers'
Magazine, in which the original appeared, Mr. Detwiller
being special correspondent to that Journal.
pgjusiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, G George Yard, Fencburch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutohinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadhasi, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 119 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 119 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simjiins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H. , Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
N O T i c E.
The British Bee Journal is published by Keht 4 Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtainod of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW. T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C. Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
OVERTON, C. Ty Crawley. Sussex.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [May 31, 1888.
Perfect Sections of Comb Honey can
be obtained in Perfect Crates.
■■♦♦♦»♦ i ♦ » 0
EDEY'S HONEY BOARD and
REVERSING ARRANGEMENT
OPENS A NEW FIELD TO COMB PRODUCERS.
Price : Each with 21 four bee-way Sections, Avith bee-space
round each Section, 7/- per pair ; for two bee-way Sections, 6/6
per pair ; full sheets of Foundation fixed, 6d. per pair extra.
In Flat : Lots of Five subject to 33 per cent discount, Sec-
Fig. 7a,
with Reversing Arrange- +;ons .f-p pniiinlptp
ment and Honey Board. UUUb' j mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on whiclt it appears.
RE-FORMATION OF THE LATE LINCOLN-
SHIRE B. K. A.
[1667.] The Hon. Secretary of the Boston Branch of
the above Association, Dr. Small, and myself are anxious
to save the members of this branch from being drawn
into the ' vortex,' caused by the drowning of the Lincoln-
shire B. K. A. There are about thirty subscribers, the
greater part of whom pay regularly, headed by the
vicar of Boston with lO.s-. ; and they would pay this
year if you and the committee of the B. B. K. A. can
devise any means to save us from the fate that awaits
us. If so please act promptly. — Robert Thorpe,
Swineshead, June 2nd.
[We are pleased to hear of the prospect of the re-
establishment of so prominent an Association as the
Lincolnshire. Will the B. B. K. A. promptly give tho
helping hand that our correspondent requires r— Ed.]
THE MEDICINAL PROPERTIES OF HONEY.
[1668.] We should like to inquire into the reasons why
or in what re>pect honey is a medicine, supposing we take
it as admitted that such is the case, an assumption many
medical men might object to, seeing that the position of
honey in the British Pharmacopoeia is such a very
modest one, its use being chiefly that of a vehicle for
other medicines, and as an adjunct to gargles. I should
say that children in the stages requiring Mel boracis
receive the greatest share of the officinal preparations of
honey. True, oxymel (a mixture of honey, acetic acid,
and water) is used as a demulcent, softening mucus
lodging in the air-passages and facilitating its expectora-
tion. Iu my own household, however, I prefer the use
of citric acid to acetic. In bronchitis, honey pure and
simple is always at hand, and more relief is obtained by
frequently tasting it than from anything else. Nearly
twenty years ago I found the greatest benefit in an
attack of quinsy by using a gargle of red sage, acidulated
with vinegar, and well sweetened with honey. Honey
ad libitum as a laxative, and mixed with borax for
thrush, is, of course, a common household medicine for
children. We will leave out of our view the value of
honey as a food, as a heat -producer, consisting, as it
does principally, of carbon and water, the two sugars
dextrose and levulose, invert sugar. We know it is
readily assimilated in the stomach, and should be eaten
with some attenuating substance such as bread.
Mr. Cheshire, in ' Honey as Food,' tells us: — 'Why
honey has a curative effect it is difficult to say for
certain, but one may theorise, and ascribe this fact to
the readiness with which it combines with mucous
tissue. Honey is variable, and therefore its value as a
medicine cannot always be the same.'
In ' Honey, as Food and Medicine,' we have a list of
prescriptions which are almost incredulously efficacious,
a few of which may be named as startlers : — Inflamma-
tion and congestion of the lungs followed by uncon-
sciousness were cured by eating honey at all times of the
dav and night until 10 lbs, were consumed. Herr Karl
286
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 7, 1888.
Gatter was at the verge of the grave, and was restored
to perfect health by the use of honey. Consumption is
cured by it, and in ancient times it was used as a means
of securing long life, and it is said to be an excellent
remedy in diseases of the bladder and kidneys. The
recipes are : — For asthma, honey of squills, honey
cough syrup, eye-wash, balsam of "honey, for croup, for
bronchitis, honey salve, for coughs, colds, whooping
cough, &c, honey-wash for the eyes, gargle for sore
throat, cancer plaster, honey cough medicine, honey and
tar cough candy, honey for sore eyes, honey and walnut
cough candy, remedy for whooping cough, colds, &c.
Granting that all these prescriptions are good and
effectual, what is there about honey that is absent in
sugar which _ brings about such apparently wonderful
results ? It is in this direction we will turn our gaze.
We know the effect produced upon the nerves at the
roots of our teeth by bringing them into contact with
fresh honey, strong in acid, and it may be that the excess
of formic acid secreted by the bee is used by it in giving
its honey this strong acid reaction. Indeed, it is not
beyond the bounds of reason to suppose that the supply
of this acid to the bee is not intended for use so much as
sting poison as for purely domestic purposes. There is
not much doubt that the acid contained in honey is
beneficial to both stomach and liver. What else is there
in honey ? Well, myriads of pollen-grains, and these
contain chemical principles of undoubted medical potency.
Putting aside the husks (the extine and intine of the
pollen-grain) the outermost skin is found to be reticu-
lated with ridges, the seat of a secretion of sticky oil.
The contents are a sticky fluid rich in protoplasm, some-
times transparent, sometimes opaque, by reason of float-
ing granules (fovilla), which granules 'are declared by
Herapath to contain as much as 46 per cent of a peculiar
inflammable azutized ( ? ) principle insoluble in nearly
every liquid. I imagine it is soluble by gastric juice.
These granules were found to be invisible in many fresh
pollens, since the fluid in which they swim has the
same refractive power as the granules ; some of them
are drops of oil, whilst others consist of proteine
compounds. Many pollen tubes will develop in
nectar, by osmose of water, and produce in their own
tubes other chemical combinations, and as the growth of
these tubes often exceeds the diameter of the pollen
grain by a hundred diameters, their chemical positionin the
honey must be somewhat considerable. We have then
(leaving the sugar of honey on one side) to deal with
formic acid and the protoplasmic contents of pollen-cells,
when we think of honey as a medicine. The most im-
portant factor, in my opinion, remains yet to be con-
sidered. I allude to its flavour. Mr. Otto Hehner tells
ua ' he has not been able by chemical means to distinguish
between honey from one kind of flower and any other.'
We must all admit that such a difference exists. We
know that honey collected from poisonous plants is
materially affected by the active deleterious or objection-
able or medicinal principle, secreted by such plant, the
rhododendron family, azaleas and kalmias being an
instance of this. Does it not follow, as nectar is a
secretion and an exudation of the plant cell, that it is
charged and pervaded by the active principle, beneficial
or otherwise, of the plant? Many instances of the
identity of the nectar flavour, and the distinguishing
principle of the plant which secretes it, can be given : — '
Citric acid is found in fruits and flowers of the orange tribe.
Tartaric ,, ,, grape juice.
Malic „ „ the apple, gooseberry, &c.
Tannic ,, ,, the oak, Sea.
Hydrocyanic (prussic) the cherry laurel.
Oxalic acid ,, sorrel and rhubarb.
Gallic ,, ,, in all kinds of galls.
Of poisonous principles we find alkaloids of—
Quinine in cinchona.
Morphine „ opium.
Solanine in plants of the potato tribe.
Veratrine „ sebadilla.
Aconitine ,, monkshood and aconites.
Strychnine ,, nux vomica.
Atropine „ belladonna.
Pipeline ,, pepper.
Theine or caffeine in tea and coffee.
Some of the most poisonous plants bear the gaudiest
flowers, and such we know are peculiarly attractive to
bees, whilst many plants unwholesome as food are in-
valuable as medicine. Most of the umbelliferfe are
poisonous, the same may be said of the ranunculaceas,
e.g., anemone, Pulsatilla, delphinium, monkshood,
aconitum vulgare. The poppy family, papaveracea;, are
notorious (P. somniferum). The crucifers are, however,
non-poisonous. When we come to the violet family we
find one of our most valuable medicines (ipecacuanha),
obtained from the root of a violet grown in Peru. The
buckthorn (rhumnus) gives us a valuable medicinal fruit:
from the spindle tree family we get the valuable active prin-
ciple euonymine. The seeds of the laburnum are poisonous.
The cherry tribe (containing the almond, peach, nectarine,
&c.) yields us prussic acid, this acid is also secreted by
plants of the plum tribe. A common plant (fool's parsley),
common in gardens, is poisonous, as are generally the
umbelliferae, wet places being their home as a rule, when
this principle is developed. Wild lettuce and wild
celery are poisonous:, whilst most members of the
cocupositse are medicinal. It is curious also to note that
the ling or heather (the source of so much fine honey),
has in its family the azaleas, kalmias, &c. The peri-
winkle (vinca) family have amongst them the nux
vomica, from which we extract strychnine, a deadly
poison, but at the same time the most valuable tonic
in the Pharmacopeia.
Entire plants are wild lettuce (Lactucin, similar to Manna).
The following are the parts of plants used in medical
preparation : —
Twie any of them is
reduced to a small quantity of bees you may strengthen
them by taking a proper number from any of your hives
that is plentiest of them; and if any of your hives be
lighter than another, take the bees from her; and in all
your uniting of bees strive as much as v-ou can to unite
those that are of the best natural tempers, for there is a
great odds among them.' This advice seems all very
good, except as relates to the mid-winter time of operat-
ing. Considering, however, that we are reproached by
our American cousins as not having any 'climate' in
this country, but only ' samples ' of it, and seeing what
' the rigours of our English summer ' sometimes are,
Bonner may, after all, have been poking sly fun at our
weather, and have signiiied by ' mid-winter' the month
of, let us say, March.
We referred, in our former article, and in this, to our
old friend's abhorrence of feeding bees, a point on which
he holds strong opinions as may be gathered from his
concluding paragraph on the chapter devoted to it. He
says ; ' I am weary of writing on so disagreeable a sub-
ject, and hope my wise readers will take advice and keep
good stalls in September, and thereby scarcely ever
need to seek directions in this chapter called the bee-
master's last shift.' But those were days in which
extractors, driven bees, stimulative spring-feeding, and
the building up of weak stocks, were all unknown. We
have respect enough for Bonner's good sense to believe
that, had he foreseen the coming developments of api-
culture, he would have been at one with us in very
different views from those we have been quoting from
this book.
Wb will advert to only one more mistake of our writer
of a century ago. It is that in the spring ' many of the
bees leave the brood, and go in search of farina' to seal
..hem up within their cells.' By ' farina,' of course, he
means pollen, and we now know that this is gathered for
the feeding of the young brood, not for making the cell-
covers.
Our object in referring to this ancient writer is not in
order to show up bis ignorance, and to glorify our more
advanced knowledge, but rather to direct the attention
of some of our readers to various unsettled points, both
practical and theoretical, on which it behoves tbem to
obtain sound information from the best of our modern
authorities.
WARWICKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The annual meeting of the AVarwickshire Bee-keepers'
Association was held at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham,
on the 81st ult., under the presidency of Mr. J. Courtenay
Lord. The others present included Messrs. E. M. Pearson,
( '. Butler, A. Ward,.!. Simkins, II. Hobson, J. B. Young,
G. Franklin, A. II. Foster, J. N. Bower (Hon. Sec),
.1. R. Ingerthorp (Assifltanl Secretary), and Mr. C. W.
Summerskill (expert), &c. Lord Leigh and Mr. Jesse
I lollings, M.P., wrote apologising for inability to attend.
The annual report of the Committee congratulated
the members upon the steadily increasing interest that
the Association had been one of the means of creating
in the cause of apiculture; but it was a matter of deep
regret to them that, owing to the failure of Messrs,
Greenway's Bank, and to the general agricultural de-
pression, financially the year had been a somewhat
disastrous one. The income from all sources amounted
to 02/. 14s. '.1(7. only, while the expenditure, notwith-
standing (lie observance of the atrictest economy, had
been 111/, lis. Qd., leaving an adverse balance of
18/. 17.S-. The Committee therefore earnestly appealed
to the members to endeavour to avert the calamity of
the useful work of the Association being curtailed, and
to further its interests by either increasing their sub-
scriptions or securing new subscribers, thereby clearing
off the debt, and giving the Association its full working
power. Tbi> Association's expert made a tour to mem-
bers during the spring, but the autumn tour had to be
abandoned for want of funds.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report,
said the Society deserved the support of every well-
meaning citizen, inasmuch as one of its objects was to
improve the condition of cottagers and agricultural
labourers. He mentioned that the importation of honey
from Chili alone during the last five years had amounted
to 600 tons per annum, and >aid that if their Society
was to be a Buccess, they ought not to rest until they
had reduced the enormous annual importation of honey.
Much good had already been done in imparting a know-
ledge of how honey might be taken in a merciful way.
He was sorry to know that the Society had lost 18/. by the
failure of the Warwick Bank. Many of the members,
too, had suffered individually, and had thus been unable
to pay their subscriptions,
Mr. Butler seconded the motion, and it was passed.
On the proposition of Mr. J. Simkins, the President and
Vice-Presidents were re-elected, and a vote of thanks
was accorded to them for their past services.
Thanks were also accorded to the Committee and
honorary officers, and Mr. J. X. Bower was re-appointed
Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. II. Ingerthorp Assistant Secretory,
and Mr. C. W. Summerskill Expert.
Mr. J. Hiam (Redditch) gave a short lecture on 'Bee-
keepers' Enemies, and how to deal witli them.' He said
that one of the greatest enemies of the bee was the
hornet, which not only took the honey, but established
itself in the bee-hive. The wasp was also an enemy to
the bee, the Vespa germanica being the most dangerous
species. The tom-tit, too, was accused of killing bees,
but a piece of suet placed in front of the hive, he found,
kept the birds from destroying his bees. Another bee-
destroyer was the toad, and even the sparrow and the bull-
finch were accused. Last autumn he trapped as many
as sixty bullfinches in an ordinary trap-cage, and he
dealt with the sparrows by finding them places to build
in, and then talcing their eggs.
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Hiam
at the close of his lecture.
Caeniola is the province of Krain, S. Illyria, in the
Austrian Empire ; it has the repute of producing abund-
ance of honey and bees-was:.
294
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 14, 1888.
(ferespotttrenit.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith, illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, .Books for Review,
&c, must be addressed only to *The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The total value of honey imported into the United
Kingdom during the month of May, 1838, amounted to
2009/. — John Courroux, Principal, Statistical Office,
H. M. Customs, June Qth.
BEES COLLECTING HONEY— LEE'S PATENT
SECTIONS.
[1G74.] On page 239 I gave a short account of the
condition of my bees at Farnborough, and reported that
they were collecting honey and ready for supers on May 5.
On May the 10th I found them working well, and put a
case of twenty-one sections on No. 1, which they took to
at once. On the 23rd they had worked out and filled
most of the sections with honey ready for sealing. As the
bees were very strong in numbers I introduced another
case of sections between the hive and the first, so as to
prevent their being crowded, and if possible to prevent
swarming. Before I saw them again the weather had
changed, the wind being in the east ; on this day there
was nothing doing, and the sections, although some were
partly sealed, were nearly deserted by the bees. I added
some additional covering, but did not otherwise interfere
with them.
On Saturday the 2nd of June I found nearly the
whole of the upper tier sealed over and took fifteen out
of the twenty-one quite finished. The centre row of
sections in the lower tier were all worked out and partly
sealed, those at the sides not being nearly so forward.
When I saw you on Monday 1 mentioned that I had
some sections nicely filled, and you replied, 'Why did you
not bring some up, as I should have liked to have men-
tioned it in the Journal?' I now send you a crate of twelve
sections that you may see for yourself if they are not
nicely filled. After you have looked at them will you
kindly send them on to Messrs. Neighbour in Regent
Street, who generally take my early honey ? You will
see I used some of Lee's patent dovetailed sections, and
I am delighted with them ; they are far in advance of all
others ; you will see that the whole twelve are free from
popholes or bee-passages. Whole sheets of Dadant's
thin foundation were used ; this I obtained from Messrs.
Neighbour, who, I understand, import large quantities of
it, and it is in my opinion superior to anything I have
seen that has been made in this country, and I believe it
to be absolutely pure and free from the fatty smell that
much of the stuff sold asjnire bees-wax foundation has ;
at any rate the bees take to it at once as if it was the
genuine thing.
Messrs. Dadant are the largest makers of comb-
foundation in the world, and last year I see by their ad-
vertisement they made and sold about thirty tons of it.
I hope your readers will try it against some other makers,
and report to the Journal which they prefer. Bad
foundation is a most annoying thing to have, as many of
us know from experience.
The ease with which full sheets of foundation can be
secured in Lee's patent sections, on all four sides, when
putting the sections together, is a treat; there is no mess
with molten wax or any fear of breaking the section
whilst putting together, as is the case with the one-piece
sections. They should not be put together without a
block, but with it the foundation can be secured to per-
fection with a very little practice, the chief thing being
to cut the foundation to the exact size required.
The principal object of this report is to show that bees,
if let alone, with sufficient winter stores, will do equally
as well as those that have had the brood spread and
been stimulated by artificial feeding, &c. — John M.
Hooker, June 8th.
[We desire to thank our correspondent for affording
us the opportunity of seeing these sections, to us the first-
fruits of the honey-harvest of the season of 1888. We
readily bear our testimony to the perfect finish and the
beautiful appearance they presented. They were quite
free of popholes or bee-passages, and prove that Mr. Lee's
dovetailed sections are a great success. — Ed.]
QUEENLESS STOCKS IN SPRING.
[1075.] The misquotation of Mr. Edey having given
him an opportunity of emphasising that part of his
answer would not render an apology necessary, or we
would have been glad to have given it. Mr. McNally's
answer will be generally regarded as satisfactory.
When the hive has been discovered to be queen less on
the first of May, the next thing to do will be to ascertain
if drones are forming where wanted ; if not, these drone-
combs must be placed in the brood-nest of strong hives
for the purpose of raising drones. Should the first effort
be a success, then in twenty-six days the drone would
leave the cell, and in five more would be sufficiently
matured to meet the young queen. This will bring us
to the close of May. Were the endeavours to raise the
young queens equally successful, and so timed that both
were ready to fly at the same date, there might possibly
intervene some days when the weather would be unsuit-
able. Suppose for these contingencies the first week in
June be allowed, and add to this the three weeks neces-
sary before the brood of the young queen would leave
the cell, and three days before they were prepared to
work. We would then have come to the end of June,
by which time the greatest proportion of the old bees
would have died, or have been lost, and only a small
portion of young brood could be brought to maturity.
The examinations of stocks before the beginning of May
are generally not very close, and are chiefly undertaken
to find out their supply of food. If in looking down the
combs sealed brood is observed, this would be regarded
as satisfactory. Without looking very closely to the
extent of the sealed brood, we would be disposed to
cover up to avoid chilling the brood. The brood in the
cells when the hive was discovered to be queenless at
the beginning of May, might be very few, though the
population of the hive might be strong ; under such cir-
cumstances, at the end of June, or beginning of July,
the stock would be very weak and unfit for honey
gathering for that season. This will be regarded as a
possible weakness in the system.
The suggestion of Mr. Raj'nor of wintering nuclei with
young breeding queens to join the queenless stocks in
early spring, will generally be regarded as a good one.
Many thanks for the reply in ' U. H.,' and also to Mr.
AValton for the courteous, clear, and practical manner,
in which he has described his method of doing it. In
both cases we presume the hives were single-walled.
Some few years since, a great amount of writing was
going on about several nuclei being kept in one large
hive, each having its separate compartment and entrance,
with the object of conserving the heat of each for the
benefit of the whole. Some of your correspondents
would be induced to give this a trial at the time, and
could they be induced to make known their success, or
June 14, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
295
failure, it would be of very great service to some of
your readers. For even a failure when the cau e
clearly made known is of service to them following with
the same end in view, though it may not poinl out the
harbour sought, yet it will mark out a shore, or sand-
bank, on which another need not run. — R. M.
SWARM-CATCHING IX IRELAND.-
WASPS.
I'l'HEN-
[1676.] Your last Journal gave various American
methods of catching swarms; allow me to mention two
Irish ones which gave amusement here. A policeman
came to me in his perplexity how to catch a swarm
which had lodged close by on a slender branch of elm
quite out of reach. After gazing a while, I said, ' The gun
will do it;' and so it did, for with one shot (of No. 5) I
severed the branch and the swarm fell unharmed. The
other method I adopted with a largo swarm was, while
I stood on a crate, holding up as high as possible an
open umbrella inverted, into which the swarm was
safely shaken.
Wasps I have never seen so numerous as this season.
To give you some idea of their numbers, I find by my
record thai in '85 I killed 10:? before June 10th: in '86,
109 j in '87, very few ; but this year on May 31st my
total was 176, and still they come.
From my best hive last summer I took sixty-nine
sections tit for market, and about forty pounds in frames
and unfinished sections, leaving it still with abundance
for winter consumption. It is scarcely necessary to add
that any success I have is mostly due to the instruction
given in your excellent Journal. — Kinnetty Rectory,
Parsonstovm, June ±th.
SCRIBBLINGS FROM A COTTAGER.
[1677.] Having kept bees now for some years on the
modern principle, I have been a pretty close reader of
the Journal. One thing I have particularly nut iced is the
generally good accounts given of honey yields per colony
and wonderful strength of stocks in the spring, making
ono feel when I read them that I am behind again with
mine as usual. The thing is, do we have an account of
the best and exceptional cases and hear little of the weak
and medium, or is it as a rule an average all-round state-
ment? I noticed our good Editor spoke of a couple of
stocks he examined containing thirteen frames of brood
each on the 17th May (if I mistake not), I think these
must be exceptionally forward ; my best at that date
had about half that quantity of brood. Perhaps my
management is at fault, or locality, or both, maybe.
My first adventure with bees was thirteen years ago,
when I procured a swarm in a skep. I remained a
skeppist two or three years, but, hearing such glowing
accounts of bar- frame hives and the enormous yields
therefrom, I made it my business to visit the apiary of
a friend using frame-hives, and with aid of rule, pencil,
and paper, quickly had full dimensions of a good hive to
take standard frames, and in a very short time put one
together, eagerly awaiting my first natural swarm, — at
last it came. I successfully hived it and put it on seven
or eight sheets of foundation, my enthusiasm knew no
bounds ; I verily caught ' bee-fever ' — my wife thinks so
too. That year and the next were spent chiefly in hive-
making, and the manufacture of numerous weak colonies,
sugar-buying and boiling (this being no small item). I
dearly bought my learning at that little game, I trust
now 1 am in that respect wiser.
The usual number of stocks I winter is about eight or
ten, I pack them generally by the middle of October,
with abundance of sealed stores (honey if possible), reduce
to six or seven frames with padded dummies, use porous
quilts, two layers of smooth sacking, and over all chaff-
cushions, with mouth of hive four or five inches open.
This last winter in two cases I shot loose chaff behind
the dummies aud over quilts, filling the hives full. The
first and last time ! oh what a dreadful mess and litter in
the spring to clear up, and none the better for it inside
that I could see for the extra trouble. I do not, as a
rule, touch the hives until March, when I treat each with
a cake of candy. At beginning of April, if weather is open
] begin slow syrup-feeding-, which I continue regularly
till honey is plentiful. I do not do any brood-spreading
until the weather is warm and bees crowded, when I
give a full sheet of foundation, as 1 find they can bear it,
in centre of brood-nest. I manipulate as little as possible,
especially in cool weather ; in short, I follow the best
plans laid down in the Journal and other bee books.
My hives are all good, well made, sound, and dry,
double-walled ones: and yet, notwithstanding my utmost
endeavours, I cannot bring my stocks up to the pitch. I
hear others do, and I should like to I think the situation
of my apiary has something to do with it. I am sur-
rounded with grassland, I suppose nine-tenths in pasture
and meadow, with a good sprinkling of the little yellow
trefoil and white clover, plenty of furze in early spring,
and heath late in the season. I am on a side hill sloping
to the south, about Mid-Sussex, but a rather elevated
position ; and my opinion is, 1 lose a very large number
of bees by the too prevalent cold winds in the spring.
Mj I s are perfectly healthy. My stocks stand as
follows: on June 0, one covering ten frames, 2, ditto
nine, .'!, ditti i eight : aud one Ligurian lot on three frames,
but not covering two, with a patch of brood the size of
my hand.
.1 11.-1 a word on Ligurians. Having a desire for foreign
bees, and moie amiable ones, I gave 8s. for a pure
Ligurian queen off one of our topmost dealers ; dethroned
the queen of one of my best stocks, and successfully
introduced her foreign majesty. This stock has been
treated best of all, but has never got its own living.
Tlio queen is now in her third year. I just managed to
get them fairly strong in time to tuck them up for
winter. They are very irritable, more so than my blacks,
and a stock of hybrids from them are perfect demons.
Immediately tin- hive is opened, smoke or no smoke they
dart at one's face like particles of steel to a magnet. I
go on Mr. F. Boyes' side, and say, No foreigners for me ;
1 find them a useless nuisance. I believe most of the
noise we hear in favour of foreign bees emanates from
dealers and breeders of queens, directly or indirectly.
If any of our numerous readers can point out any of the
defects in my management, or give me a hint or two, it
would be esteemed a kinduess by — Country Cottager.
CAPACITY OF HIVES.
[1678. J It is well known that in the matter of hives
there is a great divergence of opinion, some masters ad-
vocating capacity for twelve, and others ten or eleven
frames per storey. Could you not put it as a selected
query F as I am sure the tabulated opinion would be of
great interest to many besides myself. For instance,
though I know almost all kinds of hives by outward looks
yet I am but imperfectly acquainted with the inside
dimensions of many of them. I rather suspect that the
inside length is not a standard quality with many.
Another interesting point to clear up would be whether
there is the smallest necessity for any form of plinth to
single-walled hives. For double-walled hives there
certainly is, but in single-walled hives I do not think
there is, because the bees quite effectually keep out wet
by means of propolis. A plain joint seems all that is
necessary and is certainly cheapest. Mr. Simmins in the
B. H.J., Mr. Raitt in Record, and Mr. Howard in a private
letter to me, have all praised and recommended this
simple joint.
Of course dealers will turn out any form that there is
a demand for ; but I would like the opinion of some more
296
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 14, 1888.
of the bee-masters. The thickness of wood used in hive
construction seems pretty .well ' settled ' between f and 1
inch. By-the-bye in the experiments which Mr. F.
Cheshire made to determine the best form of hive sides,
did he try what was the difference of having all sides
snugly covered and of only having the top well covered ?
I cannot come across the record of any such experiment
in any of my books, and yet I think it has a very distinct
importance to bee-keepers. To theorise I should say that
the cooling from side would not be very great, though
from the top of course it would be if they were thin. —
DUNBAR.
INCEEASE.
Making Increase op Division.
[1679.] While dividing colonies for increase is preferred
throughout the country by a large majority of bee-
keepers, I practise and prefer in my own apiary ' natural
swarming,' from the fact that apiculture is my sole
occupation for a livelihood, and I work the business for
all that is in it.
If the bee-keeper has plenty of time and extra combs
with which to supply his 'divided colonies, he will
without a doubt succeed with this method. I will say
this in behalf of dividing colonies, from the fact that I
do not wish to be understood to say that bee-keeping
cannot be made a success financially without it, viz. : —
If increase is the bee-keeper's object, and he has plenty
of comb-foundation already drawn out, and plenty of
money in his pocket, by all means use the dividing
method of increase. On the other hand, my experience
has enabled me to arrive at the conclusion that natural
swarmmg pays best if dollars and cents is the object to
be sought.
The question might be asked, How do you control
swarming ? I do not always do it, but then to a certain
extent I do. Just as soon as the bees begin to show
symptoms of swarming, I put on the sections, and keep
the bees supplied with plenty of room, never allowing,
them to be idle if there is honey in the fields. In a few
days after the first swarm issues, I open the hive from
whence the swarm came, and remove all queen-cells
but one, if there seems to be no newly-hatched queeu
present.
Some apiarists may claim that bees will swarm too
much, but my experiments in that direction have proved
to the contrary. From seventy-six colonies, spring
count, I obtained only about thirty swarms altogether
for the season of 1S87 ; and in summing up all my
reports from year to year, I cannot find one instance
whatever of doubling my number of colonies by natural
swarming.
Dividing colonies is a safe way to increase, and can be
carried to almost any extent ; and while I have said so
much against it, I could not well dispense with this new
improvement in bee-culture, for it is by this means that
all my nuclei colonies are formed and queens reared.
Comb and Extracted Honey.
Now a few words as to my method of obtaining comb
and extracted honey. The apiary is worked for both
comb and extracted honey, from the fact that there is
to be found in any apiary a number of colonies that do
not feel disposed to work in surplus sections. When-
ever colonies of this kind are found, they are supplied
with an extra set of combs, and by this means they can
be induced to store a fair surplus of honey to be ex-
tracted. In this way a portion of my apiary is ' rigged
up' with two sets of combs for extracting purposes.
When honey begins to come in fast, these combs are
placed in the extractor about once a-week (or just as
often as necessary), and the honey taken out. I seldom
disturb the lower storey in extracting.
The rest of the apiary, being composed of all strong
colonies, is supplied with sections whenever necessarv.
When one case is partly full, it is raised, and an empty
one placed under it. My favourite section for obtaining
comb-honey is the 4J x 4J in. I use two widths, namely,
the lg-in. and the 2-in. Which width is the best I am
not prepared to say.
My market demands a section that holds a pound of
honey. Sometimes I get this pound in the^lj-in. section,
and ofttimes in the 2-in. section. My judgment, based
upon experience, is, that a section which will hold a3
nearly as practicable one pound of honey is what the
trade and market demand.
In conclusion, I will state that the season's work for
1837, summed up in a nutshell, is not an encouraging
report by any means. After uniting a few late swarms
in October, I began the winter with ninety-six colonies,
having had seventy-six colonies with which to com-
mence the season's work. My sales of combs and
extracted honey amounted to upwards of 1700 pounds,
about 1500 pounds of which was produced during the
last summer. The comb honey was disposed of at a
good price. Extracted honey has had only a fair sale,
but I am glad to say that the demand is increasing. — Head
at the Nebraska State Convention hj J. M. Young, Rock
Bluff's, Kebr. (American Bee Journal.)
SKEPS AND BAR-FRAMES.
[1G80.] ' Brathay ' need not wonder why his bees died
in the bar-frame hives, if he saved two out of three he
must think himself very lucky. Having kept bees in
bar-frame hives many years 1 know a little about them.
Why, don't our professors tell you how it is ? Talk
about ventilation, do we ever hear of spring dwindling
or queen-encasement in straw skeps, some propolised as
to hold water. Why do we advocate and give ventila-
tion when the bees try to prevent it ? surely they know
best. The fact is, ventilation means escape of heat,,
which in winter and early spring is the life of the poor
bees. Bar-frames allow of more space for the heat to
escape, especially with porous quilts, whereas the dome-
shaped straw skep confines it to the cluster. Greater
lights speak in favour of ventilation (which is all bosh),
but do they ever say a word in favour of confining the
heat that the poor bees generate f Having taken in the
Bee Journal many years I can say that all my bee
disasters were caused by acting on many of the articles
that should not have been inserted. Theory might be
very well, but practice is better. Bar-frame hives are
very good for summer use, but do they counterbalance
the disadvantages of winter and early spring ? Take my
advice and experience, keep your bees as warm as
possible in winter and spring, stop all ventilation, and
not disturb them more than you are obliged to do. —
W. Edwards, Mouseliill, Surrey.
[Yes, we experience spring dwindling quite as much
in skeps as in frame-hives. Bees do not try to prevent
bottom ventilation. In hollow trees, and other natural
habitats, we always find plenty of space below the combs.
Very few advanced bee-keepers advocate upward ven-
tilation, or if allowed it is insensible. When we tell you
that we winter from forty to fifty colonies in frame-
hives every year, and very rarely lose a colony, and that
hundreds of others do the same, you will perceive that
we are not speaking on a subject of which we are quite
ignorant. We are old 'skeppists' of fifty years' standing,
but we should as soon think of advocating a return to
the old slow coaches of a century ago, and condemning
modern railways, as a return to the rotten, reeking old
skep, redolent of foul brood and all other filthiness, in
place of the modern frame-hive, with all its advantages.
Queen encasements? Yes, we have seen quite as
many in skeps as in frame-hives. We are afraid you
have sadly misread your Journal or your experience
would have been very different.
You speak of the advice given by the ' greater lights '
June 14, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
297
on ventilation as ' bo3h,' whatever that may mean, but
■we suspect that more real 'bosh' is written in favour of
unventilated skeps full of condensed moisture and mouldy
and rotten combs. In our experience colonies in both
skeps and frame-hives are wintered best over empty
ekes.
"We venture to prophesy that your raid against
frame-hives will not result in gaining you many
followers. — Ed.]
A BOY ON THE LANGSTROTH FUND.
[1081.] I was very sorry to see that so few bee-
keepers had subscribed to the Langstroth Fund on the
31st of May, and still more so when on the 7th of June
no more had subscribed. I herewith enclose 2s. (JJ, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
^^±^±^L,^t^.@y n^
BRITISH
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stkanoewats' Pbintino Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 313. Vol. XVI.]
JUNE 21, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
^tritflrid, Itoiias, fo.
THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW.
The entries for the department allotted to
apicultural appliances and honey at the furth-
coming Show at Nottingham are unusually large,
numbering something like 300. Next to the
great Metropolitan Exhibition held at South Ken-
sington in 1880, the display at Nottingham (if
favourable weather prevail) will be one of the most
interesting displays that have as yet taken place
in the United Kingdom. A new, and perhaps the
most instructive, feature will be the manufacture
of comb-foundation ; this class has been well filled.
The British Bee-keepers' Association arc to be
congratulated upon having secured such an attrac-
tive and instructive exhibition, interesting alike
both to bee-keepers and the general public.
Efforts are also beiug made to extend the attrac-
tions of this department in other respects, including
the section for lecturing. It is proposed to em-
bellish the exhibits of honey with bouquets of
flowers, principally of those from which the honey
is gathered.
We are desired to make an appeal to those who
are able to send any plants or cut flowers ; the
latter may be sent per parcels post direct to the
show. We trust that many of our friends will
lend some assistance in this respect. Communica-
tions on this point may be sent to the Secretary,
J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BEE-
KEEPERS' ASS( )CIATION.
We desire to draw the attention of our bee-
keeping friends to the exhibition of bees, hives, and
honey, which will bo held by the above Association
from the 5th to the 7th of September, in connexion
with the Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and North
Lancashire Agricultural Society's show at Lancaster.
When we remember the grand effect of the above
Society's exhibition at the show at South Kensing-
ton, we feel assured that it will hold forth great
attractions to all who take an interest in bees and
bee-keeping ; and also that it will honourably
represent our industry before the Society in con-
nexion with which it is held. One interesting'
feature in this show to which we would advert is
the County Competition ; in which the honey must
bo the produce of at least ten bee-keepers' bees,
and all members in the County Association. The
prizes offered are on a most liberal scale ; and the
management of the show is in the hands of those
who are fully able to carry out all the details
successfully.
CAMBRIDGE BEE-KKErERS' SHOW.
We trust that beekeepers in the vicinity of
Cambridge will give their best attention to the
exhibition of honey, bees, hives, and appliances,
which will be held at Cambridge, 19th and 20th
July, in connexion with the Agricultural and Poultry
Show, on Monday, June 25th. Mr. R. Peters, of
Downing Street, Cambridge, will be pleased to
furnish any information required.
LANGSTROTH FUND.
Since giving the list of subscribers to this fund
which appeared in our issue of May 31st, we have
received from A Young Bee-keeper, 2s. 6V. ; from
G. H., Ticehurst, 2*. 6d Will our bee-keeping
friends who have not yet contributed to this Fund
please to read the account of a ' Visit from Father
Langstroth,' from the pen of Mr. James Heddon,
on p. 303, so that therefrom they may be enabled
to form an estimate of the character of this veteran
bee-keeper and benefactor to the bee-keeping in-
dustry? As we purpose closing this fund on the
28th inst, will all intending subscribers kindly
forward their donations without delay]
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Comb Honey in Sections.
We are frequently asked whether we think good comb
honey can be got by working sections at the side of
brood-nest, and if there is an}- difference in the quantity
obtained by working in this way or by supering. We
have produced section honey now for a number of years,
and were amongst the first to do so in this country.
Every improvement in the method has been tried and
worked by us, and we have tried all the dodges and
notions that have been from time to time advocated.
We may here give our experiences, and state that we
have found by supering we get a larger quantity of
honey, and generally of a better quality as regards
300
TILE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 21, 1888.
appearance. In using the word ' supering,' we mean
placing supers on the top, and we never use this word
in connexion with side storing. We think it advisable
to give this definition, for many bee-keepers have got
into the habit of using the words super and supering
indiscriminately in connexion with top and side storing.
An examination of the meaning of the word would show
how senseless it is to use it in connexion with side
storing. Super is a Latin word, which means above, on
the top, over, upon, on, and is applied to honey re-
ceptacles placed on the top of hives. Therefore, to talk
of ' side supering ' is, to say the least, incongruous.
We have for some time entirely discarded side storing,
for although bees take to sections, and commence working
in them sooner at the side of brood-nest, they are very
much slower in finishing them off than when the sections
are on the top. Close proximity to the brood-nest also
is the cause of discoloration of the combs, and frequently
pollen will be stored in some of the cells, even if ex-
cluder-zinc is used.
There is frequently a difficulty in getting bees to start
in supers, and it is still greater when the sections are
not furnished with combs, and only contain foundation.
It is a good plan to have a number of sections con-
taining nice clean combs, which have been built out
during the latter end of the honey harvest or in the
autumn. When we look Over our cases of sections
towards the end of the season, all those not partially
sealed over are at once removed until the honey-flow
ceases. They are then given to the bees, who carry the
honey they contain below, and clean them out, so that,
after fumigation with burning brimstone, they are put
away until they are wanted for furnishing supers in the
spring.
Some years ago, before comb-foundation was made
as thin as it is now, we used to cut out all the white
unfinished naturally built combs we could get, and put
them in as starters in our sections ; but since we now
get beautiful thin foundation, twelve feet to the pound,
it is much less trouble to fix this, and the combs built
out are equally as good. When a rack of sections is put
on, the great thing is to get the bees to crowd up into it
and to commence storing surplus at once. If the hive is not
crowded with bees, they will not do this, and will, pro-
bably, only begin to work in the centre. The conse-
quence of this is that only the sections in the centre get
built out perfectly, those on the outside frequently not
being more than three-fourths filled. To get all the sec-
tions uniform the bees should fill the supers, and begin
working on all sections at the same time. If there are
not enough bees in the hive to do this, we remove the
outer frames and contract the space by means of division
boards, so as to crowd the bees below and force them up
into the supers. Even a weak hive may be made to yield
some honey if the bees are forced up into supers at the
right moment, and supers of a suitable capacity are used.
Once the bees are fairly at work in the sections, there is
little difficulty in making them continue to do so.
When the sections in the first case are about two-thirds
full of comb, the case must be raised, and one with
sections furnished with comb or thin foundation should
be placed beneath the first on the top of the hive. The
bees will continue their work in the upper case and work
down into the one below. In a few days a third mav
be placed under the second. Usually the top case will
be completed first, and should be removed and another
one placed below the other two if the honey-flow still
continues. We have, however, just had an exception to
this rule. In examining a hive with three storeys of
sections a few days ago, we took away fifteen sections
completed from the top case. The six partly-finished
sections were put into the case, and this was filled up
with empty sections and placed below the other two.
We were rather astonished to find the next case also
contained a large number of what, by looking through
the passages, appeared to be completed sections; on
examination, we found thirteen quite finished and the
third case appeared to us to be also well advanced. We
were agreeably surprised to find fifteen sections quite
finished, so that from this hive we took as many finished
sections from the lower storey as from the top. We
were deceived at first as to the state of completion of
our sections by the glass on the end ones, and we were
waiting to see the bees commence to seal these over
before removing the top case.
In all forty-three sections were removed and the
remaining twenty were put together in one case and
returned to the bees, placing another case of empty
sections below. The cases shown in illustration Fig. 1
and 2 are the ones used, and although no queen-excluder
has been employed, not one of the sections had been used
for breeding. Perhaps the metal dividers have some-
thing to do with this, coming as they do within quarter
of an inch of the openings. We prefer stout tin dividers
3J inches wide, and find combs worked between such
everything that may be desired. When we visited Mr.
Knickerbocker's queen-breeding establishment last year,
in New York State, we were shown a new divider of
wood, which was like a double divider, giving space for
the bees to pass up between. It was made of i-inch
wood 3j inches wide, and was sawn right through so
that there was a passage way of a ^-ineh.
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Here, then, in addition to giving a passage all round
the sections, an additional way is provided to enable the
bees to pass between each row of combs without walking
over them. We extemporised some such dividers by
nailing t%vo on each side of vertical 1-inch strips, but did
not find them any better than the ordinary dividers, and
the room they occupy is certainly against them. Wood
dividers have their advocates, but we prefer metal if of
sufficient substance to prevent its buckling.
So long as the honey-flow lasts, continue to remove
cases of completed sections, and give empty cases below ;
but when the flow ceases, no more sections should be
given, and an endeavour made to get those partially
sealed completed. As we have before stated, all those
sections in which none of the cells were capped over are
removed, and given to the bees to clean out later. All
June 21, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
301
the cases are examined, and the completed sections taken
out. Cases of uncompleted sections are then made up
and placed on the strongest hives for completion. One
case, or at most two, should only be given, and as fast as
the sections are finished, they are removed, and other
unfinished sections put in to fill up the space. The Lees
must be well crowded in the supers, which must be
kept carefully wrapped up. If the bees are crowded in
the body of the hive, the unsealed sections placed behind
a division-board would soon be emptied, and the honey
stored either in the frames or in the sections above. If
this plan be adopted, the sections should be introduced
in the evening and removed early in the morning, so as
not to start robbing; and take care that the bees can get
at them only by passing under the division-board, which
should not reach quite down to the floor-board, but
allow space for the bees to pass under it.
3In Stpcmoriam.
We regret to have to record the death of Major von
Hruschka, which occurred on the 11th May last in
Venice, Italy. Many of our older readers will know
who Major von Hruschka was, but, like that of many
benefactors, his name has been almost forgotten, anil
there are probably many of our subscribers who have
never even heard the name or known to what extent bee-
keeping is indebted to him. Since the introduction of
the moveable comb-hive there has been no instrument
that has been of so great a benefit to bee-keeping as the
honey extractor, by means of which combs are saved,
honey obtained perfectly pure and free from any admixture
of pollen or brood, with which ordinary honey was usually
contaminated. To Major von Hruschka we are indebted
for the invention of the honey extractor, which is now
considered an indispensable adjunct to every apiary.
The idea of employing centrifugal force occurred to hiin
by seeing the way the honey was driven out of a piece
of comb which his son was whirling at the end of a
piece of string. He invented his machine, consisting of
a wooden tub, in which a framework of wood was made
to revolve by unwinding and winding alternately a
string attached to the vertical spindle. This machine
he first exhibited in lSUo at the meeting of the German
bee-keepers in Briinn, where it received the cordial
approval of all. In view of the great importance of the
discovery he was presented with an address of thanks.
Although the extractors of the present day are improve-
ments on the first machine made, they all work on the
same principle. At one time Major von Hruschka was
a prominent bee-keeper, attended bee meetings, and
was a frequent contributor to bee papers. For some
years, since he has resided in Italy, he has retired from
the bee world, and has neither attended meetings nor
written for any of the bee periodicals. Notwithstand-
ing this, Major von Hruschka must be always regarded
as one of the great benefactors of modern bee-keeping.
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather and Swarming. — Thunder showers and
cold nights have prevailed during the last week, and in
the gleamy intervals between the showers swarming has
been in the ascendant. Cool, showery weather, with
little honey coming in, will increase the swarming fever,
even in the best-managed apiaries. .Returning swarms
and cutting out queen-cells may retard swarming for a
few days, but it is tiresome work and occupies much
time. In most seasons, but especially in one like the
present, we have found it least trouble and most re-
munerative to gratify the swarming propensity by placing
the first swarm on the stand of the parent colony and
dividing the brood combs between parent and swarm,
transferring the super cases to the latter, and treating the
parent merely as a nucleus, for uniting in autumn or for
wintering as a nucleus. By following this plan we
always have on hand a sufficient number of young queens
which have been raised in full colonies for superseding
old ones, and which demand very little attention. The
simpler the plan adopted, and the simpler the appliances
in apiculture, the better. There is, we fear, too great a
tendency towards the multiplication and complication of
bee-keepers' appliances — a necessary evil, perhaps,
attendant on the great revival of apiculture during the
last ten or dozen years in this country.
Italians. — A short time back a correspondent wrote
to us from Ireland respecting Italian bees. He had
purchased a queen, said to be quite pure, from a dealer,
introduced her successfully, and found that her progeny
was the most irritable and vicious of any bees he had
ever met with. Enclosed with his letter was a box con-
taining specimens of the bees. There was not a bee
amongst them showing more than one orange band, and
several having no trace of the colour ! We quote this as
a specimen case. Krp.'atedlv the same thing has occurred
to us. Nay, at more than one of our shows we have
seen prizes awarded to hybrids as Italians of pure race.
No wonder that our gentle and beautiful Italians get a
bad name, and that after such an experience ' Blacks '
are preferred. We do not believe in the importation of
hybrid or hybridised queens to any extent, but attribute
the evil chiefly to the sale of English-mated queens, and
failure in introducing queens when obtained pure. Every
tyro considers himself capable of introducing an alien
queen. He follows the stereotyped rule, and takes no
further trouble in verifying the introduction. The so-
called introduced queen, after, perhaps, depositing a
few eggs, is deposed, a queen is raised from one of her
eggs and mates with an English drone, and in due course
her vicious children appear on the stage, and discredit
the pure Italian race. ^Ye all know the difficulties in
the way of obtaining pure fertilisation in this country,
and it assuredly behoves dealers and others to be very
careful in sending out queens as pure regarding whose
fecundation there is even a shadow of a doubt.
Carxiolans, with all their pristine gentleness, beauty,
and other excellent qualities, may soon have to be placed
in the same category of impure or hybridised bees if no
greater care is taken in their case than with the Italians.
Twelve years ago, at a Crystal Palace Show, Mr.
Neighbour exhibited a splendid colony of this race, in
which we failed to discover a single bee showing the
faintest trace of an orange shade; but now almost all
we see have the upper band of the abdomen more or less
shaded with orange. We are told that this is the case
in their native country, but if this be true, we incline to
the opinion that it has arisen from the introduction of
yellow- blood. We certainly possess an imported queen
which is breeding bees perfectly uniform in colour, and
free from the faintest suspicion of orange marking. We
should like to have Mr. Benton's view of this dash of
orange colour in many of the so-called Carniolans. If it
prevails in some colonies, and is absent in others, we
should hesitate to pronounce the Carniolans a pure
race.
Section-boxes.— Would it not be well to use this
term solely for the empty folding case, and to apply the
term ' section ' to the same only when Jilted with comb-
honey ? Section-case might then mean the case for
holding sections upon a hive, and the word crate be
relegated to the travelling case for conveying sections to
market or elsewhere. But cases made of tin or card-
board, with glass sides, for holding single sections, have
become all but universal at our shows, and are commonly
termed section-cases, wrongly, as we think, since the
Americans have for many years applied the term to the
case which receives sections when in position on the
hive, and to call another article by the same name is to
create confusion. Section-holder would be a suitable
name for these glass-sided cases. If we fail to adopt a
802
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Jane 21, 1888.
proper nomenclature, confusion will certainly become
more confounded. The English language is rich enough
to supply all our wants. We seem to have adopted the
elegant compound of ' pop-holes ' to express our idea of
corner passages in our sections. Who fathers the word
we know not, but suppose it is intended to convey the
idea of the bees ' popping ' through the holes. In our
younger days ginger-beer was popularly called 'pop,' and
the association in our mind is that of bees ' fizzing '
through these corner holes. But to retrace our wander-
ings. We have received from Mr. Howard of Peterboro'
a very neat section-box, grooved on three sides, to re-
ceive full sheets of foundation, and split on the fourth
side. It is folded upon a block, when the foundation
is pushed through the grooves and clasped firmly between
the parts of the split side, the entire sheet being held
taut. The operation of fixing is very simple and expe-
ditious. The foundation forwarded with the section-
box is natural-based, thin, light, tough, and of pure
wax, and is the best of its kind we have yet seen.
Second Swarms, where natural swarning is allowed,
will now form excellent nuclei for wintering, if placed in
nucleus hives on four frames of foundation, and, if the
honey season prove a good one, will gather sufficient
stores for winter. Ordinary single-sided hives of so-called
inch stuff, with ample roofs, will afford protection
enough for the winter months.
Lost Swarms. — If an apiary is not carefully watched
during swarming hours, most probably swarms will
escape, no matter what system is followed. Those
apiarists who are absent from home during the daytime
will do well to make an evening scrutiny of the bushes
and hedges in the vicinity of their hives. Often and
often have we found a stray swarm on the evening of a
fine da)r closely clustered on a stump or bush. A few
days ago, on looking through our apiary about 11 a.m.,
after an hour's absence only, during which a watcher had
been left in charge, we discovered, b)' means of a window
at the back of the hive, that a large swarm of Italians
had departed. The watcher was called to book, but
declared that no swarm had issued. We insisted on
having the hedges searched, and in five minutes the
swarm was found, closely clustered, and weighing about
five lbs., at a distance of 100 yards from the apiary.
These back windows are very useful in swarming and at
other times, and we should not like our hives to he with-
out them.
TiEiUNff up will soon become necessary if fine
weather prevails after the late refreshing rain. Let the
empty section-case always be placed under the partially
tilled one. Bee-crushing during the operation may be
prevented by a free use of the carbolised feather. We
cannot bear to see a bee crushed. Besides, the scent of
the sting-poison (formic acid) caused by crushing bees,
so irritates the whole colony, that an attack in force is
sure to be delivered, and woe be to the timid, inexperienced
operator, veil, gloves, and Apifuge notwithstanding.
This reminds us that the courteous inventor of Apifuge
has most kindly sent us a bottle of his sting-preventing
fluid, with which wo have anointed our hands, and find
it most efficacious in preventing stinging thereof. To all
timid apiarists, and especially to ladies, we commend the
Apifuge.
Judging from the general use of four-way sections,
slotted dividers, and bee-space between rows of sections,
we shall expect at our shows of the present year a
display of comb-honey in the shape of perfectly finished
sections far superior to any former exhibits.
Slotted dividers, of a tough, hard kind of wood which
will neither warp nor break with fair usage, appear to
be a desideratum just now, as many prefer wood to
metal for this purpose. Mr. Redshaw, of Wigston, near
Leicester, has sent us specimens of such, which lie claims
as a speciality and which, apparently, will answer the
purpose. They are cleanly cut, light and thin, having a
smooth surface, elastic, and yet tough. The wood of
which they are made is called whitewood in America
— whence it is obtained — why, we cannot understan 1,
unless on the Incus a non lucendo principle, for its colour
is dull brown or drab.
Breeding, or increase of population in hives worked
for surplus, should now be a matter of secondary import-
ance; the brood-chamber, therefore, in such hives may
be circumscribed, since there will now be less danger of
swarming, and the surplus department should be ren-
dered secure from queen visits by excluder-zinc. When
we consider that eggs deposited on the 21st of June will
produce workers on July 12th (which workers will com-
mence field-work or honey-gathering about July 20th,
when the honey-flow is nearly over), we shall see that
such workers will be useless for storing surplus, and
simply become consumers. Between the present time,
then, and the beginning of August, encouragement to
breeding may be discontinued, and the queens allowed
their well-earned rest preparatory to producing the
autumnal batches of brood so necessaiy for safe and
successful wintering.
Runches.— Under the heading of ' Bee-master of a
Century Ago,' the word ' Runches ' occurs; and on re-
ferring to Halliwell's Archaic and Provincial Dictionary,
the word is given to mean 'wild mustard' or 'radish,'
and appears to hi a Cumberland expression. — J. II. N.,
14 Essex Road, Watford, Herts, June i)th. — We are also
indebted to Mr. W. Lees Maclure for a similar expla-
nation of this word.
Rkmedy for Bee Stings. — Frank Bier gives the
following recipe in the Canadian Bee Journal for allevi-
ating pain caused by the stings of bees : — Moisten a piece
of alum and rub the wound, and the effect will be felt
at once.
Coxrcsponbcnte.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for bite opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention viH he taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to unite on one tide of
Die paper only, and -jive their full names mid addresses, noi necessarily
f>n- publicaHont but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
l>e drawn on separate pieces of -paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports 0/
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Reviews,
Sic., must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Stnunjeways and Nmi.s, T<>irer Street, Cambridge
Ci?cus, IJ'.f V All business communications relating to Advertisements,
Ac, must he addressed (•> Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langlcy, Hots (see
-2nd page of Advertisements, i
%* In order to facilitate reference. Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or Query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the fetter, 'is well as the page on which it appears.
BEE-MASTER OF A CENTURY AGO.
[1082.] In your issue for June 7th you have a very
interesting article under the above heading. I have
before me while I write a work on bee-keeping pub-
lished more than two centuries ago — in 167o — by a bee-
master of those days named John Gedde, who was the
inventor and patentee of what is now known as the
Stewarton hive. True, Gedde did not have moveable
combs, but he so constructed an interior framework that
he could remove the entire fabric of comb en masse
exactly as it was worked by the bees. Gedde's in-
vention, which was patented on the 23rd April, 1675,
was laid before the Loyal Society at Givsham College,
London, and highly approved of by that institution.
His hive consisted of an octagonal box, so constructed
that successive boxes could be placed under each other
as the bees required room, and each box was provided
with a small window to ascertain the state of the
interior. Gedde advertised his invention as follows : —
' A new discovery of an excellent method of bee-houses
and colonies, to free the owners from the great charge
June 21, 1888.]
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
303
and trouble that attends the swarming of bees, and
delivers the bees from the evil reward of ruin for the
benefit they brought their masters, advancing their
owners manyfold above whatever any method heretofore
practic'd doth. Experienced seven years by John Gedde,
Gent, Inventor, and Approved by the Royal Society at
Gresham College.'
Gedde appears to have been a perfect bee-master as
far as actual work was concerned, but in theory he was
very much at sea. In the beginning of his book he
advances certain fundamental truths on which his system
of bee-keeping was based. It may prove interesting to
some of your readers if I give his reasons verbatim: —
'1. It is natural for bees to begin at the top and to
work downwards. 2. That bees swarm from want of
room. 3, That a great hindrance of their labour is
confusion about swarming, and misspending their time
in luxury. 4. That idleness causeth luxury and ex-
travagance, and unprofitable increase of bees, which,
being by this commodious method of labour and industry
prevented, the usual but unkind requital of smothering
and drowning is likewise avoided. 5. That great charge
and trouble attending upon swarming of bees does dis-
courage the owner and consume his profit.'
It will thus lie seen that Gedde was fully alive to the
importance of allowing ample room, and that much time
and honey are lost when bees are allowed to have a
lengthened debate on, ' Shall we swarm or no ? '
The seasons must have been very different in those
days from what we have experienced in our generation.
For instance, lie states that in 1656 four empty hives
were placed close by the side of four strong stocks (he
does not say there was any communication between the
two hives), and the surplus bees at once went to work
in these ' bye hives,' and during eight days in April they
had gathered and stored nearly four gallons of honey,
which he describes as 'pure virgin honey, and white as
milk.'
With the art of driving Gedde was full}' acquainted,
and advocated artificial swarming by the end of first
week in May.
As regards egg-production, he was entirely in the
dark, as he states that the queen only laid eggs for the
production of queens, and the worker bees deposited
eggs from which workers were reared.
One theory he advances which I have proved to be
true again and again, — that the sooner the bees are
allowed to settle into a state of rest after the honey-
flow is over the more forward they will be in the
following spring; and late breeding, that is, autumnal
breeding, nearly always has the effect of retarding egg-
laying in the early spring. I have always maintained
that the more rest a queen has between the middle of
August and the middle of February, the better she will
lay in spring, and no stimulation is then necessary
provided there is plenty of sealed store. As regards
pollen (meal) feeding, my great difficulty lias been, how
to keep surplus pollen out of the hive, except in the
case of condemned bees set up late in the autumn.
The year 16o2 must not have been unlike to what we
experienced here in Cornwall in 188". Gedde states
that he had twenty swarms before mid-May, but by
midsummer, owing to the drought there were scarce
any flowers, and out of his twenty swarms only one
survived the following winter.
Gedde's book contains two very old receipts for
making mead or metheglin. They are as follows. I
give them in full, as some of your readers may be
curious enough to try them, that is, if you can spare
the space in your valuable Journal to insert them : —
Mix six measures of water to one measure of honey, and
boil down to four measures. To 12 gallons add 1 oz.
ginger, ^ oz. cinnamon, 2 drams each of clover and
mace, 1 dram pepper grains, in a bag, and boil for a
quarter of an hour more. Next day strain through a
linen bag, and let it stand three or four days till it
work, then barrel it.
The second receipt contains the following heading: — ■
( An excellent receipt for making metheglin, which
Queen Elizabeth did so well like that every year she
would have a vessel of it.' The ingredients are as
follows : — 1 bushel sweet briar leaves, 1 bushel thyme,
i bushel rosemary, 1 peck of bay leaves. Seethe all
these, being well washed in a furnace of fair (soft)
water, and boil for half an hour. To every six gallons
add one gallon honey ; let it stand for two days, stirring
three times a-day. Then boil again, and skim as long
as any dross ariseth ; then let it stand to work for three
days, after which put it in a barrel in which is hung a bag
containing 1 oz. of cloves and mace. In six months it
is ready to drink.
If any of your readers should be curious enough to
try the above, I should be extremely grateful for a
small sample bottle. I must confess I tried it myself on
a small scale, and came to the conclusion after I had
tasted my brewing that Queen Elizabeth must have
been possessed of a strong taste for herbs.
Mr. Gedde gives a few more receipts for the useful
application of honey, which I quote verbatim : — ' 1. Mr.
Remnant had a friend with such a foul itch that he
was like a leper, whom lie thus cured. He took an
empty wine pipe and knocked out the head, and made
a liquor of water and honey, making il pretty strong
with the honey, and heat it as Btrong as he could endure
to stand in it, and put it into the pipe, and caused him to
stand in it up to his neck a pretty while, and this he did
three days one after another, and he was recovered as clear
as ever. 2. The use of honey with bread to old folks
makes them live long, preserving all their senses sound
and entire, .'i. Honey will give life to wine after it is
flat. Flowers, fruits, and all simple and compound
medicines by mixture of it, are preserved from putre-
faction. 4. Honey is useful to clear wounds and ulcers.
It is very effectual to produce hair in baldness, and to
cure agues.'
I do not wish your readers — modern and enlightened
bee-keepers — to believe all the above, but simply give it
as being interesting in showing what was thought of
honey in England more than two hundred years ago. —
J. O. Ci.k.mmow, Ladock, Cornwall.
A VISIT FROM FATHER LANGSTROTII.
[1G83.] I cannot convey to the minds of my brother
bee-keepers the enjoyment which my family and myself
experienced from the four weeks' visit with Father
Langstroth, which I shall always remember as an
honour, and with the greatest pleasure.
I may say that prior to this time, and owing perhaps
to his ill-health, I had had but little correspondence with
him, always considering it a duty never to write to him
except in answer to his letters. I had met him once in
Detroit and in Chicago amid the rush and confusion of
conventions, but knew so little of his character that I
believe what I am about to say will he interesting to the
thousands of bee-keepers who have reaped rich rewards
from his life-work.
Nearing eighty years of age, and not in the enjoyment
of very robust physical health, I was astonished to find
his mental powers as young and vigorous as those of a
man of middle age. Indeed, it wa3 a rare treat to con-
verse upon our favourite topic with the man whose
clear, practical mind had transformed bee-owning into
commercial honey-producing. Together we travelled
the past in the field of apiculture, and never was I more
interested and edified than in listening to his description
of the early days of practical apiculture in this country,
as well as to his trials in the introduction and defence
of his own invention.
Twice while here he preached in the Congregational
304
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 21, 1888.
church, and I think I may safely say that many years
have passed since our city has been honoured -with such
beneficent and well-delivered sermons. His voice is
round, full, and melodious, fully equal to four times the
capacity of any church in the city ; and this, together
with his impressive manner and kind, mural utterances,
caused many wet eyes in his large audiences, and created
very much favourable comment among our church-going
people.
His perfectly honest, sincere, and kindly spirit sheds
rays of sunshine over every household he enters, and,
while all regret his departure when the time for leaving
comes, they rejoice in the effects of his presence while
with them.
Thus I found him whom we bee-keepers have learned
to love, and regard as our benefactor, a very exceptional
and great man, entirely outside of his greatness as an
apicultural inventor. I thank him for what he has
written regarding my late invention, and I feel it my
duty to make cWr the fact that my own invention,
and my knowledge of bee-culture which led to it, never
could have been but for his own of thirty-seven years ago.
Before we can learn the conditions of the interior of a
hive by outward symptoms, we must be able to dissect
its interior, comparing these outward symptoms with its
internal conditions. Father Langstroth's hive was the
first ever constructed which made it practicable for the
honey-producer to do this. Now we have learned to
almost instantly determine internal conditions by out-
ward symptoms, and this and the invention of comb-
foundation, giving us uniform combs led to the first
functional improvement of any importance in hives
which has been made since Father Langstroth's in 1851.
The improvements which have been made have all been
in the nature of detail mechanical construction ; new
and improved clothing for the better carrying out of the
construction of Father Langstroth's great invention. —
James Heddon, Dowagiac, Mich. (American Bee
Journal).
BRITISH-MADE COMB-FOUNDATION.
[1684.] I read with much interest Mr. John M.
Hooker's account of his early filled sections. We in the
far north, with a enow-storm and frosty nights in the
middle of June, will be very thankful if we can get a
crate of sections filled by the end of July.
One part of Mr. Hooker's communication, however, is
is open to criticism. Without making trial of Messrs.
Dadant's foundation, I am ready to back some of our
British makers against any American firm whatever. To
mention one : Mr. Kaitt, Blairgowrie, supplies a founda-
tion that in the unanimous opinion of his numerous
customers cannot be surpassed.
In these days of free trade, when America is trying
to beat British manufactures out of the field at every
point, I think the home article should get a fair trial.
I would therefore seek to amend Mr. Hooker's general
statement and say — Try Dadant's foundation against
Raitt's, and if the latter is equally good, I shall not
venture to say better, why give the home article the
preference. — W. Stokes, Balnastraid, Carr Bridge,
Inrernesshire, June 15,
HEATHER HONEY.
[1685.] Who is ' Amateur Expert P' and where may
he be found ? Some of the bee-keeping fraternity in
this locality are asking one another the above question.
Whether the inquiry bodes ill or well to our genial
friend is rather more than I can exactly say. 'He
deserves to be kicked to death by butterflies,' I heard
one remark the other day ; and as the expression followed
immediately after the mention of our friend's nom-de-
plume, I imagine it could only have referred to him, and
(hat the anxiety for information as to his identity and
whereabouts was not connected with any desire to do
him special honou».
Your readers will wonder what 'A. E.' could have
done that he should be thought worthy of so cruel a
fate. The cause is to be found in the pages of the
B.B.J, for the 0th June, 1»87, where ' A. E.' explains
' How to make the best of the Heather Honey Crop.'
Now, without counting the many skeppists, there are
about ten bee-keepers of the bar-frame persuasion in
this neighbourhood, all within a four-mile range of some
two thousand acres of heather. When they read
' A. E.'s ' account of how two hundred sections of
heather honey were to be obtained from one hive,
glorious visions of fortune-making rose before the eyes
of some of them. What an opportunity, too, to have a
laugh at the expense of those who stick to their skepi
and refuse to follow their more enlightened neighbours 1
Alas ! the laugh was on the other side, and the hopes
of great riches ended in ruin.
Before that number of the B. B. J. had long been in
print, P. 0. O.'swere despatched to the vendors of patent
extractors and metal capped honey jars. (What a roar-
ing trade those gentlemen must have done if the heather
honey fever broke out as badly in other localities as it did
here. And I fear it did. For, to my certain knowledge,
one of those extractors was an unconscionably long time
in coming, suggesting that the maker had more orders
than he could execute in reasonable time.) Honey was
slung, hives carted, or carried to the heather; sections
put on them, and the result awaited with smiling faces.
Ah, me ! how those broad smiling faces narrowed and
lengthened, as week by week passed away with no signs
of honey being stored in sections, till finally a solemn
company of men might have been seen with countenances
that would have been admirably in keeping in a funeral
procession, silently accompanying their hives on their
return journey. Sections still on them, but, oh ! so light,
— so light. Not a sparkle of honey in them. The smiles
were transferred now to the features of the skeppists.
and the better halves. They had a fine innings. Their
scruples as to the advisability of the outlay for extractors
and honey-bottles had been very loftily pooh-poohed at
the time; and ' A. E.'s ' 200 sections per hive at two
shillings per section flourished in their faces. It was
their turn now, and the dear creatures, at least some of
them (I will answer for one), made the most of it. The
chance was too good to be iost. Such an opportunity
might not occur again for years.
And now, Mr. Editor, where was the screw loose ?
If you, or any of our men of ' light and leading,' would
kindly inform us we should be deeply grateful, as it
would help us to make up our minds as to whether or
no we shall give the heather a second trial during the
coming season. Everyone knows what a very dry
summer we had last year all over England, was that the
reason ? Again, our heather grows on a peat-moss, not
on a moor, or mountain. Would that affect its honey-
secreting qualities? Perhaps I ought to mention that
what we call the heather is only about a fourth part of
real heather, the other three parts being ling. Is there
so much difference in the honey-value of the two as to
account for the utter failure of last year? That both
were equally good has hitherto been the impression on
the mind of — Spero, Milnthorpe , June 13.
[The 200 sections from one hive was not an exaggeration
by our genial correspondent, as we know a prominent
Scotch bee-keeper who succeeded in getting that amount,
large as it may seem, by the methods given by ' A. E.'
last June. "We are sorry you had not equally good fortune:
try again by all means. The 'screw was loose' in the
season we should say, not in the species of heather, as
both are good honey yielders. We have many things
yet to learn as to the secretion of nectar in flowers.
Solar rays, electricity, and moisture, are all large factors,
June 21, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
305
and in a way too that we cannot really define, -with our
limited knowledge of the subject. As to the future fate
of 'A. E.' we must leave him to deal with you about
that; but talking about ' kicking ' reminds us that we
recently saw our correspondent driving a fine specimen
of a class of quadruped remarkable for intelligence (?) in
the use of its heels, so we would caution you to beware !
(See ' An Afternoon Out ' in last week's journal.) — Ed.]
DE QUIBUSDAM.
[163G.] I have not noticed any definite opinions as
to the cause of loss of hives during last winter.
Here in Cornwall there were many such dyings out,
and, to tell the truth, among frame-hives. Of thirteen I
lost one, and I am not satisfied as to the cause. There
were many pounds of sealed stores left, and the only
account I can give of the matter is that it was nut in the
right place. I fear I did not take the trouble to cut
winter passages, but then two other hives in the same
house survived, and I am not sure that I did more for
them than for the other. All three were well covered
up, but I think we may learn, not only to leave ample
supplies of food, but to take care that it is comeatable.
But on the south coast I hear a sad story of every
frame-hive dead in one apiary, while the neighbour's
skeps survive. I inquired whether any one had tried
frame-hives with straw sides. Yes ; one of our com-
mittee-men in East Cornwall had done so, but his bees,
too, had died. Well, I don't know all the circumstances,
but matters look grave and want careful consideration,
while no good can be done, we are sine, by the im-
petuous raid of W. Edwards.
What can be the reason why purchasers are unable
to get queens within a reasonable time ? If I am asked
what 1 consider 'reasonable,' I shall be prepared to
answer.
Queen-wasps are very numerous. They are as fond of
the nectar of raspberries as our bees are. A rapid
smack of the hands together very quickly settles them,
or a cautious pinch between finger and thumb — gloved
for choice. — C. It. S.
PKOGRESS OF BEE-KEEPING IN SPAIN.
[1G87.] There has been quite a propaganda carried on,
both through some Spanish publications, and also in an
underhand way, against the Cowan hive. The Dadant
partisans of large and deep frames and general unweildi-
ness have, from the beginning, made systematic opposi-
tion to our introducing the English standard for general
use. However, we have have hitherto set up hundreds
of the latter to a baker's dozen of the former set up by
them.
The season is pretty much over at our home apiary, but
in the interior of the island, where an apiary of over one
hundred hives has recently been established by us, the
honey-flow continues, and bids fair to last some weeks.
My youngest son, Johnny, yesterday left Mallorca in
company with Archduke Louis Salvador of Austria, who
has recently laid the foundation of an apiar}* on that
island. My son's trip is only for a few days to see how
the hives get on. The Archduke has for over twenty
years resided in Mallorca, where he is a large landed
proprietor, and very much loved by the inhabitants.
Some of our products are being shipped to the Bar-
celona Exhibition ; general competitors are doing like-
wise. Should you visit Barcelona this season, I would
thank you to let me know, as my eldest son, Francis,
will be there, and would not only be happy to make your
personal acquaintance, but, if possible, to be of some
use to you in that land of the Dons.
We would still be more delighted if you would cross
over and pay us and our apiaries a visit. Nothing
would be omitted to make your visit agreeable,
My son publishes a semi-monthly — Bevista Apicola — a
sample of which 1 enclose. — J. C. Andreu, Mahon,
May -2-Ard, 1888.
[We are sorry if there should be any dispute regarding
what hive to adopt. The nature of the product required
ought, in a measure, to decide. The large frames, such
as the Dadant, ate good for production of extracted
honey ; but there is no question about a shallow frame,
such as the English standard, being the better suited for
sections. We had intended to visit the Barcelona Ex-
hibition, but are sorry that our health has been too bad
to allow us to face the trying heat of a Spanish summer ;
but we hope the visit to your apiaries is only a pleasure
deferred. — Ed.]
DRY-SUGAE FEEDING.
[1688.] In your issue of May 31, 'Notices to Corre-
spondents,' you tell ' W. D. Griffiths' it is unwise to put
brown sugar on top of frames, with all due deference to
your experience, 1 beg to differ with you.
Two or three, perhaps four, years ago an 'Old Bee-
keeper'said in llie Journal tint after trying a great
many methods he found that dry-sugar behind the
dummy-board was the best for supplying food during the
winter and autumn, and saved the bother and mess of
syrup. 1 tried his plan, but when I came to change hives
in the spring, I found the sugar had run all over the
floor-board, making a nasty mess. The following autumn
I placed a piece of muslin over the frames, and then
spread live or six pounds of sugar over and pressed it
down with my hands to make it firm, then put ou the
usual quilts, when I examined the following spring I
found the bees had eaten through the muslin, and bur-
rowed through the sugar in all directions. What was
left came off in cru-ts and left the combs quite dry ard
clean. Since then 1 have treated all my hives in the
same manner whether they are short of food or not, for
this reason. I have read in the Journal that it sometimes
happens in cold weather that stocks are starved through
the crystallisation of their honey. In a case where tljis
happened if there was sugar above the frames there
would be sufficient heat and moisture from the cluster to
keep it always ready for use, and so a valuable stock
would be saved from starvation. After changing hives
in spring if the sugar that has not been used be put into
one or two straw hives and moistened, and then placed
some distance from the hives, the bees will soon find
it and clear it away ; it then answers the purpose of
spring feeding.
I wonder if the roof of W. D. Griffiths' hive leaked
if it did, I can imagine the mess there would be. If you
would kindly insert this in the Journal, perhaps some of
our experienced bee-Iieepers would give their opinion and
experience. — G. Whallky.
[We think Mr. Griffiths' experience was sufficient to
deter otheis from following his example, since there are
so many better ways of feeding, and it is so easy a matter
to supply sealed food in the autumn, there is no nece.-sity
for running the risk of rendering the bees and combs a
sticky mass. — Ed.]
SHADING HIVES.
[1080.] Having got so many useful hints, not only
from Mr. ' Useful Hints,' but from other kind writers,
who not only give their time to write, but also give freely
the experience they have gained — in some cases, perhaps,
at a great deal of trouble and expense, I feel in duty
bound to try and help some one ; and now that it is of
the uttermost importance that bees be kept from swarm-
ing— at least if the bee-keeper has got for his object
' honey' — shading hives will be found no small factor in
preventing swarming.
The following, how I manage to shade mine, will,
without doubt, give satisfaction to any who care to try
306
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 21, 1888.
it, especially those who have only, like myself, a limited
number of hives, say ten or twelve. Get four strong
posts, say four or five inches thick, nine feet long. Sup-
posing, of course, the hives to be shaded are in a straight
row, about one yard apart, if the two front posts are
eighteen inches shorter than the two back ones, all the
better. Sink theni all four a good yard in the ground, at
each end of the row of hives ; give attention to ramming
the soil extra firm round the posts as you fill them in, or
the whole affair will be a failure. The back posts will
stand out of the ground about six feet, the front ones
about five feet, at (say) five feet from each other, that is,
across the ends of the row of hives. Next get two pieces
of strong wire extra strong, each piece four yards longer
than the entire length of the hive, or, more s trictly speak-
ing, from post to post lengthways : make one end on both
posts fast down at the bottom, wrap round post, and take
over the fop, having sawn a piece out the shape of a V,
to let the wire lie in. You will not want a lot of
shading, — the length of the distance from post to post
aud five feet wide old sacking, wrappering calico, or any-
thing that you can get, the cheapest will do if it be strong.
Now ring-stitch firmly about two feet apart ; if you don't
want to go to that expense make loose loops with strong
string or tape, run these on to your wire, working for
your own comfort at the back of your hives as much as
possible. Now if you get some one strong to lake a wire
each, and lift it over the tops of the hives, placing the
wire over the other two posts, which last two ends may
be weighted down will] two very heavy stones. Now
let two, three, or four line props take a part of the weight
in the middle, and you have one of the best shades known
by — A Lincolnshire Novice.
HALF A QUEEN BETTER TILVN NONE.
[1600.] I take (he liberty of asking you to insert the
following account of a little adventure I recently had
with a swarm of bees, which seems to prove that half a
queen is better than no queen at all.
While sitting reading near my apiary a few days ago,
a lad came to tell me that there was a swarm of bees on
a tree close at hand. I at once took a skep to the spot,
when I found the bees clustered round the trunk of an
ash-tree. I fixed the skep against the tree above the
swarm ; and while waiting to see if the bees would go
up into it, I was told that this same swarm had been
taken once, and that it had returned to the same tree.
I found that the bees had been subjected to some very
rough usage, stones and pieces of turf havnig been thrown
at them; aud this, it seems, had been going on for some
days, the ground being covered all round with missiles.
Nothing would induce the swarm to enter the skep,
though I gave them a cake of brood, and smoked them
below, causing them to cluster together — higher up the
tree.
Having almost despaired of being able to secure them,
I was attracted by a small cluster upon the ground some
distance from the tree. I went to see the reason of this,
when, to my surprise, I found the queen still alive, though
her head had been knocked off by a stone. I at once
secured her by means of a long thorn to the interior of
the skep, when the bees immediately entered apparently
quite contented.
This swarm has since been housed in a bar-hive ; and
though the queen has long since ceased to do duty with
the remaining portion of her body, the bees are working
well and will soon receive a ripe queen-cell to keep them
going. I hope I have not been intruding too much on
your valuable space. — John T. Sibbee, Bussage House,
Stroud, Gloucestershire, June 10.
(£f|mcs from % pines.
Wye, Kent, June 12.— The weather here for the past
few weeks has been very favourable for bees. The first
swarm we had was on the 13th of May, which came
from a straw skep. Bses are very busy now working in
sections, and I have some 1-lb. sections which will be
ready to take off by the end of the week. I hope to hear
good reports from other districts. — II. Head.
South Cornwall, June l~>th. — Nothing very noteworthy
seems to have occurred here for some time. Many
persons are under the impression that this must be a
very early neighbourhood, but the idea is an erroneous
one. Early garden produce comes (mostly) from the
west, and early honey — from Earnborough ! Our winter
was as long as in other parts of England, and I do not
think much breeding went on during that time. By
the middle of May matters looked favourable, and during
the latter half ot the month rapid progress was made.
Had the weather continued fine, we should have had
some early supers; but while our London papers reported
drought to the eastward, we were getting showers, which
were the making of our grass and mangold crops. But,
alas! for the hawthorn bloom, which is most profuse.
Fair and showery days alternate, so that the chief pro-
duce is an immense quantity of very light pollen. Some
honey is being brought in, I know from inspection, but
there are many mouths to eat it. I had hoped to put on
my first crate to-day, but the weather forbids it. The
only consolation is that our stocks are getting very
strong. The first natural swarm I have heard of came
out on Sunday, the 3rd. Two days ago 1 forced a
swarm, and yesterday a neighbour's frame-hive swarmed.
There had been a super on it for days, and a good deal
of foundation was drawn out, but they would go, and
they did. Jn the evening the hive was examined, and
a newly-hatched queen discovered. I presume this
state of things was the result of the variable weather;
but is it not rather strange that the elder lady allowed
the younger to live P Charlock is becoming plentiful, to
the advantage of the bee-keeper rather than of the
farmer. — C. K. S.
Jlarborne, Birmingham, June 16. — These cold north
and east winds we are having, and, as a result, very
cold nights, keep our pets from being so busy, as no
doubt they are longing to be. The strongest colonies are
now at work in the supers which have to be kept very
warm. The first swarm I have seen or heard of came
off on Sunday (as usual I), June 1 0, and settled in a neigh-
bour's garden, which frightened him so much that I
believe he locked himself in the cellar, and put a chair
against the door. They came from a straw skep in a
small apiary near here. Clover, raspberry, and field beans
look very promising. — H. J. Sands.
Stocket, Aberdeen, N. B., June 16. — As yet we have
had a most unfavourable season here, and stocks are in a
very backward condition. I have had to unito several
of my weaker stocks ; and even strong stocks have com-
paratively little brood on account of the excessive cold.
Last year my first swarm came off on June 15, but there
are no signs of swarming this year yet. Many stocks in
the neighbourhood have died during the winter, and
spring : in fact, about a week ago a neighbour found one
of his stocks almost dead of starvation, and only part of
them recovered when sprinkled with warm syrup. I
gave my strongest stock a crate of sections a few days
ago ; but as yet the bees have had little opportunity to
gather even as much honey as they consume. — A.
Cadenhead.
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington, June 18. — The past
week has been showery and \ery cold, with scarcely any
sunshine, bees hardly daring to stir out. Hives and
supers are full of bees, but no honey coming in of any
account, although the fields and hedges are covered with
flowers in great profusion, but the cloudy sky and this
beastly north-east wind stop the secretion of honey,
while the season (which is usually now at its best) is
fast hastening away. This morning at 0 a.m. the ther-
June 21, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
307
mometer stood as low as 50° and the cloudy sky, and
strong north-east wind blowing made one think of
Christmas weather rather than of being but a few days
of Midsummer day. Fortunate are our friends who have
already been able to harvest some honey from fruit
blossoms, ,fce., but we must hops on and hope ever. —
John Walton.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
Letters or queries aslcing for addresses of manufacturers or corn spon -
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies oieing such
in/ormation, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for thegen-era] good of
beeJEeepers, and not for advertisements. Ws wish our Corresp
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for VA to uo to press in advance
of the dole of issue, queries cannot nhrays be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt of their communication.
All queries forwarded will he attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
W, J. Naish. — Burrowing Bees. — The bees found on the
lawn are either of the family of Andren;e or a species
of humble bee, of which there is a great variety ; the
types may be classed under the three following
heads: — Apis muscorum, Linn., the moss garden
humble bee; Apis lapidaria, the lapidary humble
bee, which builds on the ground among stones, but
also uses moss; and Apis terrestris, which builds in
the ground, using no moss. We cannot advise their
extermination by the use of chemical dressing, as the
same would spoil the grass. If the ground was con-
stantly and heavily rolled the pressure no doubt
would kill the larva', as the holes do not extend very
deep.
Lincolnshire Novice. — Queen-cells in Ilioe. — No
doubt you overlooked i he queen, which is easily done
in a hive of fifteen frames tilled with bees. Colonies
at this season often make preparation for swarming
which, through the exigencies of the weather and
other matters, are not carried out — hence your finding
queen -cells.
T. DAVISON. — Adulterated Foundation. — The sample of
super foundation is most unsuitable for comb building,
as it is mainly composed of Japan wax (not bees-
wax). I'ure white bees-wax is an unknown sub-
stance; bees-wax is not white, neither can it —
without a foreign admixture — be made that colour.
We quote from the highest authority on the Materia
Medica, ' I have never met with pun- wax perfectly
white.' A large quantity of spurious foundation is
now being sold. We are not surprised at the bees
neglecting for a time the sections fitted with such
foundation, which after being worked out would most
certainly taint the hone}' with the odour — to quote
yourself — of composite candles, and spoil the sale of
\ i mr sections. (See reply to E. G. Elliott.)
A Cumberland Novice. — Transferring. — Alter your
hives to the Association standard size, or you will
regret not doing so in the future. When the bees in
skeps are strong, fit frame-hive with whole sheets of
foundation, then lay a sheet of excluder-zinc on top of
frames, drive the bees with queen from skepand place
skep on top of excluder-zinc, stopping up all means of
egress or ingress to skep except through the entrance
to frame-hive, then run the driven bees in at this
entrance. .V portion of the bees with queen will
remain in frame-hive and draw out the foundation,
while the rest will rear the .brood in skep; in three
weeks the skep can be removed and the bees turned
into frame-hive, and the quilts or supers put on.
C. D. — Bees refusing a Queen. — By this time we should
judge the colony to be too weak to be of any use, even
if you were to introduce a queen successfully. Unite
them to another colony, or portion of another very
strong colony that can spare two combs of brood and
bees ; when they have settled down quietly introduce
a queen.
Rev. F. W. 1'udsey. — 1. Foundation for Swarms. —
There is no objection against so alternating the
foundation, but we prefer all full sheets. 2. Placing
Racks on Swarm. — .When all the combs are fully
drawn out : except in the case of a swarm hived on
the stand of the parent stock, when they are to be put
on as soon as hived. •'!. Mason Bees. — From the
description of the bees, and from the appearance of
the cells and contents forwarded, we conclude that
they are those of the Mason bee (Megachiie muraria).
They are most interesting structures. For full de-
scription of them we would refer you to Kirby and
Spence's Entomology, pp. 248, 248, eo. 1800.
Wood Green. — 1. Immature Bees thrown out of
Hive. — Shortness of stores consequent on the bad
weather preventing the bees collecting. -. Swarming.
— The queen refus id to accompany the bees or returned
to the hive; if she had settled you would have had a
swarm. You had better continue feeding during the
prevalence of bad weather. 3, Musty Syrup. — Throw
it away.
E. Or. Elliot. — Adulterated Foundation. — Your sample
of foundation is even, if possible, worse than T.
Davison's. (See answer to same in this issue.) A
treatise is, we believe, being compiled by a well-known
bee-keeper OH the adulteration of bees-wax and the
methods of detection. Perhaps this may have the
effect of improving the quality of much on the market
or preventing the sale of such stuff by a few, — we may
say a very few.
II. he B. S. — Are Bees a Nuisance f — There is a great
amount of uncertainty as to what in law constitutes
'a nuisance.' In the year 1885 the question as to
whether bees were a nuisance was a subject of
discussion. One of our correspondents — a legal gen-
tleman— wrote to us very fully on this point. From
his letter (Vol. XIII. p. 200) we deduce that there is
nothing in books of law touching this precise point,
and that therefore the question must be decided upon
eral principles and from a comparison of decided
cases upon similar questions. The conclusions that
our correspondent drew from these cases were, 1,
Every person is bound to use his rights without hurt
to his neighbour. 2. The injuries caused by ferocious
animals are actionable without proofs of negligence.
•'!. Any person congregating substances (or anything
else) upon his land, is liable for damage done by them
on their escape. Therefore, any person having bees
(which are ferocious animals) on his land, is respon-
sible for any injury (or, it would seem, even discom-
fort or annoyance) that they may do to bis neighbour,
without any proof of negligence on the part of the
bee-keeper. It has, however, been pointed out that it
would he difficult to establish the ownership of bees
committing the nuisance.
A. J. A. — The dead bees forwarded appear to be affected
with Bacillus depilis, and, having been thrust out of
their own hives, they have endeavoured vainly to find
a lodgment in yours.
A. W. F. — Dead Queen. — The queen has been subjected,
as desired, to a post-mortem examination. She was
the old queen, who, being found by her subjects
unequal to her duties, was dethroned, and cast igno-
miniously out of the hire.
Cheshire. — Selling Bees. — We should strongly advise
a natural swarm under the circumstances. You need
not be afraid of them returning to the parent stock if
moved to their new location as soon as possible
after hiving.
CD. — 1. Adding Swarm to Weak Stock. — We should
shoot the swarm and the bees belonging to the weak
queenless stock on to a sheet at the entrance of the
hive at present used by such weak stock, first cutting
308
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 21, 1888.
out the queen-cells. They will run in together, and
you should have no difficulty. Or you might let the
skep and the weak stock exchange stands some warm
day when many bees are on the wing. This would
strengthen the frame-hive at the expense of the skep,
and most likely prevent them swarming. 2. Doubling
Hive. — The queen can be confined to the lower box by
excluder-zinc or honey-board; but many bee-keepers
prefer the absence of excluders.
Woodford, Essex. — lionet/ District .— You should get
a fair crop of honey from the hawthorn, clover, and
limes, but all things considered, we should much
prefer either Old Southgate or Finchley.
Malta.— Bees Hanging Out. — This may arise from
their finding it necessary to change their queen,
which induces a sort of lassitude. Sometimes when
stores are not plentiful, and the evening close and
muggy, bees will hang out for couvenience sake.
James Fleming. — Bead Queen. — There are no outward
signs of disease about this queen. No doubt the bees,
finding the frame of eggs you gave them, concluded
their queen had layed them, and therefore saw no
necessity to raise queen-cells, although the fact of
their commencing two shows they had reason to
doubt her further efficiency.
Beginner. — The brood was turned out from lack of food.
A fertile queen at this time of the year adds daily
2000 young bees to the population of a strong colony ;
the demand, therefore, on the stores is very heavy;
and the bees, in their way, are endeavouring to
equalise the law of supply and demand. (See J. E. 0.)
J. E. O. — The reply to ' Beginner' will apply to your com-
munication. The immature brood being thrown out is
due to the provident foresight of the bees. We should
advise gentle feeding until honey is coming in freely,
a quarter a pint per night to each hive. We are pleased
i to be able to congratulate you on your cure of foul
brood, and should be glad to receive an account of
your experience.
F. 3.— Mouldy Po/len— The comb was quite healthy
and wholesome; but the cells being filled with mouldy
pollen, it was the reverse of nice, and we should
advise that foundation should be used in its stead.
T. O. Scrivener, Bicester, describes a gentleman's
lawn quite perforated by Andrense for a space of fifteen
yards, and would be obliged by any bee-keeper giving
advice as to how they may be got rid of. He has
forwarded us some bees and cells. The bees are Andrena
Trimmeranee.
SHOWS TO COME.
July 9-13.— Boyal Agricultural Show, Nottingham.
Secretary, J. Huckle, Kings Langley. Entries closed.
July 10-20. — Cambridge Agricultural Society at
Cambridge. Secretary, II. Peters, 7 Downing Street,
Cambridge. Entries close June 25th.
September 5-7. — Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Lees McClure,
The Lathoms, Prescot. Entries close August 1st.
business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Eoad, Bristol.
Bakes, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Eoad, Gloucester,
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott ^3ros., Soutball, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, NewarK.
Baldwin.'S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. * 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepeus' Stores, 0 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots. *
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. <£ 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
How, and may be obtained of ail local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minurca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., iviuskhaui, fiewarR.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C.| Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DDRRANT «• Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 14y Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY, A. D., 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
^s^
iRITISH
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranqeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 314. Vol. XVI.]
JUNE 28, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
tifoitaxhl, Igotias, #r.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Prizes for houey open to members of the British
Bee-keepers' Association are offered for competition
at the Annual Show of the Notts Association, to
lie held at Sutton, in Ashfield, on July 25th, entries
for this Exhibition close on July 9th. Application
for schedules to be made to Mr. F. H. K. Fisher,
Farnsfield, Southwell, Notts.
NOTTINGHAM.
Members and other bee-keepers who may bo
willing to forward specimens of bee-flora for decora-
tive purposes are requested to communicate with
the Secretary, J. Hucklc, Kings Langley, without
delay. Arrangements will be made for the carriage
of small parcels of such from those who may be
willing to assist.
A BEE-MASTER OF A CENTURY AGO.
{Concluded.)
Our previous notices of Bonner's book will have re-
vealed to our readers the large acquaintance he possessed
with both the theory and the practice of bee-keeping.
We have had to point out some evidences of errors on
his part, and to notice his dogmatism combined with
much common-sense. We have seen also, here and
there, a specimen of bis quiet humour. He can occa-
sionally deal some heavy blows of irony after refuting
theories of other writers. Here is a sample of the way
in which he speaks of such theories : ' This hasty begot
child will have few to patronize it ; if its father does
not strangle it soon, it will die of its own accord. Mr.
Keys has lent it some lusty blows already, and wher-
ever it comes it is sure to meet with the like treatment.
Its safest course is to stay with its father, unless it wants
its own ruin and his folly exposed.'
His power of grapliic description and the striking
good sense running through his book are so suggestive,
that, in conclusion, we cannot forbear giving his quaint
' history of an uncautiuus man's bees.' It runs as
follows : — ' It is generally observed, and there is too
much truth in it, that Bees thrive best with people for
two or three years after they get them at the first. The
way this happens is thus: When a person bivys a stall
at the first, she is generally a good one, is SO lbs. weight,
has plenty Bees and honey ; then, if next summer bo
good, she will probably swarm twice, and then ho asks
his neighbour's advice, and he advises him to kill the
second swarm, and keep the first and her mother, which
are good stalls, and hid defiance to the three capital
enemies, viz., cold, robbers, and famine.
' The second summer being good, they both swarm twice
again, and the owner thinks he is a thriving Bee-master
(as so he is), lie again, with his neighbour's advice, kills
both the casts or second swarms, and still keeps the two
old hives and their first-born which makes four good
stalls. Again the third year is hut a middling summer,
often cold and raining ; however, his stalls were good,
two of them swarmed once, and the other two twice.
In harvest he again kills both his two second swarms as
usual, and begins to think now he knows as much about
bees as any man, and asks no more his neighbour's
advice how to set aside his stalls, and thinks that a; he
always kept the mothers and their first swarms, and they
did well ; therefore, he sets aside the four old hives and
their top swarms, which make eight stalls. Now his
counting faculty begins to operate, and he assures him-
self of twenty hives next year ; but, alas! how is he per-
plexed when he thinks his bees increasing so fast, his
yard will soon not hold them ! Ready-wit, his bosom
friend, relieves his agitated spirits, by informing him that
it is only to make his garden larger. Now he is at great
pains to get his bees covered and made fit for winter, and
lets them stand in hope of a good increase next summer,
and falls too to make sixteen empty hives, and as many
boards to receive his next year's swarms.
' A fine day about Martinmas causes the owner to take
his friend along with him to see his nourishing garden
full of bees, where he entertains him with a lecture on
the profit of those useful insects. He goes by two or
threc> of his hives, and they are flying smartly out and
in, which pleases him well. The next he comes to is not
so brisk. He may stand before her entry without being
the least injured "by her stings; he excuses her laziness
by informing his friend that they do not come out of the
hive all alike at the same time. However, to satisfy him
that she is a good hive, he raps on her side to let him
hear her sound ; but as ill-luck would have it, she will
not answer that summons. He turns her up, changes
colour, and says, " Surprising ! She has not a "bee in her,
but some honey at the top of the hive. What has
happened her?" says he. Tells all his neighbours the
astonishing news ; turns a little more pensive about the
profit of bees. However, he still has seven ; he wishes
they may stand the winter and spring. A cold storm
conies on", and lasts eight or ten weeks, after which fine
weather again ; the bees go an airing, and the good man
comes to see how they come on now. Passing by some
310
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 28, 1888.
of them, he sees how throng they fly about, and rain
away their ordure from them, as appears on everything
that is white. He .sees one at some distance, not so
throng as he could wish ; runs to her, fears the worst,
raps the hive. Out jumps a mouse at her entry (which
was rather large) ; turns her up ; dead bees half eaten,
and a good many shorn combs on her board ; a great
many bees sitting very close (rather over) betwixt her
combs. The peaceable bees never offer to fly at his face;
he can view them as he pleases, and never receives a
single sting. He concludes she is dead. Gives over
making empty hives.
' He has still six. Says, " I wish they may not all die."
In March four of his hives carry loads "hard. The other
two are as busy, but not carrying so fast. A bee loaded
in half an hour is a good deal for them. However, the
enti ies have full as many bees about them, and rather to
the rather, and far more dead ones, and many a gallant
soldier crawling about in his wounds before the gates of
the hives. The owner thinks, " Some man's bees are for
robbing mine, but they had better stay at home," says
he, " for my bees kill them fast." In a day or two at
night the good man goes to hear how his bees sound.
The four carriers please him well by giving him a good
song. The other two are not so loud. He claps their
sides to make them speak better out. They turn sulkily
on him, and obstinately refuse to answer. He grips at
them to feel their weight, but by pulling them up too
hastily, he almost falls backward by their coming too
quickly from the board. When recovered, he is startled
again to see other two of his hives full of nothing but
deaf combs which the robbers have left. He throws
them from him as useless, and the fall breaks all their
combs. When come to himself again, he says, " I have
still four yet, and am richer than when I began." The
four carry briskly all April, and he thinks all danger is
past now ; but, alas! eight days misty weather in May
keeps his bees all close prisoners in their hives. A fine
day returns again, and three of his bee-hives fall to
work heartily, as if they meant to hurry home all the
honey in the neighbouring flowers before another rainy
day comes. The other is not so careful. She appears
as if she did not value a good day much. Not a
bee to be seen about her gates, except here and there
one something like dead. The owner begins to quake
again ; says it is not possible she can be dead after
carrying so much : is afraid to lift her from the board :
must do it : she is motionless, and the board covered
with dead bees, and her combs full of dead young. Oh,
foolish man ! why did you not ask your honest neighbour's
advice, who would have advised you to kill all the five
hives that was light and scant of bees, which at harvest,
one with another, was worth fifty shillings, but now is
worth scarce eight altogether ; besides all the vexed
hearts you have got with them ? Be sure you never do
the like again, if you be wise. Rather kill all your light
hives, and purchase heavy ones with their cash. Suppose
it should take the price of two of your weak hives to
purchase a strong one, you will have more profit, and
fewer to laugh at you in the end. Would people never
keep any but thirty-pound ones, their bees would thrive
all along as well as at the first. I have given the above
history to deter others from taking the same steps, which
this imprudent man did.'
As we have been taking this telling extract from Bonner,
we have thought what a good exercise it would be for
novices in bee-keeping to sit down and both think out and
write out the reasons of the ' uncautious man's ' failures
with his several hives. Nor would it be a bad plan to read
Bonner's story to those who persist in old methods of bee-
keeping, and then to point out to them the various ways
in which, by the use of bar-frame hives, the touching dis-
asters of the ' uncautious man ' might have been avoided
or remedied before the fatal point had been reached.
Once more we repeat our desire that our notice of ' A
Bee-master of a Century ago ' may induce many of our
readers to ascertain for themselves, by observation and by
reading standard works, important facts relating to the
natural history, the habits, the possibilities, and the
peculiarities of our favourite insects. Perhaps it is
always true in apiculture that ' a little knowledge is a
daugerousthing.' It cannot but be good to obtain all
accessible information on this most engrossing subject.
GLEANINGS.
Respecting hibernation, W. Malone says in the
American Bee Journal: One thing that b^e-keepers
should recollect when writing on the subject of hiberna-
tion is, that if hibernating animals, such as ants and
snakes, be exposed to cold, freezing air for thirty minutes,
there is no reviving theui. They may be surrounded
with frost for months and live ; but thirty minutes of
exposure as before stated will kill them. Try it and
see.
In the City and Country A. II. Duff says: Queenless
colonies may for a time do well, but certain destruction
is sure to follow if they are not provided with queens in
due time. If a colony in the act of storing surplus
should swarm, and the swarm hived to itself, the surplus
receptacles should follow the swarm, as they can be
brought to the condition for storing much sooner than
the parent colony from which they issued. All second
or after-swarms are a failure if surplus honey is the
object. After-swarms may be prevented by removing
all queen-cells but one, or, what is better, remove all and
introduce a fertile queen, of which a supply should always
be on hand for such emergencies.
According to the Revue International we find that the
French Government has conferred the honour of
' Chevalier du Merite agricolo ' on M. C. de Ribeaucourt,
honorary president of the Socidte Romande d' Apiculture.
He is the author of a manual which has passed through
four editions, and was translated into English by
A. F. G. Leveson Gower. At his instigation the Societe
Romande was founded in 1870, and for six years he was
its chairman.
In the Deutsche Illustrierte Bienenzeitung, M. Graven -
horst referring to Apifuge says, that a similar substance
has been spoken of in some of the German bee-papers and
is called ' Apiol.' M. Eduard Metzger says that Apiol is an
etherial extract of parsley seed, and kills any bee coming
in contact with it. Spraying with Apiol is not admissible,
but with certain precautions it can be used to prevent
robbing and in uniting bees, owing to its strong smell.
From three to five drops are placed on blotting-paper,
which is put on the floor-board under the frames. In a
few seconds the scent of the Apiol permeates the whole
hive. If used in larger doses the bees become stupified.
For uniting two colonies each one is scented in a similar
manner.
In the American Bee Journal W. Klintworth describes
how foid brood was cured in Germany by G. Danker, a
leading bee-keeper, who lived near Bremen. As he de-
pended on bee-keeping for a living, foul brood breaking
out in his apiary was a serious matter to him. The
remedy he employed was sulphuric acid, which he mixed
with honey, and fed the diseased bees. The proportions
are not given, but it is said that the bees got well.
Another instance is given of Mr. Wendelkin in the State
of Ohio, who also cured the disease by administering
sulphuric acid mixed with honey. When he first com-
menced to feed it he gave it so strong that they would
not eat it. Then he weakened it with sugar syiup. If
it is mixed with honey, Mr. Klintworth says, it can be
fed to bees stronger than when mixed in sugar syrup.
A correspondent of the Deutsche Illustrierte Bienen-
zeitung,\. Stachelhausen, says, that in Cape Colony, Africa,
is found a honey plant, named l'rvtea mellifera, called by
the natives sugar-bush, sugar-tree, and tulip-tree, which
June 28, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
311
is so rich in nectar that the sweet juice is collected,
evaporated to a syrup, and used as a medicine. The
aroma of this syrup is very pleasant. The plant blooms
in the autumn, and the blossoms are half filled with
the sweet juice. [This plant was alluded to by us. and the
experiments made by Dr. v. l'lanta on the nectar of this
and other plants were described in British Bee Journal
for 1886, p. 542.— Ed.]
A. II. Duff, in the City and County, says: One of
the most important points in securing large crops of
honey is to give abundance of room for the bees to
store it. This is also one of the best preventatives of
swarming. In the Italians and the other new races,
however, this is not a decided prevention, but has some
effect. But if this fails, and preparation is commenced
(which will he the construction of queen-cells), we can
postpone it by removing the queen-cells. This may be
followed up just as long as it will produce the desired
effect. This will oftentimes wear out, and the swarm
being tired of this kind of treatment, will come forth,
leaving behind no trace of queen-cells whatever. There
is but one remedy left, provided wo wish them to
occupy the hive as formerly. This is to take their
queen away from them, and put them back again as
before. This compels them to remain until young
queens are reared, which will require eight or ten
days.
In the Bee-keepers Review, W. F. Hutchinson says,
That it is unprofitable to devote tillable land to the
cultivation of plants that produce honey alone is well-
nigh universally admitted; while alsike clover and
buckwheat seem to be about the only farm crops that
can he planted with the hope of also securing a crop of
honey, the chances being largely in favour of the alsike.
Of its excellence as a honey-plant there is no doubt,
while it only requires suitable soil and treatment to
make it a valuable plant for other purposes. For sowing
in waste places there is probably nothing equal to sweet
clover. Pleurisy-root may be equally as good, perhaps
better, but it has not yet been so thoroughly tried. Let
all remember, however, that little patches of honey
plants are of no value, may even be a detriment, that
to be of any value there must be acres and acres of
bloom.
In the Farmer*' Review W. S. Culliman says, That
many specialists who work their bees for comb honey
contract the brood-chamber to five or six frames before
giving the first case of sections. This gives the bees
less room below, and less brood to take care of, and so
drives a greater number of them into the supers, by
which means, of course, more surplus is secured. Should
any one wish to practise this method, all they will need
to do is to remove one or two frames from each side of
the brood-chambers, and substitute a division-board or
dummy in their stead. The division-board should be of
the same dimension as the frame, and have projecting
tops, so as to hang in the hive just as the frames do,
and one of them should take the place of each frame
removed, for if the space occupied by a frame in the
brood-chamber be left vacant, the bees will certainly
fill it with honey when they become crowded for room.
The Canadian Bee Journal recommends stimulative-
feeding by placing syrup in the combs. Empty combs
are filled with honey diluted with water or sugar syrup
by holding the frame at an angle of 45 degrees. The
mixture can be poured into combs without any trouble.
The frames are then placed in the rear of the brood-
nest, and the inmates of the hive feel that honey is
coming in plentifully, and their efforts are turned in the
direction of brood-rearing. Another advantage of this
plan is that it is inexpensive, there being no outlay for
feeders.
In the Indiana Farmer, J. K. Hubbard recommends
equalising the strength of colonies in the spring, and
instead of having a few very weak and the rest very
strong, to bring up the weak ones by taking from the
others and giving to them. He says the reason why
this can be profitably done is, that giving brood to a
weak colony will do more good than to have it in the
strong colony. A good colony can spare a frame of
brood and still keep full of bees; but if enough brood
has been taken to show, in a few days, that they have
materially weakened, the matter has been overdone, and
it would have been better to leave them alone. A full
colony will gather many times more honey than several
weak ones ; but, by intelligent and careful management,
all colonies may be brought up to the same standard,
and the good ones not materially injured.
The American Agriculturist says that the annual
Jiroduet of honey in America is 28,000,000 pounds, or
uilf a pound a-piece to the population. In 1880 1'en-
nessee made 2,l:il,000 pounds; New York, 2,089,000;
Ohio, 1,627,000; North Carolina, 1,501,000; Kentucky,
1,500,505; and seven other States — Arkansas, Georgia,
Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Virginia —
produced more than 1,000,000 pounds each: altogether
in the states named more than half the entire product of
the country.
In the Revue International, Dr. A. de l'lanta says
that cane sugar which we give our bees is transformed
in their stomachs, atom by atom, into two substances,
namely, levulose and dextrose ; the bee has, therefore,
always the advantage of the combination of the two
substances. It is the same with honey and nectar
which contain two substances, therefore the bee does
not nourish itself exclusively on either the one or the
other.
In the American Agriculturist, H. Alley says: It was
claimed that b}' reversing the frames at the proper
time the bees would remove the honey stored in the
brood-combs to the sections above, the change to be
made just before the close of the honey season. Ex-
perience has proved that such claims were premature,
and also that there is no great advantage in reversing
the combs for such a purpose. He tinds it a great
advantage to reverse the brood-nest in order to have the
combs fastened on all sides of the frame. Bees will not
build the combs down within about half an inch of the
bottom bar. Now, if this space be filled, it is plain to
any one that there will be many more cells in the
brood -chamber than will be utilised either for brood
or for storing honey. This item is no small affair
when there are eight frames," 17 inches long, used in
a hive. The brood capacity, by reversing, would be
increased 136 cubic inches, and as there are 52 cells to a
square inch, you will see that the difference between
having tile frames filled solid with comb or left as the
bees naturally leave them is 7072 cells for eight frames.
When the frames are filled with comb and fastened on
all sides, as they are sure to be if reversed, they may be
handled with much less danger of breaking. This is a great
advantage when the apiary is run for extracted honey.
[We accomplish the same, without inverting, in wired
frames by filling the frames with foundation, and when
not wired by cutting the combs from the attachments at
top and sides, and allowing them to drop on to the
bottom bar, keeping them in place by a couple of pieces
of tape until fastened. — Ed.]
LANGSTROTH FUND.
The following additional subscriptions have been re-
ceived, with thanks: —
£. s. d.
A Scotchman 1 1 0
T. F. L 0 10 0
O.P 0 5 0
C. H.W 0 5 0
Henry Dobbie 0 2 G
C. J. S., Fleet 0 2 0
312
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Juno 28, 1888.
CANADA.
Owing to the peculiar spring- it has been difficult to
make any report as to the result of wintering' our bees.
Fruit bloom is, however, in now, and all danger from
spring dwindling passed.
The poor honey season left many colonies last fall short
of stores, and ignorance, carelessness, and in a few instances
circumstances over which the bee-keeper has had no
control, have given us many cases of loss from starvation.
Otherwise, despite the somewhat severe winter bees were
in good condition early in spring. The cold and back-
ward season has very ranch increased the percentage of
loss and spring dwindling and robbing frequent. There
are not as many bees for sale this spring as in the spring
of 1887. Prices range from $0'7o to $8 per colony.
As to the prospects for honey, nothing can be said as
our honey season is brief, and during that time all depends
upon the atmospheric conditions. A backward spring in
my estimation is likely to be followed by a good honey
season rather than a poor. The general crop obtained,
however, is less, as bees are not in a condition to take
advantage of the nectar secreted in the flowers.
My own bees, with few exceptions, are good, and this
day, May 26, I have a good many supers on partially
tilled. A comb with brood is taken from the lowerstorey,
a frame with foundation to be drawn out taking its place.
The upper storey is then partially rilled with the comb
of brood and more frames with foundation added on.
This gives the bees room, preventing swarming and
utilises their energies in a satisfactory manner. It is
very pleasant to have frames with foundation partly
built out and fastened securely to the combs upon which
to hive a swarm. Clover is less plentiful than usual,
owing to the very dry summer of 1887. Canada has not
suffered as much as the United States, and from clover
at least we have reason to expet a greater yield. Linden
has not given much surplus for several years, if there
are ' off years ' for it there is certainly nothing to pre-
vent a very good honey flow from this source. Eight
weeks from date will tell the tale ; our surplus is secured
in that time.
Canadians are under the impression that the new one-
sided comb-foundation will be of no use to bee-keepers. —
II. F. Holtehmann, Brantford, Canada, May 26.
Sclettcb ($xtcrjr.
[14.] Do you recommend the contraction of the brood
nest before put tiny the cases of sections on; if so, when,
how, and to 'chat client should this be done ? Should the
sections when placed on the hive run parallel to or across
the brood frames? When should cases of sections be put
on? TVhat space should be left between the top of the
brood frames and the underside of sections? Is a queen-
excluder or honey-board necessary to prevent the queen
laying in the sections ?
The brood-nest should be contracted to eight frames,
having those with the most brood in them ; and the cases
be put on as soon as the bees begin to build out bits
of white comb at the top of the frames. They should
be by preference parallel to the frames below, but if a
-inch space is left under the sections it is not very
material. If full sheets of worker foundation are used
JEsections, a queen-excluder is not necessary to prevent
he queen laying in them ; but if starters only are used
he bees will build drone-comb down to the bottom, and
here being little or no drone-comb in the hive below,
he queen will frequently go up to lay drone-eggs ; a
lueen-excludmg honey-board should be used in this case.
the sections are cleaner where one is used.— John M.
Hookeh.
When swarming is allowed, yes. Otherwise not.
The ' when and how ' depends entirely upon the district.
The direction of sections is immaterial. If any space is
left between bars and underside of sections it must be
what has correctly been termed a 'bee-space' — barely
j-inch, but not more than /,T-inch. The queen-excluder
is decidedly unnecessary. — Samuel Simmins.
If one case of twenty-one sections only is used, frames
may be contracted to seven or eight. For tiering up,
I should not contract. It makes no difference whether
across or parallel if hive stand level ; if not, and hive has
a dip to the front, sections must be lengthwise from front
to back. Leave a bee-space of rV-inch, or if a honey-
board or excluder is used leave this space each side of it.
The use of excluder is a debatable question ; a properly
constructed one is no doubt of advantage, but not a neces-
sity.— John Edey.
We have proved the entire contraction of brood-frames
as meddlesome ; entailing as much loss as gain, all things
considered, but at the time of supering, when the two outer
combs contain more honey than brood, they are removed
and dummies put in their place ; if not, the)' remain, and
any colony on twelve frames so treated with us has
given a good surplus. Two seasons ago we proved
sections running with the frames at right angles to the
entrance far ahead of any other work, and, continuing on
those lines, we have garnered sections of beautiful fit and
finish, wrought from honey which, when extracted, will
not stand competition. Section cases should be put on
when the capping of honey stored in frames is being begun,
just a little in advance of the colony's requirements. A
colony boiling over with bees and supered in the midst
of a honey flow, is certain to give fishbone work, even
with starters ; but if the first case is given a little in
advance of such a state, and cases so tiered, by giving
the new work placed below all others, then full sheets of
foundation are drawn out equal to natural work, and to
the greater certainty of a perfectly filled section. One
quarter of an inch should always be left between the
tops of frames, honey-board, or excluder, and the under-
side of sections. Between super work and established
colonies it is more safe, if not to be desired, to place an
excluder or honey-board ; but with swarms we have never
found need for either. — John II. Howard, Holme,
Peterborough.
1 . I should not contract the nest below nine frames, and
if a fairly good colony and outside comb contained honey,
I should uncap the whole of it, and place the frame in the
centre of nest, when I should hope to see the bees take
to the sections at once, and store the honey from the
centre comb in them, premising the weather and season
were right and honey coming in. 2. I have worked
crates of sections both parallel and across brood-combs
and have never noticed any advantage in either position.
•">. When the hives are full to overflowing with bees, and
when they can gather honey in sufficient quantity to
store, in most districts about the first week in June, it
would be detrimental to extensive ovipositing to super
too early, as it would reduce the temperature of the
brood-nest unless the weather should be very warm.
4. A full quarter of an inch, say fo. 5. No, an excluder
is not necessary, I do not get one section in a thousand
spoilt with brood — have never used any honey-boards
(except the old crown-boards), do not consider them
necessary in a practical apiary. — W. Woodley.
No, not necessary to contract the brood-nest when
putting on sections. When placing sections on hive
they should run parallel to the brood-frames, and put on
when they seem to want room, three-eighths of an inch
is sufficient to leave between top of frames and underside
of sections. A queen-excluder under section is only a
hindrance to the bees.— William McNally, Glenluee,
Scotland.
Not necessary ; but if a stock is strong and full of bees,
sections being on a few days and not taken possession of,
plenty of honey about, then you might force the bees up
Juue 28, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
313
by removing one frame and contract. I have generally
worked them across, my frames being at right angles to
the entrance, but it is quite immaterial. Sections should
be put on when the stock is strong and plenty of honey
about. Not more than a quarter of an inch should be
allowed between top of frames and boitoin of sections.
Queen-excluder is not at all necessary, the queen seldom
goes up into the sections when she has sufficient room in
the brood-chamber. — William N. Griffin.
No, except stocks are not quite full when the honey flow
comes on, in my experience I do not think it matters
which way the sections run. When the weather is fine
and warm, and honey is coming in rapidly, and stocks
appear to be full enough, so that they inight be glad to
take advantage of the extra room offered them. A
quarter of an inch. Among forty or fifty stocks last
year, I did not have them go up, though I had no ex-
cluder on, the only one I put excluder on did not take
well to the sections, but swarmed. — John Walton,
Honey Cott, Weston, Leamington.
1. I do not contract the brood-nest before putting the
cases of sections on. 2. I always place the sections on
the hive to run parallel to the brood-frames. 3. As soon
as the bees commence to draw out to their full extent the
top rows of cells of the brood-combs, which will be known
by the white appearance of the new comb at the top of
the frames. 4. A v's-inch space I find most suitable.
5. With separators of proper width and a fc-inch space
between the top of the brood-frumes and the underside
of sections, a queen-excluder or honey-board is not
necessary. I have never used either, and brood in sections
is unknown in working my apiary. — II. Wood.
No; it matters little if with bee-space underneath.
When hive is crowded, and bees have just commenced to
elongate the top cells of combs in body box ; witli adepts
this can be done before by noting the flowing of honey,
providing plants of the neighbourhood and the condition
of stocks. 4,-inch. Yes, if it is absolutely essential she
does not enter. I never use any, taking my chance of
such occurring, and consider that I am a gainer by the
omission. — W. B. Webster.
1. Unless very anxious to get a lot of sections filled
quickly I would not reduce the number of frames belowten.
2. I think it is quite immaterial. •'!. I know no rule
beyond ' ichen the honey glut comes.' 4. |-inch. o. The
case of a queen entering a well-made super is so rare
(unless the brood-nest has been too much contracted) that
I should never think of using queen-excluder. — W. E.
Bvrkitt.
My object is to obtain hives full of bees by the time
the honey-flow commences. A hive containing ten
standard-frames, crowded with bees, will require no con-
traction of the brood-next. It is immaterial which way
the sections range. Cases should be put on when honey
begins to come in freely — when bees begin to lengthen
the cells at the tops of "frames by adding new wax. A
bee-space of J-inch between frames and section case is
necessary. I prefer the use of a properly constructed
' queen-excluding honey-board.' — George Raynor.
1. No; unless honey is desired from a certain source
as fruit-blossom, for instance, which comes at a time
when the majority of stocks are not particularly strong,
and the nights are cold ; they should be contracted to not
less than eight frames, and supers placed on before the
honey-flow. Some of the best results in my experience
have been where supers have remained on during- winter,
through negligence. It does not signify so long as the
foundation hangs perpendicularly in the section. 3. Be-
fore the bees need room, and before the honey-flow.
4. j-inch, i>. If the brood-nest is contracted, yes. In
the early part of the season, yes. With plenty of combs
below, and sections filled with worker-foundation, the
queen seldom spoils the supers. — Roland Green.
Contspanbmtc.
The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will he token of anonymous com*
munications. ond correspondents are requested to voiite on one tide of
the paper only, and give their full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drown on separate pieces of paper.
Communicate pus relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Bonks for Reviews,
&c, musl be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," do Messrs. Strangeways ond Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
( m cue, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements.
&<:., must be addressed to Mr. J. Hdckle, Kings Langley. Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements.)
%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or guery previously inserted, tout oblige by mentioning the
number of the h-tter, as well as the page on which it appears.
IN THE HUT.
'Among the trees, where humming bees
At buds and flowers were hinging o'.' — Burns.
[1691.] First (in answer to a recent inquirer) I must
admit that by a slip of the pen I described a plumber's
scraper as a right-angled triangle instead of an equila-
teral triangle. It was a remarkable coincidence that
'Amateur Expert' should see at that particular time a
description of a similar thing in an American paper.
Speaking of American papers reminds me that I ought,
in justice to our postal authorities (with whom we are,
perhaps, too prone to find fault), to give them a word of
praise for recently delivering a copy of Gleanings to a
bee-keeper I have the pleasure of knowing— -the paper
simply bearing his name and the address, 'Crag Hill,
England.' Crag Hill is not a village, it is scarcely a
division of one, and is not three acres in extent. This
is quite as creditable to them as a post-card finding
myself with the bare initials of my name and ' 13 C. H.
Sq.'
Thanks to ' A. E.' for calling our attention to Father
Langstroth. It is not everybody's luck to have his book,
but those who have read it have perused the most in-
teresting book, facile princeps, ever written about bees and
bee-keeping, at least in the opinion of ' X-Tractor ;' and
the rising generation who will read his book with the
same veneration for its author we now feel for the early
fathers in bee-keeping, will 'think shame' that they
didn't give their mite when they had the chance to
comfort the declining years and smooth the final footsteps
of their good and great-minded ancestor in bee-keeping.
Wo hope he is not
' Whom the gods desire,'
and that many years may pass before that noble intellect
be touched.
I see one of your correspondents has also honoured you,
as well as your excellent contemporary, The Recwd, with
an account of his successful manipulation of bees in a
chimney. This is scarcely ' good form,' I think. Each
paper would probably thank him for a different commu-
nique, but neither, 1 trow, for a simultaneous verbatim
letter.
At sowing time I intend to try the plan of asking one
or two farmers in my neighbourhood to sow some white
clover amongst their other seeds, and I will give them
the seed on condition that they let it stop a week when
in full bloom instead of doing as they do now — cut it
just when we want it. Their object in cutting clover
fields so soon is that it so readily casts its seed after
being fertilised by the bees, thus lightening the weight
yield per acre. If clover stops uncut till the head
withers, the seed falls to the ground instead of adding
weight and nutriment to the hay-crop.
I have never tried it, but I think a good non-alcoholic
drink, with plenty of fizz in it, would be made by sub-
stituting honey for treacle or sugar in the making of
herb, horehound, balm, ginger, or treacle-beer.
What a pleasant sight it is for a bee-keeper when
314
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 28, 1888.
travelling to pass slowly through a village, and from the
railway carriage window see a swarm on an apple-tree,
bee-keepers at hand preparing to hive the bees, under
the gaze of the usual interested villagers. Such was my
luck about three week3 ago when riding somewhere
near Nuneaton ; and the happy sight took my mind back
to the ' The Hut ' and its surroundings. By the way,
how very near the uninitiated will come when one is
hiving a swarm ! I suppose it is on the principle that —
' He laughs at scars who never felt a wound.
X-Tbactok.
HONEY YIELD. (P. 205.)
[1692.] In reference (1077) to one of cottager's ob-
servations, I feel someone ought to reply, viz., 'Do we
get as a rule an all-round average statement as to honey
yield?'
I turn to the issue of Bee Journal of May 10, p. 241,
paragraph headed ' Modern bee-keeping, progress in
bee-keeping,'and he asks, ' Why is it the army of bee-
keepers is so small?' The reason, I think, is because
many begin from reading false glowing accounts, and
failing to get the results promised, give bee-keeping up
in disgust. He says no bee-keeper in a favoured part of
the country now-a-days is content with less than 100
Eounds of honey per hive, and even in the suburbs of
.ondon as much as 40 or 50 pounds per hive may be
realised, and that there is little time or trouble necessary
to attend the bees or take the honey, and that when
taken there is little trouble to dispose of it at one shilling
per pound.
Now what are the facts in our county, Middlesex?
By statistics in the hands of most of our Association
what do we read ? —
•2|
»K 1
a
o
CQ
l
CO
3
o
o
CO
O
o
SB
H
Blacks ...
Italian
Garniolao .
Hybrid ...
2C0
29
14
181
41
7
11
47
ISM
100
3
B24
007
65
82
1019J
8-8
774
62
13-88
Just over 8 lbs. per hive.
71 lbs.
6 lbs.
nearly 14 lhs. „
3572
Divide by four gives au
average of about 8] lbs.
per hive.
In Skeps.
158
4
11
51
200
in
70
100
1-89
S-5
6-36
Black
Italian
Hybrid ...
10-30
Divide by three gives a
little over 31 lbs. per
hive, or a general average
of 6 lbs. 10 oss.
Now when a ordinary man reading the paragraph
mentioned (taken from Good Words for May) and com-
mences bee-keeping in the hopes of realising such an
ideal, and after trying several years with the average
results of Middlesex bee-keepers, I think he will be
ready to give it up in despair, and if any friends should
speak in his presence about starting bee-keeping, his
advice will be, Don't.
Now the average take of honey per hive that I have
mentioned (6 lbs. 10 ozs.) is from stocks. Now if we
add to the 007 stocks 160 swarms, making a total of (167,
the average take then would be about a quarter less or a
little over 5 lbs. per hive.
We must also remember that this is the report from
the workers (I don't know what the average would be
if the drone bee-keepers were included), members of the
Association, men most advanced in the knowledge and
art of bee-keeping. Now I think if we could go back,
say, 100 years, I do not think we should have much to
boast of.
Last year, 1887, was a very bad year, but I have
hopes of better results this year. I have commenced to
take a few very nice sections, and as I wanted some
extracted honey for customers I took from very nice
sealed frames 18 lbs. from two hives; trusting we may
get 40 or 50 lbs. per hive this year. — Alex. Mitchell
Hillingdon, June loth.
BRITISH-MADE COMB-FOUNDATION. (1634.)
[1603.] Mr. Stokes takes exception to my remarks
respecting Dadant's comb-foundation (page 204). I am
sure nothing could be farther from my thoughts than
that anything I wrote should injure those British manu-
facturers who make a genuine article. I repeat that
this foundation surpasses, so far as I am a judge, any-
thing I have seen, and I said, ' I hope your readers will
try it against some other makers' and report to the
Journal which they prefer.' I think Mr. Stokes cannot
say that there wras anything prejudicial to the British
manufacturer in my suggestion. Indeed Mr. Stokes
himself suggests that we should try Dadant's foundation
against one maker, whom he mentions, and whom he is
ready to back.
I have had some opportunities of seeing foundation of
most of the makers at the shows, where I have acted as
one of the judges. I have also from the introduction of
comb-foundation used a considerable quantity myself.
Some years ago I had some from Mr. llaitt, and I was
quite satisfied with it. I have more recently used that
made by Messrs. Abbott and also by Messrs. Neigh-
bour, with which I had no fault to find. There are
several others who make equally good foundation, and
who would, no doubt, be willing that their manufacture
should be tried against that of Messrs. Dadant or any
other American makers. There have, however, been
many complaints of failure made to me when speaking on
the subject. I have had some curious e::perieuce with
comb-foundation of British manufacture of other makers
thai those above referred to. In one case I lixed some
foundation in a square super four inches deep, that had
slides similar to the Stewarton supers. This was put on
a strong colony in the height of the season, and the bees
did not work it out at all that year. The following year
I put this super on another colony (not. knowing that
there was anything wrong with it), the bees being
crowded for space went into it at once, and soon filled
the super with entirely new combs, they built between
the strips of foundation, which were used as separators,
and had not been altered in the least from the time
they were put in. This foundation I brought home from
one of the shows, it was well made, but had the appear-
ance of having been bleached almost white. This was
some years ago, before foundation was in such general
use, and so much was known about it. White is an un-
natural colour for cither thin or thick foundation, should
be avoided, and looked upon with considerable suspicion.
I have also been greatly annoyed with other makes
breaking down, leaving about an inch or so in depth fixed
in the saw-cut, and becoming fastened together in a mass
in the bottom of the hives. A week or ten days' work
of the bees after swarming was entirely thrown away,
to say nothing of my disappointment at such a catastrophe,
loss of the value of the foundation; and the time and
trouble of fixing a .second lot, and putting the hive in order
for another start.
Some foundation shown at one of the exhibitions last
year, when examined by the judges, was thought to have
a peculiar smell. A sample of this was sent to Mr. Otto
llehner for analysis, he pronounced it to be commercially
pure; in a letter accompanying his report, he said it con-
tained a small percentage of fatty matter.
On my return I gave a piece of foundation, similar
to that sent to Mr. Hehner, to my little boy ten years
old, and asked him what it smelt of, and he said,
'Candles'
June 28, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
315
With this experience I think that you will see that I
ought not to he criticised too severely for recommending
a comh - foundation which I believed to be not only
' commercial!)',' but absolutely pure. The bees are not
bad judges of pure beeswax comb-foundation.
It is, I am afraid, too much the case when purchasing
beeswax to select a few pieces from the bulk to send to
the analyst (what would be known in Mincing Lane as
parlour samples). If this is found to be genuine it is no
guarantee as to the purity of the whole, and before we
can say 'pure,' or 'pure analysed comb foundation,' the
whole must be melted down in large quantities, and a
sample from each melting submitted for analysis.
The abovo was written before I had seen your reply
to the inquiries of T. Davison or that of E. G. Elliot :
' Adulterated foundation.' I quite agree with you that
beeswax in its natural state, such as the bees love to
work it in, is not white, but yellow, although by expo-
sure to the light of the sun it will, after a time, be
bleached white without any addition or adulteration ;
but its whole nature seems to be altered, it is no louger
soft and easily moulded — as the bees like it — but is hard
and more brittle. Let anyone take a section that has
been exposed until the foundation is bleached white, and
take one filled with recently-made foundation of the
natural colour, and see which will be tilled first. There
is, I believe, as you say, a large quantity of spurious
foundation beiny sold at the present time ; and although
white wax may be pure.it is not suitable for foundation,
and is the colour of Japanese wax, and of wax other-
wise adulterated. The time and labour occupied in
bleaching are considerable, and it is not likely that any-
one would take the trouble for the purpose of foun-
dation.
It is in the interest of bee-keepers and for the adcince-
ment of bee-culture that I write. At the same time I
hope British manufacturers will be put on their mettle,
and take more care in the selection of wax, that they
may compete successfully with all the world in comb-
foundation. — John M. HoOKEB.
ADULTERATION.
[1694.] As I have always vigorously fought against
the adulteration of honey and wax, and indeed, I believe,
was the lirst to publicly denounce those who brought
adulterated honey and wax into the market, you will not
suspect me of any lurking sympathy with sophisticators,
when I protest against the statement made in your reply
to Mr. T. Davison concerning adulterated foundation.
Pure white bees-wax is not an unknown substance, and
bees-wax can readily, without foreign admixture, he
bleached so as to be white to all intents and purposes.
By the action of sunlight, by that of peroxide of
hydrogen, or by bichromate of potash, the yellow colour
natural to wax can be removed without bringing into
the product any admixture foreign to it. These
bleaching processes are practised on a very large scale,
■ and there is no difficulty whatever to procure unlimited
quantities of pure bleached bees - wax, the highest
authority in the Materia Medica, which you quote,
notwithstanding.
Since my exposure some years ago, in the interest of
honest dealers, of the frauds then current in the honey
and wax trade, an immense improvement has taken place
in the purity of honey and wax ; indeed, the grosser
forms of adulteration have almost disappeared. While
a few years ago no dealer dreamed of getting his wax
analysed, brokers and merchants now supervise that
article most carefully and sell it upon the basis of care-
ful analysis ; glucose with honey has practically
disappeared.
I admit that adulterated specimens of wax are still to
be met with, but I think it is unfair to the trade, and to
those who control it, to belittle the good results
that have been produced.— Otto Hehner, Analyst to
the British Bee-keepers' Association, Hon. Secretary of
the Society of Public Analysts, 11 Bilker Square,
London, June 2\st.
[We are fully aware of the services that Mr. Otto
Hehner has rendered to the bee-keeping industry by his
exposure of the once prevalent practice of adulterating
honey. Yet we must be somewhat at variance with him
when he says that wax can be bleached white by sun-
light; we know that it can be bleached, but we have
never been able to bleach it absolutely white, not only
have we failed in this particular, but are supported in
our assertion by vory high analytical authority ; ' l'ereira
on the Elements of Materia Medica,' says, ' White wax
{cera alba, cera dealbatum) is yellowish white. I have
never met with pure wax perfectly white. The circular
cakes of commerce always contain spermaceti which
dealers add to improve the colour.' We must own that
we have never treated wax with peroxide of hydrogen
or bichromate of potash ; these must be quite recent in-
troductions, as we cannot find any allusion to them in
works of high authority. We had some samples funded
to us of what was called white wax bleached by a new
process ; it might have been the above. We might term it
commercially white, as some wax is called 'commercially
pure,' though impure. From the treatment it had been
subjected to there had been imparted to it an element of
rancidity which detracted from its purity as an article to
be used as a food, as foundation in a section is so used,
and anything but fragrant to the smell : can such wax be
called pure ? We assert it cannot any more than putrid
water can be called pure water.
In the early part of the present year a sample of wax
was forwarded to us for our opinion on its merits for
foundation purposes. We were obliged to speak un-
favourably of it. We were not aware whose wax we
had been testing. But the manufacturer of it was, and
forwarded us a justificatory letter from the wax-mer-
chants from whom it had been purchased, from which
we make the following extract : ' The wax you have
had belongs to a brand which Mr. Hehner lias analysed
and pronounced to be pure, but at the same time the wax
has some properties which render it unfit for foundation
purposes unless when mixed with a considerable propor-
tion of natural yellow wax. It seems to us suspiciously
white, and we are of opinion that it derives its peculiar
smell from the bleaching process.' Wo were of the same
opinion. At the same time we feel it our duty, as it is
a pleasure, to speak favourably of the general purity of
the wax in the market. — Ed.]
NOTES ON CUHKENT TOPICS .
[1695.] I fear I am so far behind that I can never
make up my lost ' bee ' way, but I desire, before I begin
to criticise some little matters which have appeared
lately, to thank the writer of 'Useful Hints' for the
excellent practical suggestions he has given lately —
nothing could be better.
Four Bee-way Sections. — These are an abomination to
all who have to handle them when filled.
Super Foundation. — Like Mr. Hooker, I have found
the Dadant foundation very good, but the Van Deusen
'flat-bottomed' is thinner and easier put in with the
Parker machine when the weather is cold, which it always
has been this year. Neighbour's flat-bottomed super
foundation is alike excellent; but I have found none
equal to Mr. Howard's natural based; it is very thin
and good in every way — his method of fixing full sheets
of it in sections leaves nothing to be desired. I am
sorry to learn there is so much adulterated stuff in the
market. No one knows better than I do the annoyance
of having this rubbish give way just when it is worked
out.— F. Boyes.
316
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[June 28, 1888.
(&t\m from % Ijto.
North Leicestershire, June i'-ird. — Previous fortnight
very cold ; highest readings of thermometer 52°, gone-
rally below 50" ; cold north-east winds, great dearth of
nectar, clover and beans not yet in bloom ; bees starving,
driving out drones and carrying out drone-grub ; supers
off and feeders on.
Newport, Isle of Wight, June 2ith. — Some would
think, situated so far south as this is, that one would get
an early flow of honey ; and as this is my first year with
bees in box-hives I have kept a sharp look-out for the
honey-flow. But up to Thursday last, the 21st, there
had been very little brought in, but on Saturday,
June 23rd, I could see the honey-harvest had begun, for
as soon as the young bees leave the cells in the top box
the workers fill it up with honey, but have not sealed it
down yet. I don't suppose they will until all the brood
is out. Bees are pulling out section-foundation beauti-
fully. About the glass sections I saw mentioned in
your valuable paper some few weeks ago, I, having a
diamond, started to make a crate of them, 2 x 1 J inch
bottom piece, and also glass dividers, which I made in
one piece, resting on three-eighth inch strips at each
side, sixteen on glass. I think they will look very pretty
if they till well. I tried cement to hold the glass to-
gether, but found small strips of calico (as recommended)
wet on one side with glue the best. I have an abund-
ance of drones in all my hives. AVhat is the inference
to draw from that? In conclusion, permit me to thank
Mr. Bonner-Chambers for the idea of the glass-section.
—J. A. A. Wood.
Ascott, Oxford, June 2o. — Bees have gathered no
honey here since June 4, owing to north-east winds. The
thermometer has kept usually at about 50° to 55°.
Previous to that date a few sections were made. In the
meantime, the season is quickly slipping away from us,
and I fear it will be a poor yield of surplus honey. I
had seven stocks last season, and my best hive yielded
seventy-four 1-lb. sections. Another of my hives, besides
giving thirty 1-lb. sections, gave a swarm which I first
put into a box. It weighed eighty lbs. netton August 1.
I had also three other swarms which I hived in the usual
way, but as I wanted surplus honey and not increase, I
threw each of them out on to a table just before dark,
sorted them out with a goose-wing, found the queens, and
put them back in their hives again, putting under an extra
super in each case. I cannot think why hive-makers do not
always send an extra super with their hives — charging, of
course, a little more. No hive is, I think, complete without
two or three super crates of sections. If the beginner
has only one super, he is obliged if the honey is coming
in freely to take out some sections every other day —
crushing many bees, disturbing most of them, and getting
mueh stung over it. And even then they will probably
swarm. A super should be placed on the hives May 1,
and be carefully wrapped up. When it is half full an
empty crate of sections should be placed beneath it.
This is the only way, as far as my experience goes, to
stop swarming. I usually keep my unfinished sections
instead of extracting them and put them over the bees, as
mentioned before, on May 1 . The honey, if the season is
backward (which it generally is here), helps the bees, and
I always find them take to the supers better for it. It
seems to teach them why the supers are put on ! —
Amateuh.
Beverley, June 22nd, — It is I believe ten years since we
had such a wretchedly cold season (so far) for our bees.
Here we are on the 22nd June, and the weather has
been all along, and is, colder than Christmas, with
scarcely a bee on the wing, and every hive thrusting out
and killing drones, as well as drawing brood and ejecting
the white over shells. The early part of the season gave
great promise, and the bees, which were in good strength,
stored abundantly from the gooseberry and currant trees.
Then came the fruit-blossoms and the (best of all trees)
sycamores, covered with bloom; but, alas ! the bitterly
cold N.E. wind prevented the bees from getting it,
except on one or two occasions. Last year 1 had
hundreds of sections tilled and sealed from these sources.
Next came the whitethorn (May), but it, too, has passed
away almost unvisited. The worst part of it has been
that we have had occasional glimpses of sunshine, which
tempted the bees out ; then the sun suddenly disappeared,
and the cold wind chilled the bees by thousands even
whilst they were on the flowers. I verily believe my
hives are weaker now than in the middle of May. —
P. BoYES.
Co. Wexford. — Weather most unfavourable for bees
since June came in; storm after storm. Skeppiste are
getting small swarms all round, but bar-frame hive bees
are working in supers, building out foundation, &C.
Little or no honey coming in up to date (16th June,
1888), but a nasty east wind on. — T. E.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses oj manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purc/iascd, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
C. Coventry. — Transferring Bees. — Cut the tapes when
you find the combs are nicely fastened. Pass a warm
sharp knife between combs five and six, gently press
them up into position, and slip pieces of wire over top
bar bent, so that they hold the comb on both sides in
position under the top bar, try the same plan with
seven and eight. The knife will work easier if placed
in a jug of hot water to warm. In about a week
notice whether the queen-cell is sealed, also whether
there are any eggs or newly-hatched grubs. If you
find either eggs or very small grubs, cutout the queen-
cell. If not, you may conclude the old queen is dead,
and you may then allow the cell to remain. Ask any
further question you may find necessary. We regret
we were not present to help you.
Ai'is IIibern'icus. — Heceijie for Metheglin. — We select
the following from a number of recipes for making
metheglin : ' Select " combs " free from brood that
have had the honey drained from them ; place the
combs in a vessel, and put as much lukewarm water
on them as will enable them to swim ; let them
stand two days and stir occasionally ; strain the
liquor ; let stand one day ; skim the scum from
the liquor carefully, and filter the sediment ; when
clear, boil an hour. The liquor will be sufficiently
strong if an egg will float in it. To three gallons of
the liquor add 1 lb. raisins, 1 oz. ginger, and seven or
eight laurel-leaves. When cool, add a little brewer's
barm, and after standing a day, barrel it, leaving the
barrel open for a few days to work, then cork it up
and let it stand for some months before bottling it. —
Thomas Bagshaw.'
Enwuiueb,. — rutting on Crates. — L)o neither; lift the
full one off, and put a crate filled with empty sections
underneath. Any difference in size may be adjusted
by using strips of enamel cloth. You need not mind
about a strip of wood to separate the crates ; allow-
ance is made underneath in making the crate for a
bee-space.
A. II. — Drone-eggs. — The bee turned out on the successful
introduction of the new and fertilised queen was the
former reigning sovereign, who probably was produced
in the previous autumn, and had not been fertilised :
hence the drone-eggs in your hive.
,r Juno 28, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
317
Invicta. — Suspicious Wax. — It is not desirable to insert
your letter. The sample sent, though nnflt for found-
ation, may not be a fair specimen of the foundation
generally sold by the dealer named. Attention has
been drawn to the adulterated wax now in the
market, and the notice may produce a good effect.
T. Morrison.— Queen cast out. — It is not probable that
your swarm is queenless. The queen you sent is a
tine young one, and is, we should think, one of two
which accompanied the cast.
C. N. Parkin. — Busy Bees— No doubt your bees are
very strong, and are busily working and readily getting
honey from some convenient neighbouring source.
Ai'.s. — Treatment of Smarms. — As you are unable to
move the old hive from its position, you clearly cannot
take advantage of the method you refer to. As the
swarm is likely to be a large one, we should not
hesitate to put it in a new position, and treat it in the
manner you propose, with starters about one and a
half inch deep, using your excluder-zinc on the top of
the frames and under the crate of sections, which
should have full sheets of foundation fixed. Xo doubt
you will obtain Borne well-filled sections this season.
X. Y. Z. — Clover Honey. — After the refreshing; rains we
have had, it is mire than probable that the white
clover will spring up again after the hay is carried
and yield some honey. In must districts the white
clover is only just in bloom, and there are few places
where other sources of honey are not accessible for
the next six weeks or two months.
East Kent. — Queen-rearing. — It is feasible to raise
queens after the lime-honey harvest. The methods of
queen-rearing have frequently been set forth in the
pages of the Journal, and we must request you to
refer to them for details.
No. 1 Qlanrafon, Bangor, N.W., writes us that having
Saturday afternoon at liberty, he would be pleased to
nssist and exchange opinions with bee-keepers in N.
AVales on apiculture. Will bee-keepers in the district
therefore be kind enough to communicate with him?
AGood Swatim. — The Rev. C. C. James, of Papworth,
St. Agnes, hived on June21st a swarm weighing '2\h lbs.
It completely filled two large skeps, and is now in a
long hive upon eighteen frames. [We should conjecture
that the weight mentioned would have been arrived at
by the junction of several swarms. — Ed.]
Messrs. Woodley & Flood have forwarded to us a Gold-
man's atomiser and sprinkler. It is an American invention,
which, besides being of service to bee-keepers as a spray
diffuser or for spraying swarms, may be used for many
domestic purposes, such as damping clothes, disinfecting
sick-rooms, clothing, &c, sprinkling flowers and house-
plants, die. It will be found to be a most useful article,
and all housekeepers will be pleased with it.
SHOWS TO COME.
July 0-13, — Loyal Agricultural Show, Nottingham.
Secretary, J. Huckle, Kings Langley. Entries closed.
July 10-20. — Cambridge Agricultural Society at
Cambridge. Secretary, R. Peters, 7 Downing Street,
Cambridge. Entries close June 25th.
September 5-7. — Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Lees McOlure,
The Lathoms, Present. Entries close August 1st,
business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bkos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Bakes, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hotchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadhasi, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 llegeut St. & 127 High Holborn.
SrorHARD, G., Welwyn, Hert3.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emminuel Street, Preston.
Webstek, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Djnnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H, Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 119 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour m our kind friends in the bee-keepers'
paradise on the broad flats of Essex, with their swallows'
nests under their porch ; in their parish, whose bounds
July 5, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
321
are beaten daily by their own bees' flight. We must
return to that immense sweltering hive which never
swarms, because, I suppose, foundations are drawn out
into cells ' in anticipation of the insects' requirement.-.'
Is it not necessary there should be 'a fly in the
ointment,' a cloud, in order that we may enjoy the
sunshine ; Is it not fitting that a tinge of gloom should
mar our pleasure ? This was not wanting then, for as
we drove to the railway station, our driver pointed out
a thatched cottage which had been burnt literally to I he
ground, leaving nothing standing but two chimneys as
monuments of the late inmate, who, with his three
children, were recently burnt to death. A bent iron
bedstead amongst some burnt brick told a mute, sad tale.
So we returned to London, Sir. Harris a prince of
raconteurs, ' The Sage ' a sapient critic, and the inveterate
smoker — X-Tn ACTOB.
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather. — Throughout the third week in June cold
northerly winds prevailed, and during the nights the
temperature sank nearly to freezing point, On the 20th
and -list of June our study fire was burning cheerily all
day lung, and was as much enjoyed as ell a cold w inter's
day. (hi Sunday, the 24th, and two following days, so
great was the change that tin' thermometer in our bee-
house — under the shade of trees be it noted— registered
i)0° Fahr., and the bees evacuated their hives and
clustered outside to preserve their combs from melting.
Some colonies swarmed, deserting sections and supers,
and, after gyrating for ten or fifteen minutes, returned
to their deserted storehouses, finding them cooled, wo
suppose, by the short evacuation. Then, during the
night, came thunder-storms, with pouring rain and hail.
Afterwards, up to present dale (June 30th), more
threateiiiiigs (if thunder, with breaks of sunshine en-
couraging the bees to rush afield, only In return pell-
mell, laden with a little pollen and watery nectar,
alarmed by the overhanging thunder-cloud. 'Still no
indications of settled weather;' ' Cold showers with
bright intervals.' Such are the forecasts of our meteoro-
logists, while the summer is dipping away and our bees
are gathering no honey. True, our meadows are still
intact, and the white clover in full bloom, lmt secreting
little nectar, and when liner weather comes the ceaseless
hum of the ' mower,' simultaneously with that of our
bees, will lloat over the flowery meads and mark its
' lchabod' on the honey .-i ason of 1888. But the season
is late, the flowers are still in bloom, the bean-fields and
white clover will continue to bloom for some time after
the late refreshing rains; the linns will soon lie giving
forth their delicious scent, and the hives are crowded to
overflowing with labourers eager and longing for the
harvest, if only a month's dry weather and sunshine he
vouchsafed. A few more days will determine the crisis,
CabniolanS. — Anent our remarks as to the true
colour of these bees, Mr. Blow writes to us that — 'the
1 s shade off (leaving the yellow bands at Trieste) to
the genuine article up in the. mountain valleys. I have
had over 100 stocks this spring and I have not one bee
that shows yellow markings.' He also refers us to his
pamphlet, page •'!", where he speaks of the bees around
Trieste as a ' rather mixed race, being in many cases
slightly striped with yellow, quite different to those I
saw later on in the mountains.' He also speaks of a
' Mr. Doukoupil, residing at Itadmansdorf, who possesses
a large apiary of Cyprian, Syrian, Ligurian, and Car-
niolan bees' — all in the same apiary! — 'and exports
queens to America.' Notwithstanding Mr. Blow's re-
monstrances, this gentleman was unable to see his error.
We hope he does not export queens to England ! Mr.
Blow's ' genuine article,' then, in Carniolans, is a bee en-
tirely free from yellow markings. Let us adhere to
this, and endeavour to keep the ' genuine article ' pure.
The Carniolan colon}', of which we spoke in our last
' Hints," coiit iiiin s crowded with bees in its large brood
compartment and supers, utilising every moment of sun-
shine as energetically as Cyprians, but shows no inclina-
tion to swarming, although its neighbours have been
indulging the swarming instinct. So gentle, beautiful,
prolific, and hardworking, is the Carniolan race, that we
sometimes feel inclined to wish that our entire apiary
consisted of it and none other.
ATiiah Sniuv. — Our apiary adjoins a meadow, still
unmown, which abounds tti loads, a wire fence alone
separating the two. Late in I lie summer evenings toads
may he seen craw ling around the hives, but it never struck
us that they were intent upon devouring bees. < hir hives
are placed on stands about eighteen inches from the
"round, and ill front of our strongest colonies we place a
board, sloping from the ground upwards to the hive-
en trance, for theconvenieiu I heavily laden lues return-
ing homeward-. While lazily watching beside an Italian
colony thus provided a few mornings ago after a heavy
shower, admiring the eagerness of the bees for work while
the brief sunslii e lasted, a toad appeared on the scene, and
most deliberately, step by step, crawled up the hoard to
the entrance, and there took up his station, surrounded
by departing and returning bees. Flies occasionally
settled on the creature's back, but were dismissed
instanter h\ a quick tion of its hinder i Jaws. Several
bees of inquiring minds were similarly treated also. At
length one, more inquisitive lhan its fellows, carefully
and minutely examined the fore-paw of the toad, but,
alas! as it ares i wine from the scrutiny, snap went
the huge jaw of the toad, and poor bee disappeared
down the capacious throat. All this was done quick as
a flash of lightning, indeed, so quick that the eye could
scarcely follow the motion. The operation was repeated
again and again by the toad, till at last, realising that
the Tumi might prove more destructive of bee-life than
the Tit, we interfered, and tying the toad securely in the
position it had voluntarily assumed, we applied to the
hive sundry kicks and shakes, with the object of
infuriating the bees lo attack their assailant, lint no,
although thousands of angry bees surrounded the
marauder, not one dared to attack, not a single lanes
was unsheathed ! So great seemed the dread of the bees
that not ore alighted upon the toad, not withstanding its
struggles to free itself from the hands by which it was
bound. Following Virgil's advice respecting a 'bad
king ' — dede neci — we beheaded and dissected the toad,
and discovered in his capacious maw thirteen of our
beautiful Italian bees, which bad all been swallowed
alive during less time than it has taken us to write the
Btory. Moral : Don't place boards in front of your hives
for the convenience of the bees (toads ? ), and don't adopt
the American plan of placing your hives upon the ground.
Why cannot toads content themselves by picking up the
dead bees, as 'tits' and sparrows are said, by their
apologists, to do? No, these and many another enemy
of the bees prefer the living to the dead.
Garden Bee -plants. — Echinop* SphtBrdkephaloa
flourishes amazingly from our sowing made March 1887,
some of the plants having reached the full height of
seven feet. It is not yet in bloom, but is fast approach-
ing that stage, and we hope carefully to note the bees'
visits to its blooms. Teucrium (Germander), a plant of
the Labiate family, is greatly loved by the bees. It is
very hardy, easily propagated by layers or slips, bears a
pretty purple flower, and blooms through the summer.
Xepeta (cat-mint) so highly prized in America as a bee-
plant, and by many termed Ground Ivy, is very similar
to the above, and is equally patronised by the bees.
Lamium (Dead-nettle) commonly known in our northern
and midland counties by the name of ' Bee-nettle,' is of
four colours, purple, white, spotted, and yellow, grows
wild by hedges, walls, and road sides, and is very
common, but is capable of improvement by cultivation,
322
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 5, 1888.
and is well worthy of a place in our gardens. This
again is of the Labiate family, and is frequented by
the bees. The yellow variety is extremely pretty.
Scrophularia (flgwort) of two kinds, purple and yellow,
and Echium (viper's bugloss) bearing a brilliant blue
flower, and well known in our cottage gardens, should
both be cultivated for the sake of the bees. Mignonette,
sown now, as well as Idmnanthes Douglasii, will form
excellent autumnal forage, the bees being very fond of
both.
Trifolium. — A contemporary, the Morning Post, of
June 22nd, makes the following interesting reference to
the two kinds of trefoil or trifolium, cultivated in our
fields and meadows, and from both of which the bees
derive pollen and nectar in abundance : — ' A noteworthy
circumstance in the present season is the extraordinary
abundance of the yellow suckling clover, Trifolium minus,
in meadows and pastures. It is an excellent little forage
plant, makes good bottom herbage, and where the pas-
tures are at present being sheep-fed, it is eagerly eaten.
It is only an annual, and its present abundance appears
to be a result of last summer's heat and drought. In
hot dry summers kerbacious plants, particularly annuals,
devote their energies to the formation of flower and seed
rather than of stem and leaf, hence, whilst the indi-
vidual perishes, the species is preserved. Last year this
was notoriously the case with Trifolium minus, and
before the end of the summer much of the brownness of
the pastures arose from the scorched remains of this
little plant, whose perfectly matured seeds were scattered
in large numbers upon the ground. There they rested
till spring, when germination took place, and the resulting
plants now form an unusually conspicuous feature in the
bottom herbage. Trifolium minus is often confounded
with a totally distinct but equallj- useful forage plant,
Medicago lupulina, called trefoil by seedsmen, often
termed " hop " by farmers, and frequently sown with
rye-grass as a crop of " seeds." Of the two plants,
Medicago lupulina is the more robust, its flower-head is
larger, contains more florets, and is of a brighter yellow
than that of Trifolium minus. Its seed-pods, moreover,
turn black when ripe (hence the name black medick, by
which the plant is likewise known), whilst those of
Trifolium minus never do, but are enveloped in tin-
brownish shrivelled remains of the flower.
Feeding Swarms is now more necessary than ever.
"While writing, on this 30th day of June, a bitterly cold
north wind is blowing, and scarcely a bee is to be seen
on the wing. On reference to our ' Hints ' of June 24th,
'86 (B.B.J. Vol. 14, p. 279) we find mention made of
'Midwinter in June, cold and cutting winds, disastrous
prospects for the honey-harvest;' and, under the head
of ' Feeding,' the cheering remark that, ' If the strength
of the stocks is thus kept up (by feeding), the small
outlay will be well repaid when the honey-flow arrives.'
Thus, it appears, we anticipated a late honey-flow. Let
us then not despair now, but hope for a change of
weather, and the tilling of our hives and sections.
Removing Sections from the hives will, we fear,
involve little labour or trouble at present, but to those
happy apiarists who have, or may have, any filled and
ready for removal, we advise the use of the carholised
sheet, a piece of coarse canvas, strainer, or ' cheese-cloth.'
sufficiently large to cover well the top of the section-
case. Let this be steeped in carbolic solution, wrung
out dry, and spread over the case, when the bees will
quickly disappear, rushing downwards into their hive
below. The case or rack must then be raised slightly by
the leverage of wedges, and allowed to fall gently back
into its place, when it may be slowly screwed round and
carried into the honey-room, or any outhouse, where the
sections can be removed one by one, and the few adhering
bees, being brushed off with a feather, will quickly
return to their hive. On removing the super, we spread
the cloth over the hive to clear off the bees before placing
on another case, which is generally advisable, in order that
the bees may clear up the honey from the fragments of
comb which remain attached to the bars of the frames.
By this operation, if carefully performed, there is no
danger of the sections becoming tainted with the scent
of carbolic acid. The scent, being on the cloth only, is
carried upwards by the current of warm air ascending
from the hive and passing away through the canvas.
On this plan we manipulate all our hives with the least
possible disturbance of the bees, which, having been
driven downwards by the dreaded scent, ascend to tho
top of the frames again immediately on the removal of
carbolised cloth. The method only requires to be
known and tried in order to be appreciated, and then,
assuredly, the days of smoke and smokers will speedily
be numbered.
Jfomign.
BEE-KEEPING IX RUSSIA.
A Floating Exhibition.
Bee-keeping in Russia is making great strides. The
committee of the bee department of the Imperial Society
of acclimitation in Moscow is taking the most worthy and
effectual steps to make known and encourage a taste for
this science, particularly in the country. From a return
made up by this Society it would appear that in the
district commonly known as the ' Moscow Government '
there are no less than 3148 agriculturists owning, among
themselves, 5100 stocks of bees, and yet this district is
not one of the most favourable for apiculture. Instruc-
tion in bee-keeping has been very limited in this district.
Bee shows are rare and not at all within the reach of the
people living in the country. It is, therefore, mostly
with the object of remedying this state of things that
the Committee of the Imperial Society has organized, at
Mr. Nassonow's suggestion, a free, floating show, which
has effectually excited the curiosity and interest of the
inhabitants of the villages through which it has passed.
Prince W. Dolgoroukow, the Governor-General, who
was good enough to become honorary chairman of this
Exhibition, and which had already been patronised by
Mr. Podgorozky, President of the Committee, Professors
l>ogdainp\v, Krasnoewhow, honorary members, and other
members of the bee committee. Mr. Nassonow and Mr.
Krotkow, Russian ecclesiastics, have more than any
other occupied themselves with the bringing together of
the necessary exhibits of the show, which was brought
before the public for the first time last year, when it
consisted of only one ship, towed by a steamer.
Narrow as the space was on board this boat the
collection of the different styles of hives left nothing to
be desired. Some of these hives were stocked with bees,
and there was a good assortment of diagrams and
engravings explanatory of the natural history of the bee
as well as an interesting collection of literature on bee-
keeping. The collection contained, moreover, a complete
assortment of utensils most useful and simple of construc-
tion. There was also a laboratory on board, specially
fitted up for the collection and preservation of any bee
flowers to be m^t with along the banks of the Moscow
river. The deck of the ship was converted into a garden,
and numerous were the choice flowers and rare plants
which were to be seen among the displayed bee-hives.
The exhibition left Moscow on the 14th of July, and
in the course of its journey stopped at Bronniog, IVrerva,
Ougrecha, Kalomenskoe, Ostrow, M jatschkowo, Rogest-
weno, Markowo, and Lophjenock. Wherever it stopped
visitors, about e must be satisfied with what we had last year;
only the worst of it is it is all gone. — John Walton.
Dundalk, Ireland, June 27th. — The season here, up to
the present time, has not been favourable for bee-keepers.
We bad very mild weather in the latter part of January
and beginning of February. The high temperature
enticed the bees out, and caused a great loss of life.
This was followed by a long spell of extreme cold, lasting
up to the middle of April, which helped further to
depopulate the hives. In May there was a slight change
for the better, ten days in the latter part of the month
being splendid bee-weather. I had two stocks sufficiently
strong to work in supers, and got a few sections rilled
from the sycamore and fruit bloom. Then the rain
came just as the hawthorn burst into flower, with the
result that it yielded nothing but a quantity of light-
coloured pollen. Up to the 18th inst. my bees did
nothing in the way of storing surplus, except as
mentioned above ; but, notwithstanding all my efforts,
two of the strongest stocks swarmed. I made nuclei
of the frames containing queen-cells, filled up the
stocks with frames of foundation, and returned the
swarms. Since the 18th the weather has been good,
and the bees have worked hard on the white clover, but
for some reason which I cannot explain, the honey has
not come in so fast as it should. This evening the rain
has commenced to fall again, but with a fortnight or
three weeks of fine weather, strong stocks would still do
wonders. And now a word with regard to excluding-
adaptors. When returning one of the swarms to the
parent stock, I placed an adaptor over the frames, with
bee-space above and below, but the bees absolutely re-
fused to use it, and would not work in the two crates of
partly drawn out sections placed on the top, and which
they had previously occupied. I left it on for two days,
and then removed it, when the bees at once ascended to
the sections. I find the same difficulty in using the
excluder-zinc at the back of a hive, and am determined
to discard it altogether. Queen-wasps were very plentiful
here this year, and I am rather curious to know if that
means a corresponding number of nests later on. In
1886 there were plenty of queens and very few nests ;
last year, just the converse. — II. O.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
Super. — Feeding with Honey. — Your plan will do, but
beware of robbing.
II. F. W. Hamilton. — Swarms. — We should say the
second swarm, or ' cast,' is now doing well. No doubt
the bees you saw round the chimney were scouts.
We know of a tower quite 200 feet high where the
attendant annually secures a fine early swarm of bees
by putting a skep on the top early in May. He has
no idea where they come from, as he is quite in a
forest. Watch next season, and if not much labour,
put a skep in position early in the season. No doubt
these bees have joined your first swarm. Put on
another rack of sections under those already on.
II. Marrs. — Foul Brood. — We are afraid you have got
this pest. Does it smell bad ? Spray the combs in
the evening with phenolated syrup, so that the cells all
round the brood get a fair quantity. As fast as the
brood hatches out, remove the comb and insert new
frames with sheets of foundation. Destroy those re-
moved. If possible, remove the bees into a fresh hive.
Well scour the present one several times with hot
water, carbolic acid, and salycilic acid, allowing an
interval of a day or two between. Take every pre-
caution with the second swarm. We would recom-
mend you to drive the parent stock, as that is
apparently the cause of the mischief. 2. Comb in
Section. — Worker size has the neater look, but well-
filled sections sell well whatever the size of the cells.
F. D. Maxwell, Burma. — Sloio Feeding. — For slow
feeding we prefer giving only so much at sundown as
the bees may take down in one night, say, one third of
a pint. This will be all down before sunrise, will
keep them in good heart, but will not allow their queen
being crowded out. This mode also is not so likely to
cause robbing as day feeding. You do not sa3' what slow
feeder you use, but the Ray nor principle is the best.
[Bee-keeping in Burma is a subject we should very
much like you to favour us with notes upon. We
have seen Rev. Bunker's contributions to Gleanings,
but if not inconvenient to you, we should appreciate
your assistance in the matter. Any remarks on the
habits or peculiarities of the wild bees, and any native
method of securing wild honey, would, we are sure, be
also highly appreciated by our readers. — Ed.]
Dorset. — Paint. — Bees frequently resort to new paint,
as it contains substances from which propolis is
obtained.
A Learner. — Ripening honey. — If the bee-keeper waits
till all the cells are capped, much valuable time is lost.
When a large amount of unripe honey is extracted, it
can be brought to a proper consistency by means of an
July 5, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
327
apparatus called the Kapid Honey Extractor. But
possibly the cost of this may be a consideration, and
then it would be advisable to keep the honey in
vessels in a room at a temperature above 80°
Fahrenheit.
Inquirer. — Bees Imputed. — The bees found by you
impaled on the spikes of the fir were placed there by
the shrike or butcher-bird. Pee note to 'A new Enemy
in the Apiary,' p. 325.
C. Truscott. — 1. One Pound of Bees. — It is computed
that .3000 bees weigh one pound. 2. Bees to cover six
Frames. — In the summer months three pounds of bees
will cover six standard frames, in winter it would
require four for the same purpose. •'!. Laying Pincers
of Queen. — H. Taylor is right when he says that the
queen-bee lays from GOO to 900 eggs a-day ; but in the
' height of the season ' the queen is capable of laj ing
as many as from 2000 to .'1000 eggs a-day (see our
Guide Book, p. 7). 4. Drone and Worker Eggs. — A
healthy queen has the instinct-power to lay drone or
worker eggs in the cells constructed for tlie same. If
for any reason the queen is not fertilised, or if her
powers are exhausted, she will lay only drone eggs.
W. W. — Suspicious Comb. — This is foul brood beyond a
doubt. Spray combs in other stocks with phenolated
syrup at once.
Donald. — Management of Bees. — Put twenty-one
sections in super on hive at once. Watch for their
completion, and remove when ready, inserting fresh
ones in the place of those taken out. We are not
acquainted with your neighbourhood.
X. Y. Z. — You shall have a full reply to your interesting
query in our next issue.
Ho.v. Distbict Secretary. — Doubling Hire Neg-
lected.— Vou can either put a third box underneath,
which plan would give you the largest return of ex-
tracted honey, or you could make an artificial swarm
of nine or ten frames, placing super on it at once. If
you decide to give them an extra box only use starter
of foundation in it, as they will not swarm until the
combs are brought nearly to the bottom. Extract in
August before the bees begin to carry stores down.
A. Smith. — Messrs. Abbott I?ros. have signified their
intention of publishing in a sheet form the photo-
graphs of the most eminent bee-keepers in the United
Kingdom. When ready for publication, they will no
doubt give notice thereof through the usual channels.
Wilfrid Stephens. — 1. Fighting. — Your bees were
not fighting witli each other, but were defending their
home from the intrusion of stranger bees who were
intent on robbing. 2. Presence of Queen. — We should
consider that the queen had accompanied the swarm
in its return to the parent hive. 3. Bumping. — We
must refer you for an explanation of the ' Bumping
system,' to our account in the previous volume of the
Journal, see No. 268, page 312. 4. .Drones.— Have
you much drone-comb in your hive ? if so, this would
account for the abnormal number of drones. We pre-
sume there is worker brood hatching out ; if not, your
queen is probably a drone-breeder.
Frank Nell. — Bees Swarming. — Itisoftenthe case that
bees that are about to swarm are prevented doing so by
such rainy and cold weather as is now prevailing in
every part of the country, in which case the queen-cells
are again prepared, often causing the delay of some
weeks, and often the bees do not swarm at all during
the season.
It. Williams. — Turning out Drones. — The drones, being
the most unprofitable inhabitants of the hive, during
a time of famine arising from bad weather are turned
out in order that the working population may not
starve.
W. C. Thomas. — Close of the Honey Season. — Is it not
early to assert that the honey season is over in your
district as there are few parts of the kingdom where
there are not some sources of honey-getting still ac-
cessible to the bees ? Foul Brood. — There are many
modes of treatment of this disease ; that recommended
by Mr. Cheshire, has been found successful, the pro-
cess adopted by him will be', found in Cowan's Guide-
book, page 151, last edition. See reply to II. Marrs.
Mr. F. Mackel, Campbelltown, near Sydney, New
South Wales, is desirous of receiving catalogues from
English manufacturers of bee-appliances.
Mr. J. H. Bolton, of Southgate, intends exhibiting
samples of honey products at the show of the N. E. district
of Middlesex, to be held on July 21st. He will be glad to
receive samples of any really good preparations containing
honey, or specimens of different well-authenticated varieties.
SHOWS TO COME.
July 0-13. — Royal Agricultural Show, Nottingham.
Secretary, J. Huckle, Kings Langley. Entries closed.
July 10-20. — Cambridge Agricultural Society at
Cambridge. Secretary, It. Peters, 7 Downing Street,
Cambridge. Entries close June 25th.
September 5-7. — Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. \V. Lees McClure,
The Lathoms, Present. Entries close August 1st.
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Applf.ton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hotchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 20 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 0 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simiiins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 5, 1888.
Godnan, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 HighHolborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keeplks' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Oo., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of aillj al Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, Lwidon, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., MusKbam, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewaley, Worcestersbire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury, Herefordshire.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading
WREN, L., 130 High street, Lowestoft.
GUIDE-BOOK PAMPHLETS. No. 1.
DOUBLING AND STORIFYING
FOR
Extracted and Comb Honey, and the
Prevention of Swarming.
By T. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.MS.
Post Free, Threepence Halfpenny.
J. HtTCKILE, KIH-GS LANOLEY.
GUIDE-BOOK. PAMPHLETS.-KO. XI.
HOW TO MAKE AN EXTRACTOR,
AND A BELLOWS SMOKER.
By T. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.
Post Free, Sixpence Halfpenny.
J. HTJCKLE, KI1T&S LAHQLEY.
VOL. XV. of
lUhe ^British jBee Journal,
IFOZR, 1887.
EDITED BY
THOS. W. COWAN, F.G.S., F.R.M.S.,
Containing nearly 600 pages, with numerous Hlustrations,
and Complete Index.
Bound in Cloth, price 10s. Cloth Cases for Binding, Is,
each ; post free, Is. 3d.
KENT & CO., 23 PATEBNOSTEB BOW, LONDON ;
J. HUCKLE, KINGS LANGLEY, HEETS.
T
1HIS Hive has
Bar-frames,
Standard size,
and Section-body
containing
24 1-lb. Sections,
Dividers,
Quilt, &c., all
complete, except
legs Is. extra,
free on rail, 10,6.
BEST METAL ENDS>
3/- per 100 ; 4- post free.
Send W. Stamp for Sample, and see for yourself.
USEFUL ARTICLES BOB BEGINNEBS.
1 1 'inspect Hive
1 Bee Veil . . .
A-lb. Foundati»n .
Ulb. Super ditto .
The Lot for 15
rye
1/-
1/-
-/'■>
1 Smoker, best . . . 3/-
1 Pair Gloves . . . 1/6
1 Feeder 1/
1 ' Modern Bee keeper ' /(i
Returnable if not approved.
FOUNDATION and SUCTIONS at lowest price when
ordered with HIVES. Catalogues Fbee.
JOHN SIOORE, Troopect Farm, Warwick.
PUBLICATIONS OP THE
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
DIAGRAMS ILLUSTRATING BEE-CULTURE
and the Belation of Bees to Flowers. Drawn by
Frank 1!. Cbeshirb, F.R.M.S. Approved and recom-
mended by the Science and Art Department. 8s. per set.
WINTERING BEES. By Thomas W. Cowan.
The most complete work on the subject of Wintering
published. Third Edition. Price 3d.
BEE-HIVES AND HOUSES. By the Rev.
George Raynob. Second Edition (enlarged). Price 6d.
MODERN BEE-KEEPING. An Illustrated Hand-
book for Cottagers. Forty-fourth Thousand, con-
siderably enlarged and revised. The soundness of its
information, the simplicity of its instruction, combined
with cheapness, make this Handbook invaluable to all
intending Bee-keepers. Price Id., post free.
THE MANAGEMENT OF STRAW SKEPS.
Designed to teach the Cottager how to obtain the best
results at the least possible cost. By attention to its
teachings, Cottagers will be enabled to make their
Bees a more profitable source of income than hitherto
Price Id. Ditto in Welsh, Id. Per dozen, th, heavy rain ; no honey coming
in. June 28th, rain and cold north-east winds; no
honey. June 30th, line ; full of bees supers. July 5nd
and 3rd, wet again, with a strong gale from south-west ;
all hope abandoned. — W. W.
Lismore, Ireland. — It is about time for me to send
you a report from this part of the country. I cannot
say I am quite satisfied with the wintering of my stocks.
Two, which certainly had old queens, turned out re-
publicans in the spring, and soon came to an end. A
third, which went into winter quarters with a young
queen, gave the same result, and two 'condemned-bee'
lots succumbed to spring dwindling. Thus from sixteen
stocks I am reduced to eleven, one mora than I began
1887 with, but these have, all but two, young vigorous
queens, and are, save one, in good forward condition.
But only one stock is what I think all, or most all,
ought to have been, i.e. a really first-cla?s hive, with one
set of twenty-one sections sealed over, and at work in
forty-two boxes. Why this hive should be so much
better than the others, I cannot tell. All were well
muifled up, and had abundant stores; indeed, my main
anxiety as to food was the over-abundance of it, and on
April loth I took three superb slabs from a colony where
I feared the queen had not enough space for laying.
Though I got such a lot of comb honey last season, and
extracted, as I thought, the ' uttermost, drop,' the hives
were all thoroughly well supplied, and spring feeding
was almost a nominal thing, uncapping the stores taking
its place. November was a fine month here, so I suppose
they got a lot of ivy honey. None of the stores seemed
candied, and they had a cake of candy apiece overhead,
which they amused themselves with, but did not quite
consume in any case. The season was very open, and
July 12, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
337
bees flying till January 15th or so, when it became cold,
and we had some severe night frosts in March ; but
every hive was thoroughly healthy, and I saw not a trace
of disease of any sort, or even of chilled brood, which
might have beeu expected. There has been a magnificent
bloom on the hawthorn, and had all my hives been
ready by June 1st (as I feel they ought) a splendid early
harvest might have been had, such as my one ' show '
hive has secured. I have now seven hives with bees
well settled to work in section supers, and two hives
supered and working for extracted honey. I am trying
these with queen-excluder this season, as my results
have not been satisfactory without, my three-tiered
hives giving me less honey last year than my inverted
skeps worked with excluder. I am inverting one skep
to-day. My second one, I regret to say, is rather weak,
the queen having evidently given out. I have a chance
swarm, with which I will strengthen it to-morrow and
invert next day. I hope to have as good results with
this plan this year as last. Certainly nothing could be
better than the way it answered last year for extracting,
but I had only a middling success with sections over
inverted skep. There is an improvement in the weather,
and bees are working furiously. My two remaining
hives will be ready for supering with bars for extracting
in a day or two, and I have plenty of old combs ready
for their use, so there will bo no time lost comb-building.
— F. W. C.
P.S. — Since writing the above I have inverted a
cottager's skep. It was inverted last night, and ' risered '
with a box containing nine bars, and they are all up in
it this morning, working splendidly. I gave one old
comb in centre, with a few ounces of honey in it; the
rest bars with foundation-starters only, and they have
started. The floor-board has an opening, covered with
excluder-zinc, about G in. square.
NOTICES" TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRE R S •
Holmfield. — 1. Young Queens. — The three bees sent are
unfertilised young queens, and they also appear to
have been somewhat retarded in their development,
but show no signs of disease. 2. Uniting. — Wo should
recommend you to unite the second swarm (cast) and
stock, and at the same time requeen the first swarm
either with a purchased queen, or, if expense is an
object, then with the queen from the cast, destroying
the old queen now witli the first swarm. .'!. Trans-
ferring.— To get the old stock into an Association sized
hive, get your new hive ready with about three or
four frames, having sheets of foundation fixed ; set it
where the stock now stands, place stock on ground
close by the side of it. Lift back frame from old
stock and shake the bees into the new hive ; if that
comb has no brood, set it on one side in a box ; pro-
ceed with remaining frames one by one, but when you
find one with brood, cut out the comb and fix it in
one of the new frames by tying it with tape, which
can be removed in about three days. Take care to
keep thecomb right way up. Now, if your cast is on
Association-sized frames, you can space the frames in
new hive to double distance. .Spray this lot and also
the cast with thin syrup scented with peppermint ; place
combs and bees from cast alternately with those already
in the new hive, taking care that the queen belonging
to the cast is not put into the new hive : she should
be caught and placed in a box with a piece of honey-
comb and a few of her own bees and kept warm till
after dark. Catch the old queen with the first swarm,
destroy her, cover up that hive, leave till after dark.
Take the queen to be introduced out of the box in
which she has been kept, and put her into an empty
box for thirty minutes, keeping her warm (about 70
to 80 degrees). Now, by the light of a lamp, raise the
quilt at the back of the hive, puff some smoke in
among the bees to drive them down ; let the queen
run down between the frames, cover up, and leave the
hive untouched for quite forty-eight hours. Trusting
you will succeed.
J. Holden. — 1. Best Covering for Bees next Frames. —
Enamel cloth at all times, providing the colony of bees
is strong, over the enamel quilt plenty of warm
covering and suliicient bottom ventilation. 2. What
proportion of Drone-comb should there be in a hire
/taring tin frames f — Forty or fifty square inches will
be suliicient ; we usually insert the comb from a sec-
tion 4j by 4}, and find this ample.
J. Fenwick. — Dead Queens. — Both queens were virgins.
Queens reared by introducing a frame of brood into
a queenless colony — they usually being weak — are
almost certain to be stunted in their growth, and are
not at all suitable for the production of good colonies.
A Puzzled Lady. — 1. Expert of Lan ashire and
Cheshire B.K.A.— Apply to F. C.'t'arr, Higher Beb-
ington, Cheshire. 2. Combs fallen down. — This is a
job that would be best done by an expert ; the
above-named gentleman will put 3011 in the way
of obtaining such assistance. •'!. Condemned Bees. —
They ought to be put on combs, but combs alternated
with foundation is very successful.
1'. MonxiMEn. — Hive dying out. — Yours was a bad case
of dysentery.
Tho.s. Griffiths. — Dead iey,'
' Bees starving,' ' Ghliijedtofeed] ' There will be no hvney.'
Seldom have we had such a spell of cold weather, and
it becomes a question what is best to be done.
Examine all colonies and feed in small or large
quantities, according to their requirements ; this soems
the first thing to do, if the weather continues to prevent
their gathering natural stores.
Swarms. — This year swarms have been numerous, but
have had little opportunity of getting sufficient food
to support themselves, build the comb, and feed the
brood. We have repeatedly advised the feeding of
swarms for some days after they are hived, and we feel
sure those who have neglected it this year will much
regret not having followed our advice.
344
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 19, 1888.
In fine warm weather swarms may do very well
without feeding, but in a season like the present they
will not have had an opportunity of getting out for
days together, and they have no stores to fall back on,
like those left in the old hives in all probability have.
The food they take with them when they leave the
parent hive was all consumed in comb-building in a
short time ; and if unable, on account of cold wet
weather to get out, they become half starved, weak, and
thoroughly demoralized, and the queen ceases to lay,
and they are a long time before they recover their
strength and energy. During a continuance of cold and
wet weather after swarming, the bees will consume a
large quantity of syrup in the elaboration of wax for
comb-building, &c. If we supply them with this judi-
ciously, the combs will be built out, the queen will fill
the cells with eggs as fast as they are built out ; and
when we have a few fine days, the bees will be in
a vigorous condition to take all the advantage they can
however short the change for the better may be.
Swarms should be confined to as many frames only as
they can well cover, closing up with dummies or division-
boards, so that they may be kept as warm as possible.
We would urge all bee-keepers to feed swarms at once,
taking off any supers put on at the time of swarming
from the old hive, and keep them off until the weather
is improved and honey is coming in freely.
Old Colonies, on which we had tiered up cases of
sections, we found had partly deserted them. We have
taken the hint and reduced the number of tiers, which
we shall put on again as soon as the weather improves
and honey is being collected.
Casting out Nymphs and Drones. — This is a sign
that the colonies are on the verge of starvation, and
feeding must at once be resorted to. The strength of
the colonies is thus kept up, and wo shall be well repaid
for our small outlay when the honey flow comes.
Sections. — Those living in favoured localities having
well-filled sections shoidd take advantage of their oppor-
tunity and not allow the dealers to make too large a
profit. They will in a time of scarceness naturally keep
up the price, and it is only fair that the producer should
have his share to help to make up for the small quantity
he obtains.
&BXX£S$avfotML
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for piiblication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jtc, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British. Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. S£ra?igeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
Ac., must be addressed to Mr. J. Hucelb, icings Langleyt Herts {see
Tend page of Advertisements).
•»* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speafctno of
any letter or query previously inserted, wilt oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
THE BEE DEPARTMENT AT THE ROYAL.
[1714.] During the past week the only great show held
under tho management of the B. B. K. A. during the
present year has become an accomplished fact at Notting-
ham in connexion with the Royal Agricultural Society of
England's Annual Exhibition.
The exhibits of honey showed unmistakably the effect
of the weather we have been getting in the islands during
the past six weeks. The shelves set apart for the large
quantities of honey entered for exhibition looked very
bare and meagre. The few lots that were exhibited were
remarkably good samples in quality, the only fault is, we
should have liked to have seen more of it.
There was a good though small collection of appliances,
all the leading makers being represented. The exhibition
of foundation-making created great interest, and the
interest always shown in the manipulation of live bees
was as keen as ever. The observatory hives, stocked
with bees, were centres of groups of visitors all anxious
to get a glimpse of the queen, for which they were
chiefly indebted to the courtesy of the several appliance-
manufacturers at the show, who mainly divided the time
they could spare between attending to their friends and
customers and these throngs of curious, eager inquirers.
Mr. Howard, of Holme, Peterborough, was the expert
in charge of the bee-tent, who is in himself a fair
representative of the happy, genial class of people of
which the great army of bee-men is composed. He
always managed to keep his audience in good humour as
he in stentorian voice discoursed of the profits, fiains, and
pleasures of bee-keeping.
Were I a lady bee-keeper, I would make a new flag
and give it to theB.B. K. A. — -ours looked decidedly
shabby. The bee-tent, large enough for ordinary local
shows, is altogether inadequate for the throngs that visit
it on such occasions ; moreover the one used last week at
Nottingham sadly requires a new netting. The internal
arena is sufficiently large for the purpose, but the outer
canvas circle requires to be larger and not so low down
on people's heads. A crush-barrier is actually imperative
on such days as last Thursday with its crowds of visitors.
While I am making these criticisms I may as well add
that, in my opinion, our Committee would do well to
make a few alterations ; more opportunities should be
given to the appliance-manufacturers to make a greater
display than they now do. I do not mean by adding to
the number of articles exhibited, but by having facilities
to show what they do bring to greater advantage. In
the classes for inventions, I have long contended that
exhibitors should be allowed to explain their inventions
to the judges ; I repeat the contention, and am certain
the Association will profit if the Committee adopt the
method advocated. The Royal Show would not be
possible but for exhibitors, and only by the efforts and
rivalry of manufacturers is it what it was made at
Nottingham. The B. B. K. A. may well take the hint,
as it might have done another hint from the show at the
'Colonial' in 1886, and the Canadian Exhibition the
same year — quantities of honey might have been sold in
small tins and bottles, and a taste for honey created,
which would have resulted in a future extended demand.
I fear the request for flowers for decoration was but
feebly responded to, as those I saw were poor faded
things. I reproached myself when I saw them for not
taking a good parcel from my own garden.
I confess I left the Exhibition where all the other
departments were looking so bright spick and span with
a feeling that the bee department did not redound
greatly to the credit of our Association, and it is with
the hope of inducing the Committee to endeavour to do
better next year at Windsor, that the risk of objection by
penning these criticisms has been run by — Amateur,
Expert.
A VOICE FROM THE WEST.
[1715.] On Saturday last I received a most courteous
letter fron Mr. F. C. Andreu of Minorca, asking me to
accept one of his native queen-:bees. I turned to the
accompanying packet, and taking it up missed the
customary hum indicating the presence of live bees. I
removed the paper covering cautiously, and found that
the box had already been opened during transit, and,
judging from appearances, I concluded that on the bees
endeavouring to escape, the lid had been hastily replaced
and the queen with two or three workers forced into the
food, where they were found firmly embedded and dead.
The lid, which had been nailed, was found loose, and
only held in position by the paper and string. I will
say nothing as to the vexation I felt, not so much for
my own disappointment though great, at for that of the
July 19, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
845
kind and courteous donor who bad taken so muck
trouble unavailingly. I had hoped to have made a
report of the merits or the demerits of this singular race
of bees indigenous to the Balearic Isles, a race of which
possibly more may yet be heard ; and if from the writer,
it will not be from one who is prejudiced against the
British bee, which in his opinion, if less prolific and
more soberly marked, possesses certain sterling qualities
which will always enable it to hold its own. If her
Balearic Majesty should ever arrive and take up her
abode in this quiet western village, she may depend
upon a hearty welcome with a fair field and no favour,
and a true report of the qualities of her progeny shall
duly appear in your columns. I have not made any
complaint to the postal authorities, judging it would be
useless under present regulations, and possibly the out-
rage was committed outside our own jurisdiction.
I have been somewhat disappointed that the columns
of the Journal have given so little evidence of the great
disaster that has fallen upon us this year. Everywhere
the inclement weather, the low temperature, and the
cold rains, have brought dismay to the hearts of bee-
keepers and emptiness to their hives. This morning I
received an order for a hundred pounds of honey which
I am quite unable to execute. Methinks many a young
and some old bee-keepers will find their experience
considerably enlarged before the season of 1888 closes.
May I be permitted to ask your readers whether they
find wooden feeders safe to use in the apiary P My own
experience is that when the wood becomes saturated
with syrup, fermentation soon sets in and the feeder
becomes useless. — Joiin Peel,
INTRODUCTION OF A MINORCAN QUEEN.
[1716.] According to promise made on receipt of the
queen, I with much pleasure record the means adopted to
secure her safe accession to ' a vacant throne.' I confess
to having been considerably startled about mid-day on
Friday last on being visited by Mr. Henderson, so well
kuown through his connexion with the B. B. J., who
produced from his pocket a small parcel, about the size
of one's two fingers, with the announcement that it con-
tained a Minorcan queen, and that he hoped this time she
■was alive. Mr. Henderson on a former occasion paid me
a similar visit, when we were both much disappointed
on finding the queen in a moribund condition, but this
time we were delighted to find her in splendid health and
vigour, and so frisky that I was afraid to give her the
slightest opportunity of escape ; and it was well I took
precautions, or she would inevitably have been lost, and
losing her was not to be thought of under the circum-
stances.
Mr. Henderson will doubtless give her early history,
and explain the circumstances in which great care was
deemed desirable ; I am more concerned with the means
which secured her safety. Firstly, then I made an
artificial swarm from a very strong stock of hybrids,
which latter, now minus its flying element, viz., the old
warrior bees, was at once removed to a new stand, the
swarm being placed in its stead. The stock was then
searched for queen-cells, but none being found I felt
satisfied, and proceeded to cage the queen. She was in
a travelling-case, consisting of a piece of wood with three
holes bored in it, all communicating on the underside,
and one of which held some sugar-cake. The holes were
each too small to admit a finger and thumb, and she was
too lively to make a dash at, so I released her in a bee
hat, the veil being held round my wrist, and in an instant
she and all her attendants were on the wing, and but for
the veil would have escaped. I was thus able to capture
her with ease, and in a few moments she was safely
within an introducing cage between two of the central
combs of the deprived stock.
After twenty-four hours' imprisonment she was found
as lively and sprightly as ever, and was replaced until
the lapse of another similar period when, being still in
full vigour, I laid the cage containing her on the
quilt and watched the bees' conduct towards her;
and there being no demonstration of anger I pulled
out the imprisoning wire and gave the bees access
to her and hersslf the opportunity of escaping into the
hive. For some minutes the bees that had gone into the
cage remained with her, and had evidently been paying
her attention, for when I tapped the cage with the wire
I had withdrawn, they all marched out of the cage and
escorted her into the hive ; where two hours after I found
her as happy apparently as if she had been born there ;
and I trust that in a few weeks she will give me the
opportunity of describing her infant progeny.
Of the queen herself I can only say, with my very
limited acquaintanceship, that she is as black as anyone
could wish, and her attendants were the blackest I ever
saw — like polished ebony, but that may have been
caused by their rushing about through the passage in
their travelling case and rubbing against each other.
Mr. Henderson can give evidence of the ferocity of the
' old guard ' of the hive when the swarm was being
made, and I am sure he would have been astonished had
he been 'present at [the later manipulations at the
perfect gentleness of the young bees, who permitted
themselves to be twice overhauled without showing the
slightest disposition to sting. I felt so sure of this that
on neither occasion did I use any protection or any smoke
or othor ' frightener.' So much for young bees when
valuable or scarce queens require introduction. —
C. N. Abbott, Fairlawn, Southall, July 16th.
JOTTINGS BY ' WOODLEIGIL'
[171T.] Packing Sections. — As an old hand in tho
honey-packing business, and also (without egotism) a
successful one, I beg to give ' A Lincolnshire Novice,'
and others interested in the subject, my system of
packing. In the first place, I always endeavour to find
the grocer who will supply me with ' empties ' at the
cheapest rate — ' A L. N.' will find that grocers" have
various charges for the same kind of empty box, one will
charge '2d., while another will want Ad. for the same
size. Now supposing you have an order for half gross of
1-lb. glazed sections, ask your grocer for a cwt. cube
sugar box (cost M.), make some holes at each end with
gimlet or stock-and-bit, and put some strong cord handles
for the porters to lift or move it about with, then tie up
your six dozen sections in six parcels of one dozen each,
tied tightly with strong string ; now spread some clean,
soft (barley or oat) straw, or better still some meadow
hay, all over the bottom of your case about one inch thick,
then place side by side, with a little packing between,
two of your parcels of honey, pack well all round some
more packing, making the parcels as tight as possible,
then spread another layer of hay and two more parcels,
and proceed as before, then on top place your last two
dozen sections, and over all pack more hay, and then
screw on the lid of case, cord same, and label, ' Comb-honey,
with care, This side up — Please lift by handles.1 Smaller
orders, of course, will only require smaller and cheaper
boxes, but I pack all my orders in the same manner and
very rarely have any complaint of damage, not even a
glass cracked. I have sent parcels of honey to all parts
of England, also to India, packed as directed above, and
they have arrived in as good a condition as when they
left my hands. Sections per Parcel Post get broken,
often smashed.
Hives on the Level. — Allow me to endorse Mr. F.
Boyes' note on setting up swarms. I always have my
hives level, no forward tilt, but then my hives are on the
Combination principle, with frames parallel to entrance ;
and I think Mr. ' U. H.'s ' are all, or nearly all, with frames
at right angles with entrance, consequently a tilt forward
34 G
THE BRITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
[July 19, 1888.
so that the wet may rim off the roofs on the alighting-
boards in a veritable shower-bath, makes but little
difference except to the poor sentries on duty at the
entrance of the hive, who cannot have a very comfortable
position with the drip and splash of the miniature cascade
from the regions and roof above.
The Season. — The season has been a most disastrous
one from a bee-keeper's point of view ; the farmer with
his damaged hay has some set-off in his fields of roots
and promising spring corn, the poor bee-keeper has lost
his harvest, and has no redeeming feature to compensate
him for all the care, anxiety, and expense he has had
with his bees in the past trying spring, and no outlook
except further expense for food in building up for the
next season. Stocks in many instances are hardly getting
a living, with St. Swithin on us and barometer falling
we have every appearance of a thorough christening of the
apples to-morrow, and if the old folk lore holds good
of rain more or less for forty days if it rain on St.
Swithin, our outlook is gloomy indeed. Writers in the
Dailies have tried to show that '88 is in the cycle of
nine years, asserting that '61, 70, 70, and now '88, have
been wet, cold seasons. I have no record myself, per-
haps others of your readers have, who may be able to
verify the ideas set forth.
Queen Cells. — In reply to the query the young queen
is often left in the cell or cells, as in some instances I
have found queen-cells on eight out of ten frames and
cut out all except one in a warm part of the hive, say
centre of brood-nest, I should not think of leaving a
queen-cell at the bottom of frame if I intended the
swarm to remain out, as possibly she may get chilled ; a
good place for a cell to hatch out is one of the winter
passages in the top part of the combs.
Inverted Sheps. — Skeps are inverted and then supered
with a queen-excluder between the combs and super-case,
and the bees go in at the usual entrance at the top of
hive instead of bottom, when it is turned up. A small
alighting-board may be extemporised by driving two
pieces of strong wire into a piece of wood and thrusting
the wire ends into the skep, the edge of wood intended
to fit the side of skep should be hollowed out. —
WoODLEIGlI.
VARIOUS MATTERS.
[1718.] I cannot help thinking that 'Sherborne'
gives vent to a sardonic chuckle now and again during
this detestable weather. ' Now for your hundredweight
reports!' I imagine him to be gleefully ejaculating.
"Guess we shall be somewhat on a level this season.
Such level expressed in pounds being — nil.' This
Thoma-ian unbelief will not allow him, I fear, to
credit any statement recording a big surplus during the
year 1888. This season, following the bad one of last
vear, will, it is to be feared (or hoped ?), induco many a
tee-keeper to quit his business. I feel equal to another
season or two of a like character (like in their results), but
if, after that, another similar season should follow, then
I should feel it my duty to bid adieu to my bees and
their belongings — that is, if I should not in the mean-
time develop into a dealer in bees and appliances, in
which case I would do my utmost, short of actual pre-
varication, to induce people to enter upon the highly
remunerative and sure business of bee-keeping.
Natives v. Foreigners. — The high character which
many eminent bee-keepers, among them our Editor, the
writer of ' Useful Hints,' and ' Amateur Expert ' (I
refrain from naming those who deal in foreign bees,
not because I doubt their veracity when they praise the
bees they have to soil, but because the fact that they
have them to sell may unconsciously affect their judg-
ment), give to the foreign bee as compared with the
native, that I often feel that, as one who aspires to be
an advanced bee-keeper, I should, without delay, intro-
duce foreign blood into my apiary. No sooner, however,
is this resolution formed, than Mr. F. Boyes, or some one
else, shatters it. I fancy that Mr. Boyes a few weeks
ago challenged discussion on the relative merits of the
native and foreign bees. Will he favour the writer (and
with him, no doubt, many others) by giving reasons for
his preference for the blacks or browns ? I trust that
he can give satisfactory reasons, else I shall be under
the necessity of introducing alien blood, and, as a
consequence, hybridising the bees of the neighbourhood,
which latter may cause unpleasantness. Already one of
my lady neighbours feels rather sore towards me becauso
my bees have been taking liberties with her flowers,
thereby altering their colours.
Another matter that requires more discussion is that
of superseding queens. My experience is limited, but,
as far as it goes, it is in favour of the let-alone policy —
that is, while the queen's conduct is satisfactory. —
Welsh Novice, July itk.
Since writing the foregoing, I have seen ' Sherborne's
' Echo ' in the Journal of the 5th inst., and beg to
express my sympathy with him in his futile attempts at
reaching the 100-lbs. record. I cannot help thinking,
' Sherborne,' that your very moderate results in the
past are due to the same causes as occasioned your loss
of one sixth of your stocks during the winter. What
those may be I cannot tell, but perhaps I should not be
far wrong in lumping them together and calling them
mismanagement. Anyway, it appears to me that a bee-
keeper of ' Sherborne's ' experience ought to be able to
record better results.— W. N., July 7th.
PACKING AND SENDING SECTIONS BY
RAIL. (1703.)
[1719.] I have frequently packed and sent 1-lb.
sections 200 or 300 miles by rail without their getting
damaged as follows : I get small hampers, like sports-
men's hampers, made at workshops for the blind,
Carlisle, size 10 in. long by 0 in. wide by 9 in. deep, no
handle, price one shilling. This holds six or seven
sections. My sections are folded in paper, with a piece
of cardboard or thin wood at. each end of the row.
Put hay three or four inches deep in bottom of hamper,
place sections,more hay on the top and all round, tie down
lid, and cord hamper. Having no handle, the hamper
must be lifted by the cord in the middle, which keeps
the honey lovel. Label, l Honey. This side up. Care.'
Sections should be well built to the wood to travel
well. Hampers of honey could not be sent safely by
Parcel Post, as they might be turned every end up, but
empties could be returned so. A hamper 14 in. square
and 9 in. deep holds a double row of sections, and costs
Is. 3d. I give inside measure, but the hampers are not
made exactly to half an inch. They ought to be as wide
at bottom as at top. — Beeswing.
FOUL BROOD.
[1720.] I see you invite a correspondent to state his
experience of a cure of this disease, so send you par-
ticulars of my case — pour encourager les autres. In
your issue of July 28th, 1887, you inserted a letter from
me upon this subject. The disease seemed cured in this
hive last autumnj but it broke out again this spring. I
first noticed it on May 12th in a mild form, although I
had frequently sprayed the combs, ♦♦♦*♦♦««♦*♦♦♦•♦♦♦♦«♦♦♦»♦♦♦♦
^'SSSS
LITTLE WONDER, 7/6.
CYLINDER EXTRACTORS.
Very strong, useful Extractors, with Honey valve. Extract Sections.
2 Frame, 20/- ; with gear, 23/- | 1 Frame, 26/-; with gear, 30/-
SELF-REVERSIBLE EXTRACTOR.
Extracts both sides of the Comb by simply reversing the handle,
and is the best Extractor made. 3 Frame, 38/6 ; 4 Frame, 45/-
Conib Foundation, Smokers, Wax Extractors, Mills, Metal Ends, &c.
CATALOGUE POST mEB.
LAST DAY OF ENTRY, 1st August, 1888, for CLASS L; 15th August, 1888, ALL OTHER CLASSES.
LANCASHIRE & CHESHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION,
PRIZES LIST over £.4 0.
EXHIBITION of BEES, HIVES, and HONEY, in connexion with the Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and
North Lancashire Agricultural Society's Meeting, at Lancaster, on the 5th, Oth, & 7th Sept., 1888.
A — For the best and most complete Collection of Hives, Furniture, and Appliances
B — For the best and most complete Frame Hive
C — For the best and most complete Storifying Frame Hive, price not to exceed 12/6 unpainted
D — For the best Observatory Hive, stocked
E — For the best Exhibition of Honey
F — For the best Comb Honey in Sections
G — For the best Extracted Honey in glass jais
In Class F the Silver Medal, and in Class 6 the Bronze Medal, of the British Bee-keepers' Association,
will be awarded as extra prizes to tho best exhibit uiado in these classes by a member of the
L. and C. Association residing within tho Counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.
H— For the best 12 to 20 lbs. of Granulated Honey
I — For the best sample of Beeswax, not less than 3 lbs
K — Novelties and Useful Inventions connected with Bee Appliances or the products of an Apiary
L — County Competition
Schedules can be had from WM. LEES McCLTJRE, Hon. Secretary L. db C. B.K.A., The Lathams, PRESCOT.
3 Prizes .
.. £6 0
0
3 „
.. 2 10
0
3 „ .
2 10
0
3 „ .
3 10
0
4 „ .
.. 6 10
1)
4 „ •
.. 2 10
0
5 „ .
.. 2 12
6
3 „
. 1 IS
0
3 „
0 17
6
. 3 0
0
3 „
. 15 0
Q
British
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Strangewats' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 318. Vol. XVI.]
JULY 26, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(^bitorial, itotias, &.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Making Artificial Swarms.
Besides the methods of artificial swarming described
on page 319, there are several others which will now
occupy our attention. An apiary can be very rapidly
increased by the first method, and when a swarm is
taken from every hive, the number of colonies can very
quickly be doubled. Where the full number of colonies
have been reached, and it is only desired to make a few
swarms, either to replace those not healthy or make up
losses, the better plan is to utilise several hives in order
that the swarm can be made without weakening any of
them. It is impossible to get a large amount of honey
and a large number of swarms the same season ; and if a
strong swarm is taken from one hive only, the chances
are that neither will yield much honey. When to make
the swarm is also a point to be considered. Our plan
has always been to do so after the main honey-flow,
because we shall have secured our harvest from the early
fruit trees, and also from the clover and other honey-
yielding plants flowering usually in June. In many
places there is little gathered between the end of June
until the heather comes in, and during this interval is
the best time for making the swarms, which, if provided
with good queens and plenty of bees, should be fit to lay
up for themselves a sufficient provision for winter use.
We can make three colonies from two by proceeding in
the following way : — On a fine day, when most of the
bees are flying, remove five frames containing brood and
eggs from a strong colony, and shake or brush the bees
back into the hive. Place the five frames into the centre
of new hive and place empty comb or comb-foundation
on either side to fill the hive. The other hive from
which the combs have been taken should be treated in
the same way. This hive is now done with, and can be
covered over and left. We then remove another strong
stock to a new stand and place the. new hive containing
the combs of brood, but no bees, where it stood.
In this way one hive supplies the combs and another
the bees, because all the bees belonging to the hive which
we removed to the new stand will return to the old spot
and will furnish the new hive with the necessary popu-
lation. These will at once commence queen-cells, and
the hatching bees will provide the nurses for taking care
of the brood. Of course, if we wish to save time we will
not wait for the queens to leave the cells but will at
once introduce a fertile queen. In this way almost any
number of colonies can be utilised in making a swarm.
For example, if we have four colonies we may take two
combs of brood and eggs from each and brush all the
bees back into their hives. Fill up the vacancies caused
with empty combs. Insert the eight combs into a new
hive and place a frame of foundation on either side or
close up with division-boards. Then remove a fifth
stock to a new stand, and place the hive containing the
combs of brood in its place. The returning bees, as in
the last ca^e, will furnish the population to protect the
brood and raise the queen. It will be seen that in the
same way six, seven, or eight hives may be made each to
contribute its share towards building up a swarm, and
that without any detriment to themselves. On the con-
trary, it often does them good to take away some of their
brood and give the queen more room to lay. In all these
methods we make our swarms from bees that have
flown and depend upon our young bees to hatch from
the brood-combs inserted; but there is another way of
making a swarm entirely of young bees. We place the
hive we wish to tenant on its stand iu the apiary and
then select from five to eight strong stocks to provide
the combs of brood and bees. Then go to the first hive and
take out a frame filled with brood and eggs and examine
it well to see that the queen is not removed with it.
Then carry it to the new hive and with a jerk shake off
all the bees on to the alighting-board in front of the
entrance and place the frame of brood inside. Then go
to the next hive selected and remove a frame of brood
and treat it in the same way, and do the same with
every one you take out to form the new swarm.
W hen as many frames have been inserted as are required
the hive is closed, and we can either allow the bees to
raise a queen or can introduce a queen amongst the bees
as they are running into the hive. All or most of those
bees that have flown will return to their own hives,
whilst the young bees will enter the new hive and
remain to protect the brood. The bees all being young
will take very readily to the queen. By this method a
comb and a few bees are taken from a number of stocks,
so that none of them are appreciably weakened. If it
is thought advisable to make swarms during the honey
flow we should recommend either of the two last
methods as being the least likely to cause a diminution
of the surplus collected. Even where a considerable
number of swarms are required matters may be so
arranged that they could be made once a-week during
the whole season. A hive that has only had one comb
of brood and bees taken from it will be quite strong
enough to yield another in a week or ten days if the
queen is a good one, and this could be continued every
ten days throughout the season. We must caution our
352
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[July 26, 1888.
readers not to neglect feeding swarms, more especially
during such inclement weather as we arS now having.
If the swarms are not fed they are sure to perish. With
January weather also in July we must keep them
warmly covered and reduce the space by division-boards
to the number of frames occupied by the bees.
Fortunately for bee-keepers such a summer as the
present one does not come very often, and those who
kept bees in 1879 will remember that year as very simi-
lar to this one. We shall certainly never forget the
mud at the Kilburn Show, and how it rained at almost
every exhibition of bees we visited. This summer is not
quite as bad, although it is very nearly so. Let us hope
that we may have a fine autumn and that our swarms
may collect enough stores for their winter provision.
Sltte ye grcatc Sfjotoe.
There was nothyng muche, wen alle ys fayde, to
make a note of atte ye Nottynghamc Showe, after
that wone hath viewed ye divers novell devyces
vvyche aperc from tyme to tyme ; ye fayme olde
barrfrayme hyv, ye fayme olde feder, ye ydentical
olde fayces of menne difplaing their wayrcs as were
fenc of yore. Wonne varyetic there was, mayde by
yc Committee of Brytifli Bekepers, wych atte ye firll
fyt was barelie relyfhed by fomme, to wit : — ye dif-
playcement of yc olde veteran Experte-in-chefe
Baldewyn from ye be tent. We were tolde that ye
chefe reafon of this furpryfe was that ye mynde of
ye B.B.K.A. did lede them ynto chofyng a rite deft
manne wych would do hys werke atte les code of
ye peces than erltwyle, by reafone of hys Iivyng yn
ye neborode of ye fhowe. Thys foundethe rite wele,
but yt il affortyth wyth fome olde-fafhyoned notions
of ufyng ye fervante wele wen he fervyth wele, in
alle ye hete and^burdene of ye daie, yn fay re wether
as well as fowle, but do not put ym afyde for eke
doeyng nothyng amys. Yt behovcth wonne to fe ye
Committee tak a lyke mynd unto wifdome ynto alle
tbeyr doyngs. Agayn, 1 have onelie prayfc to fayc of
Mailter Howarde, ye godeman that dyd hys werke
yn ye be tent ryte nymblie, and hys talkyng was alle
common fenfe. So wele dyd ye byilanderes lyk ye
difcours of Maiiler Howarde that they prefled them-
felves ynto ye faycred ynclofure ytfelf atte grete ry(k
of geten yltabed with be-ltyngs. There was atte
tymes barelie room eno' for ym to go onne with hys
fhowe. I had almollc to pufh rudelie to get withyn
hearyng of yc myftcrics of handlyng ye bes.
There was a jouflyng or tryall of (kill of mills for
rollynge, and alfo the werke of makyng bes-waxe ynto
flietes yclept foundation, wcrewyth to fyl ye woden
fraymes yn ye hyv ; there were who gotte their
fyngers burned wyth ye boylyng waxe, and there
were who fmyled at yt.
There were fome fearfullie and wonderfullic mayde
dyverfions yclept Extractors ; fome were not eafily
underftanded of ye people, for Darby and Joan would
afkc yf ye thyng were for churnyng but ere, and Joan
would foe often turn yt round about, that wonne
niakere dyd perforce tyc hys up agayn and agayn.
I could not but remark on ye lykenefs of people to
fome animals yn Regent's Parke, for whatever could
be moved, lyfted, or turned round, had to be fenlelefllie
werked jult as ye laft wonne werked yt.
Maillers Abbotte, Blowc, Godeman (of Saynt Albans)
Neibor, Gryffyn (of ye dubbin), Meadowes, ye two
Dickfons, were alle to the front with their wayres,
and prefent themfelves. Maillers Raynor, Seager,
Hookere, ye fon of Clure of ye Lathams, and W. B.
Carre (ye devyfer of ye metaille endes) were alle there.
(' May my end be lyk hys,' W. B. C, myt be ye motto
of ye next inventor, or elfe ' hys end was (i) pece.'
Wonne of ye judges was a young man, but I wot he
was an olde judge by ye waie he applyed hymfelftoye
be furniture. Ye judges, Mr. Carre, Rev. G. Raynor,
and Mr. W. Martyn, were alle there, and yt ys to be
hoped we fal here no more murmuryngs of ye pail by
refbn of the paynes they toke to do what ys fayre
among men. I elofelie fcanned their fayces and ufed
my fmokere till I was wcarie of waytyng, fo how tired
ye judges mult have bene ! I trow ye judge is alwaies
wrong by ye nature of thynges, for he cannot pleafe
alle altho' he tries. Hys office ys lyke unto ye drawing
waterc out of a well with a feve. To ufe an old joke,
' ynfled of honey he getteth but whackes.' So we
know ye very bell upright men are ye judges and
awarde ye prizes to ye bell godes.
A brave and godelie fhowe of floures likelie for bes
to cull ye neilar out of, was mayde by yc firm at
Southall and got its mede of prayfe. Of ye glafs hyves
there, ye feders and fraymes I will not prayfe wonne
over another, and of new fangled notions there were
alle too manic.
There were liyves bigge and hyves tal,
Hyves brode and hyves imal,
Hyves nYilovve and liyves depe,
Ye routes flatte and ye roofes ftepe,
But hyves to plefe ye alle.
X-Tr ACTOR.
ASSOCIATIONS.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Committee-meeting held at 105 Jennys Street, on
Thursday, July 10th. Present, the Rev. George Raynor
iu the chair, Dr. Bartrum, Captain Campbell, the Rev.
F. S. Sclater, Rev. F. T. Scott, Rev. F. Clay, H. Jonas,
W. O'B. Ulennie, treasurer, and the secretary. The
minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
The secretary presented the award of prizes in the Bee
department of the Royal Agricultural Show. Resolved,
that the same be paid, and that the statement of accounts
relating; to this exhibition be forwarded to the Finance
Committee as soon as completed. The consideration of
the amended rules for conducting third-class examinations
was resumed and completed. Several judges and exam-
iners were appointed for country shows. Third-class
certificates were signed in favour of Messrs. H. W.
Perkins and J. T. Ambrose, having passed successfully
at the Aylesbury show ; and of Messrs. W. Keene, O.
Lambert, W. T. Marlow, and Edwin Stannard of Hamp-
ton, having passed at the Middlesex Exhibition held at
Hampton Hill.
Quarterly meeting of County Representatives held at
10-1 Jerrayn Street on Thursday last, the Rev. George
Raynor in the chair. The following county representa-
ti\es wore present: — W. L"es McClure, Lancashire and
Cheshire; C. N. White, Hunts ; F. H. Meggy, Essex ;
W. B. Webster, Berks; F. Cudd, Kent; Rev. W. E.
Burkitt, Wilts.
The minutes of the last Quarterly Conference having
been read and confirmed, the chairman explained I he
nature of the amendments which had been made in the
rules and regulations for conducting third-class examin-
July 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
353
ations. The amendments having been fully discussed
and some additions added thereto, it was resolved, that
the same be printed, and come into force on the earliest
possible date.
We are requested to state that owing to the illness
of the secretary at the time, no report of the Committee
meeting held on June 21st appeared in our columns.
There were present at this meeting, Captain Bush in the
chair, the Rev. Dr. Bartrum, Kev. J . L. Seager, Rev.
R. Errington, and the secretary.
The Quarterly Conversazione was held at G p.m., in the
Board-room of the R.S.P.C.A., 105 Jermyn Street, St.
James's. Among the audience present were Mr. Glennie,
Mr. II. Jonas, the Rev. Mr. Scott, Mr. Meggy, Captain
Campbell, Mr. Webster, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Lee, the
Rev. Mr. Burkitt, Mr. Blow, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Groves-
Watson, Air. White, Mr. Grimshaw, Mr. Cudd, and Mr.
Alexander.
The Chairman (Mr. Glennie) said that there were
several articles bearing on bee-culture for exhibition, and
consideration that evening. They were, (1>, Section-
holders in various forms, designed by Mr. E. McNally,
and sent by Mr. P. Stubbs, 2 Britannia Street, Leek;
(2), Glass sections by Mr. Skermer, Swan wick, Alfreton ;
(.">), Swarm-catcher by Mr. Webster of Binfield, Berks ;
(4), Cottager's hive witli (a) Combination feeder and (6)
Combination floor-board, by Mr. 0. N. White, Somers-
ham, St. Ives, Hunts. The proceedings would open
with a paper entitled, ' The Red-backed Shrike, or
Butcher-bird, as an Enemy of Bees,' written by Mr.
AVebster, who had kindly consented to read it.
The Red-backed Shrike, or Butcher-bird.
In England, bee-keepers have but a few living enemies
to contend with ; in fact, so few are their numbers that,
they may be counted upon the fingers. By living
enemies I mean such creatures that prey upon bees or
destroy the produce of same ; and when speaking of
their numbers, I alludo to them, not individually, but
collectively, in their different classes. By many, and
also by most writers upon apiculture, the Tit family,
embracing as it does in England four varieties, namely,
the great tit (Varus major), the blue tit (I'arus cf another year. This prepara-
tion should be begun early ; in fact it cannot be commenced
too soon after the honey-How ceases. Each bee-keeper
should know enough of the flora of his locality to be
able to determine when no more honey should be ex-
pected, and should then at. onco take care of the gathered
crop, and begin putting his colonies in shape to with-
stand a long winter's siege.
It makes but little difference in preparation whether
the bees are to be wintered on summer stands or not so
far as early labour is concerned, as the principles
governing the matter are the same in both cases. The
first thing necessary is to see that ample stores will be
left in the brood-chamber, and in position such that the
bees can get at them at all times. I used the Langstroth
hive, and consider that seven frames spaced in the room
allowed in summer is about right. I have all prepara-
tions completed by October 1st, and they consist in
having seven frames filled and capped with pure honey
in their upper half at least. The queen should be urged
to deposit eggs as long as there is a prospect of their
rearing brood that will take at least one flight before
the winter sets in. Localities differ, so that it is im-
possible to set a date ; each must decide for himself. I
have not found that it makes much difference wintering
on summer stands whether chaff or single-walled hives
are used, as I have been equally successful with both.
On or about the 1st of October I see that ample stores
are contained in the frames as stated above ; I then put
a' Hill's device ' or its equivalent over tops of frames,
covering the same in with a piece of old carpet, or
something of the kind. I then put on an upper storey,
and fill in the same with forest leaves pressed loosely
down, cover the bees up, givo a large entrance, and
leave them alone till the following spring. Tho ' Hill's
device ' gives an inch or more of space over tops of
frames, and allows inter-communication with every frame
in the hive, without breaking up the cluster. I do not
think that the cold of itself kills our bees, but that want
of stores or excessive moisture does do so.
By giving ample stores we can guard against starvation.
The ' Hill's device ' allows the bees to travel freely and
safely from one side of tho hive to another, and the forest
leaves allow the moisture to pass off out of top of hive,
while at the same time retaining the necessary heat.
Want of space demands that I should outline briefly,
but I think that any bee-keeper can understand the
principle stated. This may be varied as circumstances
seem to require, but by usiug the principle as indicated,
I have been able to winter on summer stands for years
without '2 per cent of loss. — J. E. Pond, No. Attleboro,
Mass., U.S., June 8th {Canadian Honey Producer).
SKEPS REVERSED. (1697.)
[1730.] Having noticed that the letter of tho Rev.
W. E. Burkitt in your issue for July 5th remains un-
answered, and believing that I am the friend at
Swindon alluded to, I venture to give your readers my
experience with tho above system. I really do not think
I can do better than refer them to the excellent article
written by yourself, vol. xiii., page 401, where I first
borrowed the idea. To begin with, having procured the
head of an old barrel, I cut with a running saw a
circular hole, slightly smaller in diameter than that of
the sleep I wished to reverse. To this I fitted four legs
of sufficient height from the ground to allow my skep
(which I should say was a flat-topped one with a hole
in the crown for supering), to rest on an old cheese-vat.
All I had then to do was to cut a passage for bees to
pass through crown-hole of skeps, which is very easily
cut with a chisel in the vat or floor-board. The crates
I have always used are an adaptation of the Hereford
Simplicity, made by myself from a copy supplied by
Mr. Hole of Ledbury. They can be tiered to any height
you please; and I have had them three and four deep.
I generally work fifteen to eighteen 1-lb. sections in a
crate ; and in no case have I ever had a queen enter
these, though I never use an excluder.
My thanks are also due to Mr. Garratt, for his
excellent description of this system, illustrated with
a capitally-made hive and crate, which he exhibited at
our show at Swindon.
Unlike tho Rev. W. E. Burkit 1 1 have never had a swarm
issue from a reversed skep, but I think due allowance
must bo made for the season, as swarming has been very
prevalent this season. My first reversed skep was in
1880, when I tried it after the hive had swarmed twice,
and then I managed to obtain a fine bell-glass. Tho
best, however, was last season, as one single hive yielded
July 26, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
361
eighty-seven 1-lb. sections with about forty from another.
The present season being a bad one my highest amount
of sections on a skep is thirty, some of these are near
completion.
I think this system will compare favourably with
many frame-hives, though I must say it is rather more
trouble.
My apiary at present consists of thirty stocks, six
being skeps, This is a splendid locality for honey as
we have abundance of white clover, which the unfor-
tunate weather wo have had has prevented the bees
from visiting. I don't however, despair of a slight honey
yield from limes, should the weather turn favourable.
I am afraid the Rev. Mr. BurMtt has placed a far too
high a value on my experience of this system. I enclose
samples of wild flowers from which my bees gathered
more honey than from any other source. I should be
pleased if you would give me the names of thorn. (Sec
Notices to Correspondents.) I hope this description will
sat isfy your correspondent ' Amateur.' Further questions
he, or any of your readers, may choose to ask, 1 shall bo
pleased to answer. — John 0, YVhatley, Grove Farm,
Brunsdon, Wilts.
TOADS AND BEES. (1710.)
[1731.] My bees being high busy, I placed a sloping
board from the ground to the alighting-board. Passing
in the evening 1 noticed an impudent toad sitting on the
edge of it, watching for a victim. On seeing me ho took
a header iuto a wide ditch three or four feet below. The
next evening I mounted guard and found the fellow had
climbed up to the same spot on the same business ; I had
not long to wait before out came his tongue like greased
lightning and snapped up one of my little pets. 1 soon
dislodged him from his perch and taught him never to
come there any more. Toads are not dead body-snatchers,
they never take anything unless it is moving. — lv. GotJGH,
Llanjihanyel Station, near Dort/i, R.S.O., July 20.
Sudden Death : Stung by a Dee. — Miss Ella Baker,
youngest daughter of Mr. T. Baker, of the Inner
Temple, and Kingscote, Wokingham, was stung under
the eye by a bee in the garden, about 12 on the 13th
instant. She treated the matter lightly, and suffered no
pain after the customary simple antidote had been ap-
plied, saying that she had been stung before, the swelling
woidd rim its course and go down again, and she con-
tinued to be quite cheerful down to 8.30 on the 14th,
when she fell asleep on the sofa. At 9.15 she suddenly
woke up in a convulsive fit, and died from syncope
within a minute, aged twenty -nine. Miss Ella Baker
was highly intellectual, and the author of ' Bertram do
Drumont' and other tales for young people; also ' Stories
from Old History,' ' The Sovereigns of England,' ' Songs
of the Season.',' and other fugitive pieces. — Newspaper
Paragraph .
Respecting the foregoing Mr. W. B. Webster writes :
— ' We have made inquiries into the above case and
find that the young lady was stung by the side of
the nose near the eye on the morning of Friday the 13th
July; her eye was somewhat swollen after, but no ill
effects were experienced from the sting, as during Friday
and Saturday she performed all her household duties
and ate her meals (vegetarian) as usual. Late on the
Saturday evening she was seized with convulsions and
died just before or immediately after the arrival of
the doctor. The medical certificate state that death
occurred from convulsions and syncope. We have this
latter information from very gcod authority. She had
been slung twice before, but, except from local swelling
as in the former case, she experienced no ill effects. She
was a lady of exceedingly delicate constitution and
suffered from abscesses in her neck. Her sister died
very suddenly some few years ago at about the same age.
REVIEW.
Hooker's Guide to Successful Bee-Keeping.
By John M. Hooker, member of the Committee of
British Bee-Keepers' Association. Published by John
Huckle, Kings Langley. — The author is well known
as a contributor to our Journal, and has been a
member of the managing committee of the British
Bee-keepers' Association from its commencement. He
has also acted for several years as a judgo at
many of the shows held throughout the country.
He has kept bees since he left school, and has
therefore had a long practical experience in their manage-
ment, more especially as he has practised the methods
adopted both in Europe and America. The object of
the book is to comply with the wish of friends that
he should give a few plain instructions as to the best
way to commence bee-keeping, so as to help beginners in
the selection of such appliances as are useful and
necessary for the purpose of carrying on the pursuit
with the object of adding in a slight degree to their
incomes. Mr. Hooker has been a successful exhibitor
of both hives and honey, and received the first prize in
the Bligh Competition, open to all England, for the
largest return from one hive, and confines his remarks to
such elementary and practical remarks as may be most
useful. The price of the book precludes the possibility
of entering as fully as he could wish into the details of
the various methods of management. It contains sixty-
two pages, and many of the more recent hives and
appliances for the production of comb and extracted
honey are illustrated.
(&t\ut% front % Jjibcs.
Freestone, Bath, July 2\st. — The weather has been
no better here than in any other part of the country; we
have not had a single real summer day such as we had
so many weeks of last year. It was fortunate, indeed, the
weather was so fine during May, my bees filling their
combs three inches from the top bars, but it is all gone
now, bees having had to live on it Ear the past six weeks.
I am generally content if 1 can make my bees bring in
enough to cover expenses, but this yew it is all expenses
and no returns. Whydon't 'John Peal'(1716) paint his
wooden feeders with wax, it would help to make them
w ater-tight and prevent any syrup from soaking into the
wood ?
Honey Cott, Leamington, July 2.".. — Rain ! rain ! rain !
The merciless rain puts one in mind of a season in the
infancy of the B.B.J., when there was a sketch of a bee
with an umbrella given as the trade-mark of the season.
Boor drones ! being terrified and driven out before their
usual time, while those not come to maturity have been
lugged out of their cells, and cast out of the hives. Poor
bees ! when it is a bit of fine weather, off they go in
their thousands, ofttimes to be driven back before they
have had a chance to get even a little watery honey ;
many, no doubt, being cut down by the heavy rain
showers we have had during the past week, while others
have just managed to get through after a heavy down-
pour of ten minutes or more. Poor bee-keepers ! what
does all this bad weather mean but that later on we
shall have to dip rather deep into the pockets and the
sugar tubs ? Well, even if this season is a failure, we
must hope for the next to be better. Perhaps it would not
have been good for us to have two good seasons together.
All I know is, that if at the last moment we have a
good shower of honey, as the Yankees say, my pots are
right side up to catch it. — John Walton.
Behoboth Cottage, Warhlelon, Sussex. — Never before
in my bee-experience have we had such a summer, bees
actually brought to death's door by starvation at this
302
THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL.
[July 26, 1888.
(.'3rd) middle of July. I believe in all my twelve hives
there are not five pounds of honey. Some I find, on
examination, are quite destitute, and have drawn their
brood from the cells, both drone and worker, and the
majority of drones are despatched. The question is,
Will it pay to feed them up for twelve months, or
sulphur the lot at once, the meadows nearly all mown, and
no prospect of better weather ? I suppose we must wait
and hope a little longer yet. — H. Neve.
N0TICES~T0 CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS
Letters or queries asking for addresses oj manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or "where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
W. T. — Parsley. — Bees are fond of the garden parsley
( Carum Petroselinwm), though the flowers do notsecrete
much honey. Apium is the generic name given to
celery, &c, the deviation of which is obscure.
J. C. W. — The flowers enclosed are : No. 1, Centaurea
nigra, No. 2 is probably a scabious, but we are unable to
determine which in the absence of leaves.
A bed Amateur. — 1. Destruction of Drones. — You hived
a swarm, presumably in a hive not containing stores,
and the bees brought into action their Draconic law of
destroying useless ' members of their community ' by at
once by killing off drones. They certainly treated
them with more consideration than you have treated
their remains, for these arrived — a shapeless, squelched
compound, abdomen, thorax, and head, being inti-
mately mixed together. 2. The Wind's Influence on
Direction of Swarms. — If you refer to the direction of
the wind on the days the swarms went to the garden
you speak of, you will, doubtless, find it blew in a
south-easterly or easterly direction, and that they
took up hill also. We know of no reason why they
should not settle near home if there are bushes or trees
near. They may have so settled and risen again.
The good wife who says she knows when a swarm is
coming by the conduct of her bees, probably recog-
nises in this the slight excitement caused by the
efforts of scouts to find a new home.
A. WlLSON. — Dead Queen. — Your dead queen seems to
have been in full laying, and has not been stung to
death. It is evident that for some reason or other
best known to the bees they have thought fit to super-
sede her. If you have not overlooked a queen-cell in
your examination, you will, no doubt, find some by
this time.
Rev. A. Booker- Hill. — Your letter has been for-
warded as requested.
T. Bonner-Chambers. — When a number of inventive
minds are brought to bear on the improvement of any
appliance, it is remarkable how many slight gradations
there are, all of them leading on step by step to perfec-
tion. This has been noticeable in the various improve-
ments in making sections, and there is a difficulty of
deciding where one maker begins and another ends.
Thomas Boycott. — Italian Strain. — Some one in your
district has, or has had, Ligurian blood in his apiary,
producing hybrid drones, and these have mated with
your black queen, thus giving you a slight strain of
Italian blood, and, consequently, improving your breed.
I). II. Durrant. — 1. Planting for Bees. — Your space is
far too limited to be of real use to the number of
colonies you name. You cannot do better than try
Arabis( white), crocus (yellow), wallflowers, mignonette.
Limnantb.es is grand when grown in masses, we have
beds 100 feet by 1:3 feet that everyone admired, but in
small patches it is untidy. 2. Space for Apiary. — To
accommodate twenty -four hives set in quincunx
fashion, you should occupy at least 40 feet by 22 feet.
You would find this too close in case of family
quarrels between the different colonies. Ashes o.-
sawdust would make a good coating under your hives.
We should prefer ashes.
H. Neve. — Name of Plant. — This is not the truj
heather, but one of the British heaths. The yield of
honey from this is small, and not of the exquisite
flavour of heather honey.
N. T. — 1. Samples of Wax. — These appear tobeallright.
2. Bleaching Wax. — Scrape this into thin flakes, ant
if ever the sun shines again expose the wax to the
full sunlight, spreading the wax out, thinly. 3. Im-
proving Strain. — We should recommend you to obtain
an English-bred Carniolau queen, and allow no drones
to be raised except in her hive.
T. 0. — Strong Stocks. — Your position is the same as the
majority of bee-keepers. It' the weather should im-
prove your bees would certainly find the limes. If
you can spare room for more stocks we should divide,
and introduce fertile queens of 1888 at once. You
would most likely get some fine section honey if you
supered at once, and gave the swarms starters only.
But do not forget to feed if there is no better weather.
L. W, JR. — 1. Variety of Bees. — Either pure Ligurian or
but slightly crossed. 2. Peculiar Bee. - Andrena
fulva (female). ;!. Fertility of Queen. — As you have
capped worker brood we consider your queen fertile. 4.
Emptiness of Comb. — Caused by bad weather. 5.
Number of Frames. — These may remain at present.
No more should be added. 0. Super. — Yes, let it
remain if weather improves now that the limes are in
in bloom. 7. Feeding. — No feeding necessary if bees
can get out, but if wet they must be fed slowly.
8. Egg. — An experienced eye will easily detect eggs in
the cells. They are white. 0. Lumpy Matter. — This
is pollen, which appears to have become very dry and
hard. We attribute no importance to it.
X. Y. Z. — Pollen-carrying. — This is no absolute sign
of queen being fertilised or otherwise. Notice the
capped brood. If necessary put further questions.
Wood Green. — Wax. — Your sample of wax was sent
with others to be tested. The reply was that none of
the samples were absolutely pure, ' that of " Wood
Green " being the best, only two degrees in melting
from pure beeswax.' The adverse weather was the
cause of the bees not drawing out the foundation.
Herbert. — Suspicious Comb. — Foul brood decidedly.
We are informed by Mr. T. Blow that he has been
favoured by Mr. F. Andreu with a Minorcan queen, and
successfully introduced.
The extent of our report of the Quarterly Meeting of (he
D. B. K. A. has obliged its to postpone a number of communi-
cations.
SHOWS TO COME.
August 1, 2. — Glamorganshire Agricultural Society's
Show.
August 0. — Berkshire Show at Clewer.
September 5-7. — Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Lees McClure,
The Lathoms, l'rescot. Entries close August 1st.
business directory.
1 ♦ «
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
iiTTSH
J HZ
%
^^^si
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Strangewats' Pbiniinq Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 319. Vol. XVI.]
AUGUST 2, 1888.
[Poblished Weekly.]
<£bit0rial, 'Batitts, #t.
BRITISH AND IRISH STANDARD FRAMES.
We have been asked by a correspondent from Ireland
to advise on a few points respecting' standard hives and
frames. We are informed that the Irish Bee-keepers'
Association, in their standard hive, recommend that it
should be 0~ in. deep, and that the frame be 8$ in.
deep, the same as the English standard.
It is much to be regretted that the Irish Association
did not adopt the same size frame as the British standard,
the depth of which was fixed after considerable thought
had been bestowed on the subject. The chief reason for
finally settling the depth of the standard frame at 8i in.
was to admit of the hive being made 9 in. deep, this
being the depth of the deals (9 in. by 3 in.) imported
into this country, so that they could be made with as
little waste of material and as cheap as possible. It
will be seen that this would give i an inch under
frames, but in practice it is found necessary to reduce
the 9 in. board a trifle by planing it smooth, leaving it
8g in. full, so that the space below the frames would be
| in. full. This is sufficient for all purposes, although
we should not fear any comb being built under the
frames if J in. was left between the bottom of frames
and the floor-board.
If the depth of hive is 9| in., it has either to have a
thin piece nailed on to make it up, or it has to be cut out
of 11-in. stuff, which makes it more expensive on account
of the If in. waste piece left, the wider stuff also being
more expensive.
Frames of standard size are 14 inches by 8i inches
outside measurement, the top bar being preferably 17
inches long, the thickness of frame may be varied, but
the outside dimensions must be the same. We have
always considered the frames that have the sides tenoned
into the top bars the best, and there ought to be no
difficulty in putting them together in a satisfactory
manner. A frame-block is necessary, and before the
tenons are driven into the mortices, they should have a
little glue brushed over them, and before the glue dries,
they should be examined to see that the top and bottom
bars are true with one another, and tried on a board
having two strips of wood nailed at right angles to see if
they are square, and if not they must be pushed into
shape, and then put away piled one across the other till
the next day, when they will be set square and may
have a shaving taken off the top to clean off any glue
and projections of tenons if any. This is very easily
done by a quick lad after a little practice, and makes a
very strong frame.
There is no difficulty in getting frames correct in size
from our leading hive-makers, and if tried in the manner
above described, they will be perfectly rectangular and
give the proper space of \ inch between the ends of
frames and sides of hive when they would also hang true,
if the metal ends, if used, are put on properly. It is
most important that frames hang quite parallel and true
in the hive, or the combs will be attached to more than
one frame. Lee's dovetailed frames are made with for
h inch top bars as required, in both cases the outside
measure is 8A inches. The \ inch top bars are made to
work with ordinary § top bars having the usual pattern
metal ends, which raise the frame an ~ inch on its
supports, which is now generally left A inch down from
the top of the hive.
THE ITALIAN EXHIBITION.
Bee-keepers visiting this otherwise interesting and
successful Exhibition will doubtless make it a point not
to leave its preciucts without first examining what there
is in it to be seen in that branch of industry lying nearest
to their heart, and they naturally assume that an Italian
exhibition without honey could hardly be possible.
Owing, however, to the number of applications for
space in almost every branch of the Exhibition having
by far exceeded the most sanguine hopes of its promoters
and of the London Italian Chamber of Commerce, who
took such a conspicuous share in its arrangements, it
soon became a matter of imperative necessity to erect
special buildings or pavilions, as they are generally called,
for the accommodation of Classes 1, 2, and 3. It is in
Class 2 (Farm and Dairy Produce and Preserved Food)
that Apiculture has been grouped.
Unfortunately for these three cks*s, which represent
nevertheless one of the most important branches of
Italy's resources, these specially erected pavilions or
courts are absolutely severed from the main building,
consequently, one of the results most to be regretted is
that they are passed unobserved by nearly nine out of
ten visitors passing through the turnstiles. Nor is this
all, for, with very few exceptions, agricultural exhibits
have not only had to accept the lion's share of these
unfavourable circumstances, but have had to content
themselves with one of the most out-of-the-way, and
consequently one of the least - visited corners of the
whole Exhibition. A few hints, therefore, how to find
it may possibly be acceptable to some of our readers, as
they may save time.
364
THE BKITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
[August 2, 1888
Therefore, after having given a glance to what there
is to be seen in the main building — where paintings,
sculpture, art-furniture, and the like, are displayed in
profusion — the visitor ought to make his way across the
gardens, by going over one of the bridges, where he soon
will be attracted by the unceasing noise of the Alpine
Switch-back Railway opposite, or the harmonious sounds
of Exhibition or other bands playing almost continuously
on the Italian temple on the left. Once here, he will
have no difficulty in discovering the buildings where
'Alimentary classes ' — as they are advertised about — are
laid out for inspection. It may be here added that a
bar has been opened within these buildings where almost
every item of food and beverage exhibited can be tasted
at most moderate charges.
The exhibitors in the classes in which we are most
interested are a dozen or thereabout in number, of whom
the following are the most conspicuous : —
Giacomo Bertoli, of Varallo-Sesia, northern Italy,
awarded diploma of honour. This is undoubtedly the
most imposing show of honey to be seen. His exhibits
consist of about 150 large tins, containing a kilo, or
about 2|- lbs., of the most delicious honey ever produced.
The tins are elegantly got up, and very convenient for
export. It may be here explained that Mr. Bartoli's
honey is collected at an immense altitude, called Alagna,
the highest village on the Italian side of Monte Rosa,
where Mr. Bertoli takes his bees in June, when most of
the aromatic herbs are in blossom. After this is over,
his stocks, about 100 in number, are brought down to a
pretty village near Varallo-Sesia, called Civiasco, where
they are wintered and attended to by this most intelligent
and practical bee-keeper, who makes Alpine nomade
apiculture a speciality. His exhibits are in charge of
Messrs. Cirio & Co. at the Exhibition.
Domenico Rovagnati, 25 Corso S. Celso, Milan, has a
very tastefully got up stand, full of fancy glass bottles
and jars in the form of a skep ; also a few frames of the
Italian standard size and wax-candles. The whole is
tastefully arranged, and well deserves the diploma of
merit it has received.
Lucio Paglia, a well-known farmer and wine-grower
in Castel S. Pietro, Emilia, shows a large number of glass
bottles with metal stoppers full of his finest honey.
There are also on his stand a large cake of wax, specially
made boxes for sending honey by parcel post, and sundry
other items relating to apiculture. This exhibitor owns
one of the largest model apiaries in Italy, and his queens
are favourably known in this country. Mr. Paglia has
been awarded an honourable mention, and is also ex-
hibiting in the wine class.
Gajani-Bonaghi Sr Co., 13 Via Barbiera, Bologna.
Besides purified honey and wax, these exhibitors have
on show a stocked Italian bee-hive of Sartori's pattern,
and a hollow trunk of a tree full of comb. The bees in
the hive have, however, all died, not having been
liberated on arrival. They have been awarded an
honourable mention.
Paolo Rossi, 207 Via Rossi, Sondrio, shows about 100
glass jars with metal stoppers in a pretty stand all to
himself, and of attractive appearance. The jury awarded
him an honourable mention.
Milesi Ferretti <5(- Co., 63 Via S. Stefano, Bologna,
exhibit a large pot of purified honey.
Gaetano Sartorio, 43 Via Polacchi, Palermo (Sicily),
makes an attractive show all to himself, in a tastefully
arranged stand, in which he also shows preserved
oranges, meddlars, and sweet herbs.
Eusebio Pint 8f Co., of Grossotto (Sondrio), in the
Valtellina. This firm have their exhibits in a stand
exclusively to their service, of a pyramid shape and full of
glass bottles with metal stoppers full of Alpine honey.
They also show a few frames of honey-comb, and make
altogether a pleasant exhibition.
Cha. Paolo Bensa, 10 Via S. Bernardo, Genoa. In
conjunction with honey, this exhibitor shows a consider-
able quantity of tinned meats.
Enrico Brum', Macerata (Marche), has a display of
purified honey.
Count Gugliehno De la Feld, Castelrovere, Salerno.
Purified honey and cheese.
Orazio Orazi, of Servigliano (Marche), exhibits purified
honey, honey-comb, and preserves with honey.
Antonio Garulli Pascucci, Recanati, Marche, exhibits
honey.
Nicolo Zonghi-Lotti, of Fabriano, Ancona. Honey.
Rocchi Carotti, Chiaravalle, Ancona. Wine, dried
fruits and honey.
Besides the above, there are sundry other exhibits
connected with apiculture, mostly placed among other
farm products generally, and preserves.
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather and Prospects. — The weather does not
improve, and affairs now look very serious indeed. We
hear on all sides not only of hay rotting in our fields,
but of wheat, barley, and oats iu little better condition.
Wind-storms and pouring rains have ' laid ' the crops,
and an almost total absence of sunshine, with a very
low temperature, prevents the ear from filling, the grain
from forming, and mildew has already appeared. Surely
in Ovid's words we may deprecatingly exclaim : —
'Aspera Eobigo, parcas Cerealibus herbis,
Et tremat in summa lreve cacumen humo.
Tu sata sideribus cceli nutrita secundis
Crescere, dum fiant falcibus apta, sinas.'
Grass and corn-crops would seem to have no better fate
in store than ensilage, and farmers who devote them
to this are probably the wisest of their class. In an
equal degree with vegetation do our little sun-worshippers,
the bees, suffer. The white clover has failed to secrete
nectar, the limes are in bloom, and beginning to fail, and
the bees have little or no opportunity of visiting either,
if, indeed, it were of any use for them to do so.
Swarms. — Still, in the midst of all this discourage-
ment, swarms have rarely been more abundant. The
aim of all skilled apiarists is to obtain colonies over-
flowing with bees by the arrival of the main honey-
flow. When that comes, with bright settled weather,
the spreading of the brood-nest is checked by the
storage of honey, and a limit is placed on the production
of bees, the queen being said to be ' crowded out.'
During the present season there has been no honey to
check the fertility of the queen. Hence every cell is
filled with brood, and the hives, being overcrowded
(almost to suffocation) with bees, swarming follows as a
necessity. In our own apiary we have instances of the
departure of large swarms before even a rudimentary
queen-cell had been commenced. Returning swarms to
the parent hive, queen-cells having previously been cut
out, would seem to be useless, since the swarm, in a
few days, reissues. Many of our colonies, overflowing
with population, have less honey than they possessed in
April, and we are feeding largely both swarms and
swarmed colonies. What is to be done ? Feed on, say
we. ' Double up,' as our American friends would say,
i.e. unite in the autumn. If we are not greatly mis-
taken, ' Bees will be bees next spring,' as our factotum
sagely remarks. In seasons like the present, when
honey fails and the population increases fast, with
prolific queens and healthy bees, we have discovered no
panacea for prevention of swarming. Nostrums without
number have been prescribed : combination hives, un-
limited brood-space, doubling, extracting (when there is
nothing to extract !), tiering-up, &c, &c. ; but experience
teaches that all iu turn fail. Do those who recommend
such methods of prevention ever take into consideration
the labour — and hard labour, too— implied thereby in an
August 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
365
/f,
apiary of, say, a dozen hives ? How much more, then,
■where four or five dozeu are kept ! The thing is simply
impossible. One cannot be always pulling hives to
pieces, removing and replacing section-cases, cutting out
queen-cells, only to find new ones substituted. No, time
will not suffice, except where two or three hives only
are kept, under the system of ceaseless overhauling, and
in that case we pity the bees. The best preventive we
have found is full ventilation below, and giving of
shallow frames below — as well as above — the brood-nest.
If this be done before the swarming fever has set in,
the bees may be induced to employ themselves (some-
times, but not always) in comb-building in prefer-
ence to swarming during a cold, wet, and honeyless
summer like the present. True, something, perhaps
much, depends upon the race of bees cultivated. For
our own part we have always found the most prolific
races the best honey-gatherers and the best swarmers. A
prolific queen means a crowded hive. A crowded hive,
together with honey-dearth, means swarming.
Feeding, during the present cold and stormy weather
can only be discontinued at the risk of losing the colony,
whether it be ' stock ' or ' swarm.' On this 28th of July
we are still writing by our fireside, the rain is down-
pouring, and the temperature more like that of December
than of July. For several days the poor bees have
been unable to leave the hives — hives devoid of stores.
Our only advice, therefore, must be ' Feed, feed ! '
Prevent starvation at all events. Feeders are more in
demand than sections ! The summer of '68 will not, we
think, be soon forgotten. Let our watchwords be
' Courage and Endurance.' The merchant, the tradesman,
the farmer, all have to suffer in turn. Losses come to
all. Why should apiarists alone bo exempt ? Last
season was good, but prices were low. We shall not
hear much about 'sixpenny sections' — pleasing alliteration,
of which we hope to have heard the last — during the
present year of grace. Last year's honey season in
America and Canada was about as great a failure as
our present one. He who cannot bear adversity, but
always expects prosperous seasons, is unworthy of the
name of English apiarist. Let us all take courage then,
appliance-makers and appliance-buyers, and hope for
better times and seasons, putting our shoulders to the
wheel and struggling against adversity.
Removal of Supebs should take place at once where
not already made, and colonies with small population
should be enclosed by division-boards, simply contracted
to the number of frames they are able to cover. Then
feed the bees on syrup. Don't feed syrup to the bees.
That expression jars unpleasantly on the English ear.
Save all the colonies you can — you will get few con-
demned bees this year — feed up for winter early, that
stores may be well sealed over ; then ' Trust in Provi-
dence, and . . . keep your powder dry.'
Olla Podrida. — Our reminiscences of the Notting-
ham Show are of a pleasanter kind than those of
'Amateur Expert,' expressed in his letter (1714, p. 344).
The number, quality, and ingenuity, of many of the
articles and appliances displayed in the Bee Department
surpass those of all previous shows. ' Spickness and
spanness ' of flags, tents, and other externals, are all very
well, but the B. B. K. A. will do well to look more to
the kernel than the shell. The subject of space for
appliance-manufacturers is one entirely for their own
consideration, being merely a matter of £ s. d. On the
first two days of the show the space appeared to us
amply sufficient for the display and explanation of the
uses of the various articles exhibited in the collections
and in other classes; but to provide effectually for the
enlightenment of the 88,000 who were present on the
fourth day would tax the ingenuity of a far more
powerful body than ' our Association.' The B. B. K. A.,
we feel sure, will be only too happy to pitch the new
and spacious bee-tent at Windsor, and to nail the bril-
liant new colours to the mast-head when these shall
have been supplied by the lady friends of ' Amateur
Expert.' As regards exhibitors explaining their inven-
tions to the judges, we maintain that the first great
principle in all shoics is, and must continue to be, that
the judges shall remain in ignorance of the names of the
exhibitors of the articles brought into competition.
Competent judges and short-written descriptions of new
inventions are all the requisites desirable for obtaining
just awards. We have a vivid recollection of the heart-
burnings and jealousies engendered on former occasions
by the application of the principle advocated by 'Ama-
teur Expert.' Then, again, we are reminded that ' the
Royal Show would not be possible but for exhibitors.'
A truism, certainly, which we apprehended might be
predicated of all shows. We venture to think that
self-interest is a powerful motive with many exhibitors
at shows of every description. But we are told that ' the
bee department did not redound to the credit of the
Association,' and 'A. E.' hopes, by these criticisms, ' to
induce the Committee to endeavour to do better at
Windsor.' Truly, land Mentor ; the Committee will,
no doubt, feel thankful for such paternal advice, and
endeavour to follow it. Meanwhile, we feel assured
that its members will feel equally thankful to ' A. E.' if
he will use his powerful influence with county associa-
tions, and in procuring new members for the parent
society, with a view to replenishing the coffers of an
Association worthy of the support of all English bee-
keepers.
Frame-range. — We by no means turn a deaf ear to
the suggestions of Mr. Boyes and ' Woodleigh,' re the
Right-angled v. Parallel systems ; but the subject has
been so fully discussed of late, that few points, for or
against, can have escaped the advocates of one or other
of the systems. We advised the raising of hives an inch
at the back. Half an inch would, no doubt, effect the '
objects we had in view, viz., causing the bees to com-
mence their combs at the back (the highest point) and
to build vertically and towards the front, and also to
render the carrying out of ref uso and the free escape of
moisture easy. Any danger of throwing foundation out
of the perpendicular, and upsetting the ' pull ' (of which
Mr. Boyes speaks), is avoided by inserting whole sheets
of wired-foundation, with the horizontal rows of the
cells in accordance with the pitch of the hive. In prac-
tice we find this is jquite unnecessary with the half-inch
pitch, as, practically, combs are built quite straight. To
the method of planing floor-boards, recommended on the
parallel method, we decidedly ohject ; a smooth, flat
board, which can be easily scraped, being a sine qud non
with us. We have several hives on the combination and
parallel system, but do not like them, especially as re-
gards manipulations and summer and winter qualities ;
and let us assure ' Woodleigh ' that our sentries expe-
rience none of the discomforts from shower-baths and
dripping roofs which his fertile imagination conjures up.
Sundries. — We have been much pleased, and in
several points enlightened, by the perusal of Mr. Hooker's
elegant little brochure, The Guide to Successful Bee-
keeping. It is, like its author, thoroughly practical, and
the advice given may be fully relied on by the inex-
perienced. We have to thank Mr. Griffin for a packet
(received a long time since) of his ' Honey Dubbin,' —
' Leather Preservative and Waterproof Compound,'
which we find a most excellent composition for pre-
serving harness and boots. It ought especially to be
patronised by all bee-keepers. At the Nottingham Show
we were sorry to notice two very likely hives, belonging
to Mr. J. H. Howard, left out in the cold — not entered
in the catalogue, and so disqualified for competition-
through the informality of three entries having been
made in one line in the entry form, owing to want of
space, and thus escaping notice. Enlarged entry forms
will, no doubt, be issued on future occasions,
366
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 2, 1888.
jkktcb $aerg.
[18.] -Do you advise patting the swarm in the place of
the old colony, removing the latter _ to a new position ; or
putting the swarm in a new position and leaving the old
colony alone ?
If the swarm be an early one it will be best on a new
stand. If the swarm be a late one it will stand a better
chance of providing for itself, and perhaps some surplus if
it be placed on the old stand.— E. Ball, Melton Mowbray.
There can be no fixed rule in this respect. It may
sometimes be good policy to put the swarm in the place
of the old stock, as suggested ; but there are times when
it may be dangerous to the interests of the bee-keeper to
do so. If an abnormal swarm is wanted the suggested
proceeding will secure it, i.e., the swarm will be rendered
abnormally larger by the addition to it of all the bees
foraging at the time of the swarms issuing, and of all the
drones then on the wing, all of which (drones and
■workers) would naturally return to the old colony, and
might, under certain well-known conditions, be absolutely
essential to its well-being. In hot weather great liberty
may be exercised in the direction indicated with little, if
any, loss ; but should the night after swarming be cold
very serious mischief might ensue, owing to the sparse-
ness of heat-producers in the hive. Cottage bee-keepers
(skeppists, and the like), who usually get their supers
tilled after the swarms have left, would find the sug-
gested proceeding a disastrous one. — C. N. Abbott.
Much depends upon the time, season, and the thing
desired, but as honey production should be the first and
last aim of the bee-keeper, I would advise (after using
so much of the old home available and necessary for
nuclei) to reinstate the swarm m the old position and its
spare belongings also. — John H. Howard, Holme,
Peterborough.
Certainly. Put swarm in place of old colony. — Tom
Sells.
No. I always put the swarm in a new position, and
leave the old colony alone. My swarms have invariably
done well. — Henry Beswick.
If I intended the swarm to be kept as a separate
colony from the old stock, I should put it in the place of
the old stock as soon as I conveniently could after they
had settled, removing the old stock to a new situation;
and then in two or three days cutting out all the queen-
cells but one, saving any I may require for other
hives, &c— John Walton.
If the swarm issues from a frame-hive that (is already
supered, I should return the swarm. If from a straw
ekep I should remove the old hive, and put the new one
in same position as the old one occupied. — W.
WOODLEY.
Put the swarm in the place of the old colony as
advised in No. 2. — John M. Hooker.
If I desired to obtain surplus honey from the new
swarm I would place it in the position previously held
by the old colony after having removed the latter to a
new position ; but if I desired further increase of bees,
viz., after swarms from the old colony, I would then put
the swarm in a new position and leave the old colony
alone. — II. Wood, Lichfield.
The hive which is left in old position will of course be
most helped by flying (field) bees, and generally speaking
I should leave the swarm, and (say) a frame of brood,
taking stock to fresh stand after removing what brood
appeared to be be|>ond their protecting power. — John
Edey.
I advise putting the swarm in the place of the parent
colony in every case, whether for increase or not. Care,
however, must be token that the old queen is at the
head of the swarm, which is not always the case,
especially in a season like the present, when, owing to
bad weather, swarming is often delayed, and when it
takes place, young queens often issue with the old one.
An expert will know what to do in such case, but to a
novice the result might be discouraging. — George
Raynor.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
Or, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Words
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
Apis. — Latin name for the bee ; a genus of insects of
the order Hymenoptera and family Apidie.
The following are given by F. Smith and others as
different species of this genus, although some entomolo-
gists are inclined to regard some of them as only
varieties : —
Apis adamitica. — An extinct bee, the fossils of
which have been found in the miocene geological forma-
tion of Switzerland. The remains found by Professor
Heer of this bee are so like the living species of honey-
bee (Apis mellifica) that it can hardly be regarded
otherwise than as the ancestor of that species. (See
British Bee Journal, 1884, vol. xii., p. 95.)
Apis Adansonii. — Senegal.
Apis Caffra. — Africa.
Apis Delessertii. — India (Pondicherry).
A2»s dorsata. (Syn. nigripennis and bicolor.) — India.
Apisfasciata. — Egypt .
Apisflorea. — India, Ceylon, China, and Borneo.
Apis lndica. — India and China.
Apis Ligustica. — Italy.
Apis lobata. — India.
Apis mellifica. (Syn., cerifera, gregaria, douiestica.) —
The common honey-bee, domesticated and cultivated.
Hab. Britain, Prance, German}', Albania, Italy, Africa,
Sandwich Islands, South America, Jamaica, New Zealand.
Apis nigritarum. — Congo.
Apis Peronii. — India ; Isle of Timor.
Apis Perrottetii. — India.
Apis scutulata. — Africa.
Apis socialis. — India (Bengal ) ; Java ; Malabar.
Aju's unicolor.— Madagascar ; Isle of Bourbon.
Apis sonata. — Java.
Apium, Apum. — Gen. pi. of Apis, as Monographia
Ajiuin Anglice, by W. Kirby.
Apist. n. — A bee-keeper, with its corresponding ad-
jective, apistical, incorrect and inelegant. The admissible
forms are apiarian and apiarist.
Apistical. — See above. Of, or belonging to bee-
keepers.
Apodal, a. {Or., a, not, podes, feet.) — Without
feet; the larva; of bees are called apodal larva; ; footless.
Apparatus, n. (L. fr. apparare, to prepare.) — A
complete set of instruments and utensils for performing
operaiions in bee-keeping.
Appendicular gland. (L. appendicula, a small
appendage.)— A branched gland partially surrounding
the spermatheca of the queen, and supplying it with a
secretion.
Appliances, n. plur. (L. applic&re, to apply.)—
Hives and other articles used in bee-keeping.
August 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
367
Aqueous, a. (L. aqua, water.) — Watery; par-
taking of the nature of water ; as aqueous vapour in a
hive ; aqueous honey.
Araehnida. n. pi. (Gr. arachnes, a spider, eidos,
form.) — A. class of animals which includes spiders and
mites, These have no antenna? or wings, have four pairs
of legs, and are enemies of bees.
Architecture, n. (L. arcMtectura.) — Used by
ancient writers to designate the comb structures in a
bee-hive.
Aroma, n. (Gr. aroma, spice.) — The quality in
honey which constitutes its fragrance derived from
plants, and perceived by an agreeable smell or pleasant
spicy taste.
Aromatic, a. (Gr. fr. stem armnat — of aroma ;
yielding fragrance) — Applied to plants which yield a
spicy smell or fragrance, and impart their flavour to
honey.
Arrenotokia. ( Gr. arren, male, and tokos, birth.) —
A name applied by Leuckart to indicate that a queen-
bee although supplied with spermatozoa, from some cause
is unable to fertilise her eggs.
Articulata. sb. plur. (L. articulus, a joint.) — A
division of the animal kingdom in which the bee is
found, so called from part of their bodies being com-
posed of segments, articulated or joined together, each
segment being formed of one or more rings, and the
insects furnished with jointed legs.
Articulated, p.p. — Jointed; having joints, as the
legs of bees.
JOTTINGS BY 'AMATEUR EXPERT.'
1 Mel Sapit Omnia.'
Wanted ' Useful Hints ' to know what to do iu such a
season ! Twice I have had a nice lot of new sections two-
thirds filled, and twice they have been emptied. They
are being filled for the third time, from the limes
this time. But will they ever get filled and sealed
is the question, so as to be marketable. I removed some
of the crates, making them a tier, less in depth ; but
bees were so cramped for room that they at once
' hung out' on to the floor-board, and so one is puzzled
to know what to do. There is small comfort in knowing
the season is far from being a good one on the ' other
side of the pond ; ' their hopes are now in ' basswood,'
clover having failed.
In talking of the number of bees in a hive, our hard-
headed and logical friend, / Sherborne,' seems to have
left out the question of temperature. Bees cannot en-
dure more than 95° Fahr.; consequently, when the
temperature of an empty hive standing in the sun would
well-nigh reach that limit, very few bees would be
required to stay at home in the day time, and the
gatherers being at home at night would so increase the
temperature that they would distribute themselves over
even forty frames, and give one the impression that the
hive was well filled with bees. It is when the tempera-
ture is low that we soon see the difference, and feel the
results also, in the way of hundredweights avoirdupois.
This is the main difference between bee-keeping in
England and America. About three weeks after their
bees are set out in the open from the winter cellars, we
hear of their swarming. At first sight one would ask,
' Where did the increase come from in such a short
space of time ? Do their bees hatch two lots of brood
to our one ? ' Of course we know they do not, but a
few moments' consideration will tell us that the tempera-
ture has made all the difference ; their changes are more
regular and steady ; summer is slow in coming, but
when it has come it stays, unlike ours, keeping us in
anticipation from the end of February till the middle of
June, as it frequently does, tempting us to 'spread
brood ' and do all sorts of absurd things, because the
sun shines and there is a smell of warmth in the air at
noonday, followed by ten or a dozen degrees of frost at
night.
As outdoor musings have not been practical, and work
amongst the bees has fallen off, I have been spending
my evenings by the fireside (winter fashion) and have
taken to tough reading for recreation, as ladies — femi-
nate and effeminate — take to croquet and lawn tennis.
The book is entitled, A Descriptive and Historical Account
of Hydraulic and other Machines for Raising Water, by
Thos. Ewbank. (It was not because we have a drought
I chose this subject, but to add to my stock of know-
ledge.) This particular edition is dated 1851, but the
author's preface is dated New York, 1341. At page
276, speaking of the hydrostatic press, which, for the
sake of the uninitiated 1 may explain, is similar in prin-
ciple to what is known as an 'hydraulic jack,' a little
tool used for raising heavy weights, the author says : —
' There is a very interesting and beautiful illustration of
the principle of Bramah's hydrostatic press iu the con-
trivance by which bees store their honey. The cells, open
at one end and closed at the other, are arranged hori-
zontally over each other, and in that position are filled
with the liquid treasure. Now, suppose a series of glass
tumblers or tubes laid on their sides and piled upon one
another in like manner were required to be then filled with
water, it certainly would require some reflection to devise a
plan by which the operation could be performed, but what-
ever mode were hit upon, it could not be more ingenious
and effective than that adopted by these diminutive
engineers. At the further or closed extremity of each
cell they fabricate a moveable piston of wax, which is fitted
air-tight to the sides, and when a bee arrived laden with
honey (which is contained in a liquid form iu a sack or
stomach), she penetrates the piston with her proboscis, and
through it injects the honey between the closed end of the
cell and the piston, and then stops the aperture with her
feet. The piston is therefore pushed forward as the honey
accumulates behind it, till at last it reaches the open end
of the cell, where it remains, hermetically sealing the
vessel and excluding the air. As soon as one cell is thus
charged, the industrious owners commenced with another.
. . . Without such a contrivance the cell could no more be
tilled and kept so than a bucket could be with water while
lying on one side. Were the organization of bees closely
examined, it would doubtless be found that the relative
diameter of their proboscis and of the cells, and the area of
the pumps in their bodies, are such as are best adapted to
the muscular energy which they employ in working the
latter.'
A footnote to the above adds : —
' To keep the honey pure and preserve it from evapor-
ation in the high temperature of a hive, the air must be
kept from it. Could human ingenuity have devised a more
perfect mode of accomplishing the object? '
"Well, Mr. Ewbank, it occurs to me that neither
human ingenuity nor ignorance could have possibly
more perverted the truth however much they tried. I
have read most of the 'theories' about bees, but this
hydraulic-pump theory of sealing honey, in Yankee
language, ' bangs ' all.
I was invited to an anti-socialistic meeting the other
day and was asked to speak, but I declined knowing
little of 'Socialism.' Presently one made a rattling
speech in favour of monarchy, impressing'on the audience
that we should take a pattern from the bees. Having
sat the speaker out, I asked, and obtained permission to
advise the speaker to let the bees alone as all he had
said about them was untrue. He wanted to return to
the charge, but the chairman who knew me well advised
him ' to let the bees alone,' as he was afraid I was too
good an authority. I replied monarchy was all right
and good in its way, and I was a stout defender of it,
but I could not sit and hear wrong things go out un-
challenged about bees. When I do I will cease to be — ■
Amateur Expeet.
368
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 2, 1888.
ASSOCIATIONS.
LEICESTERSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
This Association held its Seventh Annual Show on
July 25th and 26th at Leicester in connexion with, and
by aid of, the Leicestershire Agricultural Society.
Wednesday, 25th, was a wretchedly wet day, and the
show grounds wore a dank and desolate appearance;
Thursday was fine and bright, and visitors crowded in
from town and country.
In the tent allotted to bee-keeping there was a capital
display of hives and appliances, although Messrs.
Edey & Son were unable (through a sudden bereave-
ment) to attend there and exhibit wares.
Honey for competition was nearly absent; only 68 lbs.
were staged, against nearly 1700 lbs. on the last occasion
the show was held at Leicester. Only five exhibits
were staged, and some of these— compared with those of
former years — were very poor. Fortunately Miss
Chester, Rev. M. A. Thomson, and Mr. J. Cooper came
to the rescue with some of last year's honey, and so
made the table look less like a desert.
The manipulation of bees in the tent lent by the
British Bee-keepers' Association attracted more atten-
tion than of late years; and Messrs. Munday & Meadows
succeeded from time to time in interesting fair audiences.
The Rev. Dr. Bartrum was appointed judge, and Mr.
Fosbrooke, jun., of Ravenstone Hall, accompanied him
on his rounds.
Tho hive and bees were drawn for at four o'clock on
Thursday in the tent, and under the supervision of
Messrs. Day, Carter, Foxon, Meadows, Redshaw, Mr.
and Mrs. Ball, and Miss Chester. Mr. J. Cooper, of
Halkin House, Belgrave, Leicester, was the winner.
Pkize List. — Class I. — Observatory hive (three ex-
hibits) : 1, W. P. Meadows ; 2, J. Cooper. Class II —
Super honey, not to exceed 50 lbs. (one exhibit, eight
sections) : 2, Rev. M. A. Thomson. Class III. — Run
honey, not to exceed 50 lbs. (one exhibit) : 1, Rev. M. A.
Thomson. Class IV. — Twenty-four 1-lb. sections for
silver medal : no exhibit. Class V. — Twelve 1-lb. jars
of run honey (three exhibits) : bronze medal to W. P.
Meadows ; certificate and 5s. to J. Cooper. Class VI. —
Best hive 10s. 6rf. (three exhibits) : 1, Turner & Son ; 2,
W. Meadows; 3, C. Redshaw. [The hive here awarded
third prize took" first prize at Nottingham Royal Show.]
Class VII. — Best super for comb honey (three exhibits) :
1, W. P. Meadows; 2, C. Redshaw; Commended,
Turner & Son. Class VIII. — Show case for sections
(two exhibits): 1, C. Redshaw; 2, W. P. Meadows.
Class IX. — Collections of appliances (two exhibits) :
Prizes equally divided botween W. P. Meadows and
C. Redshaw. Special prize of 5s. awarded to Mr. Lowth
of Brant Broughton for section slinger.
WILTS BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The exhibit of this Association, which was held on
Wednesday and Thursday, July 25 and 26, in afield kindly
lent by Mr. Bambridge, opened under the most depressing
circumstances. A steady rain descended almost without
cessation throughout the best part of the day, the
consequence being that only a handful of visitors made
their way under umbrellas to the tent Mr. H. Burden
had been good enough to place at the disposal of the
Association. Owing to the wet, all lectures and experi-
ments were out of the question, even if there had been
an audience ; and the busy bees, which we are told
' improve each shining hour,' in the absence of the sun,
were thrown upon their own resources. The tent con-
tained a varied collection of contrivances used in bee-
keeping, mostly belonging to the enthusiastic Hon. Sec.
to the Association, the Rev. W,E.Burkitt,Butterinere. In-
cluded amongst these was an ' observatory hive,' showing-
through the glass sides all the interesting movements
of its busy inmates. Killick's wax-extractor was another
article worth mentioning, to say nothing of improved
skeps, bar-frame hives, and section-boxes. On another
table was the exhibit kindly lent by Messrs. Neighbour
of Regent Street, who were Highly Commended for their
useful bee appliances by the judge, Mr. W. N. Griffin, of
Reading (late Secretary of the Devon and Exeter Bee-
keepers' Association). There was also a limited display
of honey and wax. The Rev. W. E. Burkitt took the
prize for section honey, whilst for wax Mr. A. Godding
(of Brimslade) was awarded first prize, and the Rev.
W. E. Burkitt second. Mrs. Bambridge was Highly
Commended. The poorness of the honey and wax exhibit
is amply accounted for by the wetness of the season.
As an instance of the manner in which bee-keepers have
suffered from the weather in common with others, Mr.
Young, of Wilton, near Salisbury, last year had over
twelve hundredweight of honey, whereas this year he
has not twelve pounds.
On Thursday the exhibition enjoyed a better fate as
regards weather, for with the exception of a sharp
shower in the morning, the day was one of exceptional
brilliance and clearness. A good number of visitors
dropped in, besides between fifty and sixty members of
the College Natural History Society. Among the
visitors were the Rev. the Master of Marlborough
College and Messrs. H. Leaf, A. S. Eve, F. V. Brughera,
A. C. Champneys, and H. Cooper, Mrs. Long and Mrs.
Scobell. At intervals throughout the day lectures on
the use of various appliances and bee management were
delivered by the Rev. W. E. Burkitt, Mr. \V. S. Bam-
bridge, Mr. W. N. Griffin, and Mr. A. J. Noyes. Those
who visited tho show gained much useful information in
the very interesting study of bee-keeping.
MIDDLESEX BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Second Annual Exhibition by the North-east
province of this Association was held on Saturday, the
21st inst., in the beautiful grounds attached to the
Wilderness, at Southgate, by the kind permission of
P. P. Hasluck, Esq., the Secretary of the Southgate
District, the weather being fortunately fine. Un-
fortunately for the members in this part of the county,
the wretched weather has had a most disastrous effect
upon the honey yield, and the entries in the classes for
honey were few indeed, there being no entries of comb-
honey in Class I. Mr. Harveyson, of Finchley, was
awarded the first prize in Class II. for twelve 1-lb.
bottles of extracted honey. No entries were made in
Class III. for the best and largest exhibit of comb and
extracted honey, and Classes IV. and V. offered to
cottagers for comb and extracted honey. Messrs.
Abbott Bros, secured first prize in Class VI. for the best
exhibit of hives and appliances, the second prize falling
to Mr. S. J. Baldwin, an extra prize was also awarded to
Mr. Hutchings ; Simmins' Bee Company also exhibited
in this class. The first prize was awarded to Mr. S. J.
Baldwin in Class VII. for the best hive, price not to ex-
ceed 12s. complete (unpainted), with ten frames (fitted
with starters), two dummies, double walls on two sides,
moveable floorboard, porch, contracting entrance, crate
of sections, and four quilts. The walls being flush with
top bar to admit of storifying if desired. The second
prize in this class fell to Messrs. Abbott Bros., an extra
prize also being awarded to Messrs. Edey & Son.
Prizes for honey were also offered by the Southgate
district to be competed for by their members, the first
and third prizes for the best six 1-lb. sections being
secured by Mr. Bolton, and the second by Mr. P. P.
Hasluck. Mr. Bolton was also awarded the first prize
for the best six 1-lb. bottles of extracted honey and the
best exhibit of comb and extracted honey.
August 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
3C9
Mr. Sambels kindly and efficiently acted a3 judge.
During the day Mr. S. J. Baldwin, who is the expert
to the Association, gave several lectures in the tent, in
his well-known style, to crowded audiences, and the
Band of the King's Royal Rifles gave selections at
intervals. '
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The annual show of the above Association was held
on the Racecourse at Northampton, on July l'Jth and
20th, in conjunction with the Northampton Horticultural
Society,\but owing to the very unfavourable season
very little honey was staged. Mr. A. T. Adams, of
Crick, and Mr. W. Bazeley, of Northampton, exhibited
assortments of hives and appliances showing all the
latest improvements, and which were highly commended.
Mr. J. R. Truss, of Ufford Heath, Stamford, attended
as lecturer in the bee tent, and explained the advantage
of the humane system of bee-keeping to large and
attentive audiences, the last lecture of each day includ-
ing the^transferring of a stock of bees from a straw
skep to a bar-frame hive.
Thej following is a list of awards: — Section Honey,
twelve 1-lb. sections; Charles Cox, Brampton, 1st,
Silver Medal, B.B.K.A.; Harry Ringrose, Boughton, 2nd.
Extracted Honey, twelve 1-lb. bottles; George Smith,
Boughton, 1st; Charles Cox, 2nd; O. C. Ilollis, Boughton,
3rd, Bronze Medal, B.B.K.A.; Wm. Baldwin, Brampton,
4th. Super of Honey, Charles Cox, 1st; Wm. Baldwin,
2nd. Device or design in honey-comb, Charles Cox. 1st;
Wm. Baldwin, 2nd. Appliances, A. T. Adams, Crick,
Highly Commended; W. Bazeley, Northampton, Highly
Commended. The following gentlemen acted as judges:
—Mr. J. Shaw, Moulton Park ; Mr. W. L. Bird, Preston
Capes; Mr. .1. K. Truss, Ufford Heath, Stamford.
€amtyaribmt£.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications , and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separata pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jtc, must be addressed only to "The Editor of the " British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.G.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
Ac, must be addressed to Mr. J. Hdckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd paye of Advertisements).
%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, wilt oblige by ?nentioninc the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
ROYAL SHOW, NOTTINGHAM.
[1732.] Will you allow me space to reply to the
remarks of ' Amateur Expert ' on the above ? Pie says,
' Were I a lady bee-keeper I would make a new flag.'
If Mr. ' A. E.' will kindly send the materials for a new
flag to Mr. Huckle, I will undertake to find a lady who
will make them up. ATous verrons.
'The bee- tent is inadequate.' 'The internal arena
(magnificent phrase) is sufficiently large, but the outer
circle requires to be larger.' It is thought that circular
bee-tents are altogether a mistake ; and it is difficult
even for ' Mr. Howard's stentorian voice ' to be heard
behind him in any sized tent, but if the outer circle were
to be enlarged it would become quite impossible for half
the people either to see or hear. What is wanted is a
semicircular tent, an amphitheatre in fact, where gentle-
men who do not boast stentorian voices like Mr. Howard
might be able to address the whole audience at once ;
and if ' A. E.' will give a guinea towards it I shall be
happy to do the same.
i rorn what I know of the gentlemen who compose the
Committee of the B. B. K. A., I am sure they woidd be
only too glad to act upon any workable suggestions ; but
when Mr. ' A. E.' recommends that ' more opportunities
should be given to the appliance-manufacturers,' he is
evidently not aware of the difficulties under which the
Committee act. The show is not, as he states, ' under
the management of the B. B. K. A.,' but very much
under the management of the Royal Agricultural Society.
If the manufacturers would apply direct to the Secretary
of the Royal, as manufacturers of other articles do, they
would no doubt obtain as much space in the show-yard
as they require. As to the ' hint from the Show at the
Colonial,' 'A. E.' possibly does not know that every
pound of honey exhibited at Nottingham was sold ; and
he also, apparently, does not know much about the ways
and rules of the Royal, if he imagines that such a form
of sale as that conducted at the Hertfordshire Stall at
the Colonial on Bank Holiday, or at the Canadian Ex-
hibition, would be for one moment tolerated at the Royal
Agricultural Show. Had he not omitted to bring that
' good parcel of flowers from my own garden,' he would
have been in a better position to criticise those who did
not respond to the request, or who did send the ' poor
faded things.'
It is very easy to compare the appearance of honey,
hives, &c, at the end of the weak, with the spick-and-span
newly painted machinery outside ; but Mr. ' A. E.' would
be doing better service if he would kindly suggest how
their freshness can be preserved after they have been
handled, from curiosity or for instruction, by thousands
of people. I can say from my own observation that the
shed was constantly cleaned up, notwithstanding the
crowds which were passing to and fro.
As 'A. E.' at all times claims the right of criticising
others most freely, I trust he may be able to take my
remarks in good part.— One who was there.
BEES AND INSECTS IN NATAL.
[1733.] I am very glad to find the Chelifers (Vol. XV.
p. 663) have been appreciated. Since you gave me the
information about these ugly insects in the Bee Journal
I have looked repeatedly for them in other places than
the hives; in old wood, bark of trees, &c, but have
not found auy. They seem to come into bee-hives for
the winter, and are not to be found, I believe, among
bees in summer. All bee-keepers here seem to have
found them among swarming bees, and in stocks in the
winter and spring. Bees are swarming here now.
I at once avail myself of your permission to write to
you on natural history specimens, and should be glad to
receive from you information on the specimen of worm
which I hope to send you by this mail or the next if I
can find means to pack it safely. I had better begin by
copying the note of the friend who sent me the specimen.
He says : — ' You take an interest in natural history, I
know. Two days ago a white kitten of ours caught a
mantis by the head. I tried to rescue it from her;
while doing so, I observed a long hair-like worm
escaping from its body behind. It felt stiff and rigid,
like a wire. I dropped it into a ewer of water, where
it still lives. I mean to bottle it to see how long it will
live. Body of mantis measured 2£ in., worm Gj in.
Something of the same kind happened some years ago
here with a mantis or a grasshopper caught by a cat.
Have you seen such worms ?'
The above note was dated May 9th. Having work to
do, I could not go and see my friend till the 12th, when
the worm was dead. It died, I believe, on the 10th. I
was told it seemed quite lively in the water till it was
found rolled up in a lump in the water. On being taken
out and laid on its finder's hand, it unrolled itself and
died.
The mantis insect is found in Natal in many varieties,
some of which are imitative insects and very beautiful,
370
THE BE1TISH BEE JOUENAL.
[August 2, 1888.
I will try and send you a specimen of one or two of
these last ; but I fear my having seen this worm will cause
me to subject many a mautis in the future to discomfort
in the form of abdominal pressure.
Now I want information on another subject. A
young friend of mine a year ago noticed a curious thing
among his bees. The stock was a weak, queenless one,
dying out before the winter. Seeing a bee crawling
about in an aimless fashion, he pressed it on the back.
It at once deposited a small white grub, one-eighth of an
inch or little less, which moved about andseemed uninj ured.
Under a very inferior magnifying glass it showed some-
thing like eyes. He repeated the experiment many
times with other bees in the course of a few days, and
several times with the same result. Now, I should like
to know whether these grubs are from eggs deposited in
the bees by insects, as the ichneumon insect at home
deposits its eggs in caterpillars ?
The Bee Journal is well known and appreciated out
here. My neighbour, Mr. Scott, is just receiving some
hives from your country.
If you receive from time to time entomological speci-
mens by post, initialed ' J. K. \V.,' you will know who
sends them. I will try and send you a caterpillar that
makes itself a neat grass house, and walks about with it,
much in the fashion of the caddis at home ; only this is
found in grass, and, according to both whites and Kafirs,
eating this is invariably fatal to cattle. So far as I can
find no one has ever found one in the stomach of a dead
animal on the part affected, which is always, on post
mortem, found to be a highly inllamed patch. Perhaps
you will be able to find some friend learned in ento-
mology who can say what the perfect insect is, and
whether the insignificant little grub really does so much
harm to cattle-owners as is believed.
Wednesday. — I am sending in a match-box some
insects I obtained from a climber which grows under the
tiles of a verandah. There are no leaves on the boughs
under the tiles, and these insects lie in large numbers
along the rough bark of the boughs.
If you would like a sample of Natal bees, I might post
a queen and a few bees to you on your giving me
directions. I will try to get a small swarm and keep
it. Such swarms, however, usually die in bad spring
weather.
If the entomologist at the British Museum wants any
Natal insects — an imitative spider, varieties of mantis,
the caddis-like caterpillar I spoke of, or the large hollow
grasshopper, the abdomen being perfectly empty except
for a single thread of gut, and quite transparent ; I shall
be glad to set my boys to work to collect, and will do
the same gladly for you if you wish it.
A friend told me this morning that snakes and bees
here live on friendly terms in the same hole, and that
there is in such cases a hole in the comb for the snake to
use for passage. This is not uncommon, for bees- often
build in holes in the ground, as do wasps at home. 1 am
promised a view of the next case noticed.
I am afraid I have troubled 3-011 with a long letter,
but there are so many objects in natural history here
that interest one, and concerning which we can get no
good information, that I hope you will forgive me. —
J. R. Waed, Richmond, Natal, May \Gth.
[1. Hair-worm. — The worm sent is a species not found
in this country, but belongs to the family of the
Gordiaceat, or hair-worms, of which the two genera
Gordius and .Vermis are British. They are entozoic
parasites, reaching maturity in the bodies of various
insects — crickets, cockroaches, earwigs, &c. — from which
they emerge, especially in wet weather, when ready to de-
posit their eggs. Mermis is frequently found in large
numbers after heavy rains in July 011 the ground and
the leaves or stems of plants. These specimens are
always mature and filled with ova, and it is supposed
that their object is to get washed down by the rains
into streams, in the mud of which the ova are subse-
quently laid. The one forwarded from Natal was hard
and dry beyond possibility of relaxation to an extent
sufficient to render microscopic preparation of small
value, so that the external characters are alone de-
terminable. 2. Grubs from Bees. — We have never in
our experience met with a similar instance. 3. We
shall be pleased to receive the entomological specimens.
When the caterpillar comes to hand, we will endeavour
to obtain some particulars as to its history. 4. Natal
Cocoidce. — The insects (nine in number) forwarded from
Natal, May 16th, 1883, arrived in good condition, and
all alive. The box contained a large quantity of ova
which had been deposited en route. Those which were
not required for dissection or preservation as specimens
are still living (July 19), and continuing to lay eggs,
which are, when undisturbed, enveloped in a mass of
cottony material produced by the insects for this purpose.
The insects themselves, whilst belonging to the family of
the Coccidce, are of a species not only unknown in this
country, but so far as can be ascertained from the best
authorities, are a hitherto undescribed species, on which
account they have excited considerable interest, and
have been subjected to very careful microscopic ex-
amination, drawings of their chief features being made
for future reference. They will probably form the
subject of an illustrated communication to the Entomo-
logical Monthly Magazine from the pen of Mr. J. W.
Douglas, who is at present working up the group of
plant-bugs, and who, regarding them as new, proposes to
call them Orfonia Natalensis. It would be of some further
interest to know something as to the earlier history of
these insects in respect of their growth and development,
habits, food plant, &e. The position in which they are
described, as being found ' in large numbers along the
rough bark of the leafless boughs of a climber under the
tiles of a verandah,' is no doubt well chosen by the mature
female inseets as affording shelter and protection to the
eggs, but is scarcely such as to afford them sustenance
during growth. 5. Natal Queen and Bees. — Nothing
would give us greater pleasure than to receive a queen and
bees. We have forwarded a mailing box with instructions.
6. Natal Inseets. — If you consign to our care any Natal
insects, we will see that they are placed in the hands of
those who will appreciate the trust, and render an
account of them. 7. Snakes and Bees. — We shall be
pleased to hear further information respecting this
curious conjunction, or any information respecting the
habits of bees in your locality. — Ed.]
THE SECRETION OF WAX-
VOLUNTARY P
-IS IT
[ 1 734.] On page 326 this question was asked : ' Is the
secretion of wax a voluntary, or an involuntary, act ? '
An opinion was given, stating that it was ' voluntary.'
I am fully convinced, from my own observation, that
this secretion is involuntary ; that the bees have no con-
trol over the generating of the secretions; and that it is
a natural production, which may be seen on the under-
part of the abdomen of the young bees.
It is produced in a singular manner. The coustruc-
tion of the muscular rings around the abdomen is
such that they are especially calculated to permit
these secretions to ooze out from small holes located
under these muscular rings ; and when the secretions are
dried, they form small white flakes or pellets of wax ;
when ripe, if not removed, they will drop to the bottom
of the hive.
Wax is produced only by such bees as are in a con-
dition to be able to generate these secretions. My im-
pression is that the young bees (while young they are
fat, like all the young of both animals and insects) would
naturally produce these secretions, and when they are of
sufficient age to go to the field to labour (about fifteen
August 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
371
days old), they then soon become lean and poor, and can
no longer produce the secretions from which the comb
is made ; whereas, if they continue to generate these
secretions, when crawling over the blossoms to gather
nectar, these flakes of wax would be lost, consequently
there would be no was to manufacture into comb. A
bee, when lean and poor, cannot generate these secre-
tions.— Edson Gerry, Wash. Ter. (American Bee
Journal.)
FEEDING BACK EXTRACTED HONEY TO
SECURE THE COMPLETION OF UNFINISHED
SECTIONS.
[1735.] Ever since engaging in the production of
comb-honey, we have been practising the above. We
have fed during the past five years at least 1:!,000 pounds
of extracted honey ; but our success has beeu so varied
that we have never felt like encouraging the practice.
One year, with certain colonies, we would meet with such
splendid success as to be greatly encouraged, while the
results of the next year, or the performances of certain
colonies, would, perhaps, lead us to declare that we were
done with ' feeding back.' But, when the next season
rolled round, and the close of the linden harvest found
us with perhaps 2000 unfinished sections on hand, and
we sat down and figured up how much they woidd be
worth if completed, we felt, as Dr. Miller once expressed
it at a Chicago Convention, that it might, pay to feed to
secure the completion of nearly-finished sections, even
though the feeding of four or five pounds of honey in-
crease the weight of the sections only one pound. Did
we not consider drawn comb of considerable value in
getting the bees started in the sections in the spring, we
should unhesitatingly pronounce in favour of fending to
secure the completion of unfinished sections. That is,
this woidd be our decision so far as the management of
our own apiary is concerned ; but it does not follow that
this decision would be the proper one at which all bee-
keepers should arrive ; although it would seem that there
is one class that would be glad to so decide, and that is
the one that finds the vise of drawn comb in sections bo
very objectionable. So much by way of introduction,
and now, for the benefit of those who, for any reason,
may wish to practise feeding back, we will tell what we
have learned in feeding back the 1:1,000 pounds of honey.
Perhaps the best way will be to tell exactly how we
would conduct the operation, but first allow us to say
that the feeding of honey, for the purpose of having it
stored in sections, is a distinct branch of bee-keeping — as
much so as that of rearing queens for the market — and
there are many things connected with it that can be
learned by experience only, but the following hints may
help some : —
As soon as we see that the basswood harvest is drawing
to a close, we remove all the sections from the hives, look
them over, take out tho finished ones, and sort the un-
finished ones into three grades — viz., almost finished,
half done, and just commenced. The cases containing
the first two grades are then placed upon the hives, one
case upon a hive, and allowed to remain until the bees
have taken possession of them. Then comes the task of
selecting the colonies that are to do the work ; and, by
the way, this is a most important point, as upon a proper
selection depends our success. First, the colonies must
be strong ; next, they must possess young queens, pre-
ferably those of the current year, although this is not
imperative ; at last, but by no means least, we would
have the bees Simon pure blacks. Hybrids are the next
best, while, as a rule, Italians do very poor work in this
line. Keeping in view these points, we select one-half
as many colonies as we have cases of unfinished sections
upon the hives, and to these colonies we transfer the
cases — sections, bees and all— putting two cases upon
each hive. We have never experienced the least trouble,
in any respect, by thus mixing up the bees ; while we
secure populous colonies by so doing. If the broodnests
are not already contracted, we contract them. The
greater tho contraction, the more satisfactory will be the
results so far as work in the sections is concerned, but if
carried too far, it will materially weaken the colonies by
curtailing the production of brood. We have frequently
contracted the brood-nest to only three Laugstroth
combs, and these three combs, when we were through
feeding, would be three solid sheets of brood; but, all
things considered, we prefer to contract the brood-nest to
about the capacity of five combs. There is also one other
point that must not be neglected, and that is, the brood-
combs must not be old and black, otherwise the combs in
the sections will become travel-stained unless removed
very promptly upon their completion. The newer the
combs in the brood-nest the better.
When honey is brought in from the fields it is carried
up into the sections — that is, the supply, as regards the
sections, comes from below ; when a feeder is placed
above the sections, then the supply comes from above.
In both cases the sections in which the work is the least
advanced should be placed noaivsi to the source of supply.
Thus it will be seen that in feeding back we place next
to the brood-nest tho sections that are almost finished,
and above them the grade that are about one-half com-
pleted. The feeder used is the Heddou, which is
exactly the size of the top of the hive. His new feeder
is unexcelled for this purpose, as the bees take down the
feed from both sides. This might not seem important,
but it is, and for this reason. When the feed is carried
down upon one side, the sections upon this side are com-
pleted first, while they are finished up very evenly all
over the case when the feed is carried down from both
sides. The bees seem to be able to handle the honey to
better advantage when it is thinned somewhat — say, one
quart of water to ten pounds of honey. We heat ten
quarts of water over an oil stove until it boils, then mix
it with 100 pounds of honey, stir it up well, and it is
ready for use. We feed as fast as the I s will take it.
\\ <■ keep close watch of the sections in the lower cases
and whenever we find one in which all, or nearly all, of
the sections are completed, off it comes, and the case
above it is placed next to the hive, and above this case is
placed a case of sections brought from the honey-house ;
one containing sections of the third grade — that is, those
in which the bees have made the least progress. We
continue to bring in the cases of completed sections as
fast as they are finished, replacing them with the un-
finished one's from the honey-house. When the stock of
the latter is exhausted, we are ready to begin to reduce
the number of the colonies upon which we are feeding
back, which is done as fast as the sections are completed.
During all this time, since the feeding was commenced,
we have been watching each colony, and jotting down
upon the hive cover its characteristics, and in reducing
the number of colonies we, of course, reject those that
have worked in the least satisfactory manner. We con-
tinue to keep two cases upon each hive, and, as the
colonies work with greatly varying rapidity, there is no
difficulty, bv changing about the cases, to keep next to
the brood-nest those sections that are the nearest com-
pletion. In gathering the sections together upon fewer
hives, we always take bees and all, thus we are continually
strengthening the colonies upon which we are feeding
back. It is folly to expect the bees to finish up all of
thr sections upon a hive. Even though the feeding be
continued, the sections will not be completed in a satis-
factory manner. So long as the feeding is continued the
bees act as though they reasoned something like this :
' We must make the cells as deep as possible, and delay
the capping until the last, moment, in order to make
room for all of the honey that we can ; and if there are not
cells enough we must build more, even though it be in
these cramped-up little places between the tiers of cases.'
372
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 2, 1888.
After the combs are drawn out to full length, filled with
honey, and nearly sealed, we have secured better results
by giving the bees no food for three or four days, then
giving them a little food and omitting the feeding for
several days. The bees then behave as though they con-
sidered the harvest over and ended. They sealed up
most of the cells, and from those that they do not seal
they remove the honey. But there is a much better way
of managing this part of the business. When the
sections are all nearly finished, we put them upon as few
hives as possible, placing two cases upon a hive ; and
then, upon each hive above the two cases of nearly com-
pleted sections, we place a case of sections filled with
foundation. The bees proceed at once to draw out the
foundation and fill it with honey, and this additional
storing room appears to bring about a feeling that there
is no further necessity for holding open the cells below,
and they are sealed forthwith. When the two lower
cases are completed, the upper case will, perhaps, be
found one-half finished, and these upper cases may be
gathered together, bees and all, and placed, two upon
each hive, over those colonies that have shown the
greatest aptitude for this kind of work, and the feeding
continued until the sections are almost completed, when
it will again be necessary to place a case of sections con-
taining foundation upon each hive. We have continued
this work until at last all the sections were upon one
hive, and had the sections all completed except the case
last added at the top. After bees have been fed awhile
they secrete very large quantities of wax. The little
flakes of it can be seen between the scales of the
abdomen, and, unless allowed to build comb, the bees
will plaster with wax the woodwork of the sections, the
inside of the feeders, cases, &c. The moral is, allow
them to build comb. Have a row, or two rows, of sec-
tions in tho upper case filled with starters only; thus
there is secured, in the shape of comb, what would other-
wise be wasted. Although we cannot control the tem-
perature, it may be well to know that tho hotter the
weather the more rapid and satisfactory will be the work
of the bees when we are ' feeding - back.' — W. Z.
Hutchinson (Bee-keepers' Review).
PREVENTING SWARMING.
[1736.] Our apiary consists of about 175 colonies, and
by means of bottom boards with wire screens and
raising up the hives on f-inch blocks and the shade
boards, we have not had a half-dozen swarms this
season, and some of them came from neglect on our part,
as it was not possible for us to give them the necessary
attention at all times. The boards are set to lean on
the south-east corner in the morning, and are moved
around towards the south-west during the day. It is
only a few moments' work to shift all of them, and we
know of nothing so cool or effectual as this large leaning
shade board.
An article on this subject, published in the American
Agriculturist, written by P. H. Elwood, is attracting
considerable attention. He make? the unmanageable
colonies queenless at the beginning of the honey harvest,
taking a few of the brood combs with the queen and
forming a nucleus. It seems to us that this plan in-
volves considerable trouble cutting out cells, and then
we have always found it quite difficult to requeen very
strong colonies. No one can tell what the weather will
be at the close of the honey yield, neither can we tell
for a certainty that there will be any yield at all. It
may be very rainy, so that no surplus is stored at the
time it usually comes ; in such cases, if the queen is
allowed to keep up the brood to the fullest extent, we
often get a large honey yield during the fall; while if
our colonies should be queenless, and our hives not well
filled with honey at the close of the white honey har-
vest, the apiary would be in an almost hopeless condition.
If the honey yield is good the honey stored in the brood
combs will contract it all. We think it advisable to
have it without any trouble to the apiarist. It is only a
few years ago that the leading writers in bee literature
were as enthusiastic over extracting the honey from the
brood-chamber so that the queen could continue laying
to the fullest extent throughout the honey yield and
keep up the strength of the colony to the highest point.
They argued then that the honey in the brood-combs
caused the contraction of the brood and weakened the
colony to such an extent that great losses in the winter
were the residt. From five to ten years ago the natural
instinct of the bees caused too much contraction ; now,
according to the progressive bee-culture, we must cause a
greater contraction by manipulating the brood-chamber,
removing the queen, &c. We are in doubt whether
progressive is the proper adjective to use. It sounds
well, yet it seems to have a little tinge of fraud in it to a
practical mind. We would call it stylish bee-culture;
it would convey the real meaning so much better. We
can do a great many foolish things for the sake of
fashion. The style of bee-keeping is continually chang-
ing, yet that the changes are progressive we doubt. We
would advise the novice to keep close to shore — follow
the natural instincts of the bees. If you contract the
brood-chamber, or make your colonies queenless, you are
liable to meet with a disaster in your apiary, equal to
being shipwrecked with the loss of all the lives on
board. — A. G. Hilt. (Bee-keepers' Guide).
'HOOKER'S GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL
BEE-KEEPING.'
[1737.] This little work I have read with a saddened
feeling of disappointment. It is professedly a guide to
beginners, but falls short of the object — dealing chiefly
with descriptions of the hives and appliances of favoured
manufacturers ; and is more in the nature of a guide to
the author's individual prejudices. It is —
' Deformwl, unfinished, sent before its time
Into this breathiDg world, scarce half made up,'
and there does not appear within it a single line of reason
for its having been brought into existence. There is
nothing new in it, and it does not fit into any vacant
place or fill any known want, and I fear that it must
have been produced in a moment of weakness. — C. N.
Abbott, Southall, July 23.
BEES IN NEW ZEALAND.
[1738.] I lived for some years in Canterbury, N.Z., and
know of only one man, the Hon. John B. A. Ackland,
at Mount Peel, who used bar-frame hives. In our dis-
trict, Ellesmere, nearly every one has a few stocks
in red gin-cases or half cement casks, which produced
great quantities of honey, which was largely used with
horehound, &c, to make honey-beer. Good strained
honey fetched Sri. per lb. locally, and 3%d. to Ad. in
Christchurch, where some of the growers filled small
casks and shipped (to London, I believe) when their
stock had sufficiently accumulated. — M. H. Rohde,
Ran/old, 8linfold,near Horsham, Sussex, July 15M.
[We are obliged by your kindness in sending the New
Zealand paper, and shall in a future number give some
extracts from it. — Ed.]
Another Minorc an Queen. — Mr.Simmins,Rotting-
dean, informs us that he has received a queen from Mr.
Andreu, of Minorca, and that he successfully introduced
her, and nine other queens, to their respective hives, by
his method of ' direct introduction.' There are now in
England three Minorcan queens safely introduced by
three eminent bee-masters, Messrs. Abbott, Blow, and
Simmins. Bee-keepers will therefore in the coming
season have an opportunity of comparing the virtues of
this new race with those of Carniolans and Ligurians.
August 2, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
373
(Stjjxres from % fjiks.
Waterhouaes, Durham, July 2Gth. — This is the worst
year we have had for a longtime ; old men say they cannot
remember such a year. Nothing but starvation in the
hives. Instead of getting- at least two stones of section
honey per hive, it is simply (but expensive) feed ! feed !
feed ! It is almost enough to knock bee-keeping out of
our heads altogether. However, the last few days have
been very fine for the bees. — Joshua Fenwick.
Leesom, Wareham, July 2Gth. — All my hives are very
full of bees, but they make no honey. Other people
Beem to be in nearly the same condition, which is some
consolation to one who still looks on himself as — A
Novice.
Jiottinydean, July 27th. — The first bad season I re-
member. However, I have done little feeding here
except where stocks have been broken for queen-rearing,
but even for that purpose I have never fed in July
before. — S. Simmins.
North Leicestershire, July 28th. — Since the snowfall
on the 11th inst. there have been four good and three
fair days for the bees, all the rest have been windy, wet,
and cold. ' No honey ' is the cry in every direction.
To-day the maximum temperature has been 52°, and
the weather is miserably wet and windy. The bet.- are
again in distress, and the alighting-boards are strewn
with mutilated grubs. It may now be safely anticipated
that all stocks will require copious feeding to carry them
through the winter. Indeed this season is worse than
that of 70. -E. B.
Evesham, July28th. — We have had the worst season that
it has ever been my lot to chronicle, llain, rain, nothing
but rain ! An almost complete absence of sun and warm
weather. Skies black with clouds. The fertile vale
extending from Malvern to the Cotswolds enveloped in
mist and moisture, and the meadows flooded in tracts of
the Avon Valley. The bees have consequently been
able to gather no honey. No one has any sections or
any honey to extract in any quantity. My own bees are
not in a more prosperous state than any of my neighbours.
They have hardly been able to get their daily bread, so
to speak. I have been obliged to feed them regularly for
the past four weeks to keep them from starvation. I
have had no swarms myself, and I have heard of many
dying from want of food or lack of feeding. Let us
hope a better state of things is in store for all persevering
bee-keepers another season. — A. II. Martin.
South Cornwall, July 28th. — I suppose that never was
the heading of this column more justified than in the
present season. Almost every note is the same. ' No
honey,' ' Bees starving,' and the like. There have been
just two instances in which something has been stored.
In these parts the state of things is sad. I had to feed
on Midsuminei'-day, and havo done so at intervals since,
and I do not think my stocks have an average store of
one ounce apiece. How they five is a wonder, for I
cannot feed them all, if only that I cannot give the time
to it. It was not an entire misfortune that one stock
died out in the winter leaving ample stores. These
come very useful now. I put in a frame to-dav with,
perhaps, a pound and a half of honey in it. What a
a treat it clearly was! Clover seemed to have died out
last year : its very roots destroyed. The roadsides which
in these parts used to be covered with white dutch have
had scarcely a leaf of it this year, and Trifolium nanus
(query procumbens) has taken its place. At the present
time, to my surprise, a little white dutch is showing
itself, and there is a late crop in some pastures, so that
^ if (a very large if) we have a fortnight's sun our bees
will just survive. I do not care to contemplate the state
of things if we have more rain. To-day is bright, with
a gale which I hope may blow the unsettled weather
away. Someone has asked if carbolic mixture is apt to
lose its power. I think it will. The smell remains, but
after two or three weeks the power which affects the
bees has departed. At any rate, dry your cloth before
using again. A neighbour the other day found sixty-
two dead queen-wasps on an old alighting-board, disused,
but in place. It was very curious. — C. It. S.
North Notts, July 30th. — I have bean thinking for
some time that I would send you an Echo, but hoped it
would be a better one than this. Up to the present
date I have only taken nineteen moderate 1-lb. sections
from my eight hives ; last year at this time I had taken
475 lbs. of section and extracted honey, as I work four of
my hivesfor sections and four for extracted, so that you will
see that we are no better off here than in other parts. But
all my hives are crowded with bees and brood from top
bar to bottom bar, but when I examined them a week ago,
I do not think there would be an average of 2 lbs. of
honey per hive, although I havo been feeding all through
this month ; but as 1 only give sufficient syrup to last
them from day to day, they are unable to store any.
All hopes of any further surplus honey in this district are
now at an end, but the lime-trees show an abundance of
bloom, so that if we could only get a fortnight of fine
weather for the bees to take advantage of them, it
would be very satisfactory to all of us, as I am only a
working man, and consequently find a considerable
difference in being able to sell from 17/. to 20/. worth of
honey to having to purchase 2 cwt. of sugar for feeding
purposes. It has been rain ! rain ! rain ! and on Satur-
day last (28th) there was half-inch rain registered, and
the same person told me that the total for the month
was four inches and two parts (2-100ths), and that it
was the largest total for July for over twenty years
past. On the 27th I drove two skeps for a friend,
united the bees, and transferred them and brood into a
bar-frame hive ; but, although I have driven hundreds
of skeps, I never saw so many bees in two skeps before,
but only 4 or 6 lbs. of honey, which evidently were
remains of last year's stores. Natural swarms about
hore, even from skeps, have been few and far between,
and I hear of a few having died of starvation already ;
aud it is almost impossible to make skeppists believe that
bees require feeding in June and July. — Local Hon
Secretary Notts Bee-keepers'1 Association.
School House, St. Margaret's, Stratton, Swindon,
July 30th. — Kain ! Bain! llain! Nothing but rain!
No honey. Oh, no ! Not a toothful for one's own use.
On May 24th I fetched my twelve stocks a distance of
150 miles, with three journeys by road, without
damaging a single comb, they did well until June 10th,
when I doubled four and supered three, and they have
decreased in weight ever since. They have unwillingly
on my part increased five, now numbering seventeen.
Last Monday week I had a swarm of Ligurians, which
could barely get into a ten-framed hive, and have now
started queen-cells. One swarm, with hive and nino
combs, I sold for 27s. (id. Am now feeding up and
getting ready for winter. Since reading ' X-Tractor's '
effusion on ' Ye Ilyves,' and while watching the refresh-
iuy rain, have had the following in my head. The last
line is a great consoler : —
Oh ! where do they come from 1
Those little drops of rain,
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter,
Down the window-pane.
The sections all are M.T.
Aud our labour's all in vain.
But should a June come round next year (?)
Then try, try, again. — Coltrip Gildekt.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
L. W. R. — 1. Italians. — Your bees may have a slight
touch of other blood in them, but even in an absolutely
pure colony there are considerable variations as to
374
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 2, 1888.
markings. For quiet, g'ood -working; tees, we would
strongly recommend Carniolans. We recently un-
packed three strong lots that had travelled a consider-
able distance by rail, &c, and placed them in
their hives without either smoke, carbolic cloth, or
any one being stung, although several ladies were
within three feet of the hives. 2. Drones. — This
must be the case while there is drone-comb in the
brood-nest, except in case of a rapid honey glut, vhen
these cells would be utilised for honey." Move tiJs
comb to the outside of the nest, so that no further
breeding may take place in it. Guard against chilling
the worker-brood. The drones may be killed by the
thrust of a needle. They are of no use now.
3. Stimulating, — Should the weather not improve, feed
regularly to induce a continuance of breeding until
second week in August, then gradually increase
feeding for a week, and, finally, in last week of August
give 30 lbs. of syrup as fast as they will take it.
F. A. B. — Dead Bees. — Evidently a case of starvation.
Downhearted. — Suspicious Comb. — Not foul-brood.
Foul-brood smells very rank.
J. Gibson. — We should say you have either an injured
queen or a fertile worker in the hive referred to, and
would recommend you to repeat the operation and
give a fertile queen to the hive.
W. S. Hicks. — Drone Brood cast out. — The bees sent
are drones taken out of the cells and cast out. Your
hive has given up all intention of swarming again,
and having a fertile queen has no longer need of
drones. These have been driven out and what dr< inea
have remained in the hive have been cast out. We
are pleased to hear you have found our Guide Book so
useful.
T. Marsh. — Honey. — We cannot detect any flavour (the
true flavour) of heather in this sample. We should
say it was new honey, of very good quality, gathered
from fruit blossoms, clover, &c.
O. — Queenless Colony. — Your colony is queenless, and
very likely will accept the queen-cell, although such a
colony will often tear one down when given them. A
good plan is to put the cell into a cell- protector.
When the virgin queen comes forth she will be
instantly accepted, or perhaps we might say not taken
any notice of until she is fertilised, and becomes the
mother of the hive.
H. Stuart. — Dividing Swarm. — Allow them to fill out
ten frames, but do not divide so late in the season as
this. When the ten frames are drawn out and stored
pack them for winter. The bees sent are ordinary
English blacks.
Joshua Fenwick. — 1. Missing Queen. — The first queen
died no doubt from natural causes. We should judgo
her to be of little use as she presided over so small a
colony. 2. Queen Rearing. — Bees can raise a queen
from brood inserted into a hive, but where a colony is
weak and deficient of young bees (nurses), the queens
so reared are of little use. 3. Drones. — It is not necessary
that drones shoidd be in a hive in which the queen
was reared, yet it is difficult to keep them out as
drones are common to all hives in an apiary.
A Novice. — Bees in Roof of Hive. — Your hive must be
in fault or the quilt not properly put on. It is
impossible for the bees to get into the roof if all parts
of the hive fit correctly, and the quilts are properly
adjusted. These bees having got into the unoccupied
portion of the hive have been unable to find their way
back again ; .you did quite right in replacing them in
the hive. The condition of your bees is not different
to most bee-keepers this season. If we experience
fine weather during August honey will be obtained
sufficient for winter stores, if not they will have to be
fed. Keep feeder full on swarm .
J. T. D. —Bulging Comb.—l. Remove the offending por-
tion of comb with a knife, it is only on the top of the
comb. Do notou any account increase the space between
ends or you will make matters worse. 2. Stock in Skep.
—A swarm always works more vigorously than a
stock. Wait until we have finer weather they will
then work better.
M. Lin Shenpield.— Bees short of Food.— They should
now be fed with syrup. Have you tried the frame-
feeders for syrup P They do not require the syrup to
be boiled, and so save a lot of mess.
S. L. Richardson.— See above. Give them about four
is five pounds for the period named.
M. Humphrey.— Excessive Swarming.— The exceptional
weather has caused the bees to swarm unnaturally
because alien the sun shines, the temperature rises so
rapidly tha. they vacate in order to get cool. Various
localities have different names for casts. We have
heard of the naim 'smart' before.
W. L. Bird.— T/iird-i\-,ss Certificate.— To obtain this
it is requisite that you Fove to the judge that you
have a practical knowledge of the management of
bees. The examinations are generally arranged by
the secretaries of county associatnns but "should
there be any difficulty as to this, apply *0 Mr. Huckle
Secretary of the B.B.K.A., Kings Langl«. Herts.
Langstrotii Fund. — Received, with than-s iq^
from Mr. H. R. Roberts, Kimherley, South Africa
SHOWS TO COME.
August 6. — Berkshire Show at Clewer.
September 5-7. — Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Lees McClure,
The Lathoms, Prescot. Entries close August 1st.
business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bnos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublir.
Afpleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stokes, G George Yard, Fenehurch St.
Edet & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard , J. H., Holme , Peterborough.
Hutchinqs, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M, Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neiohbour & Sons, 149 Kegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfleld, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenehurch St.
Edet & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn. .
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins, S., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
Communication! to the Editor to be addressed ' Steanqkwats' Pbintinq Offioe, Tower Straet, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 320. Vol. XVI.]
AUGUST 9, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(fctfxtaxwl, Sottas, #r.
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Nucleus Swarming.
We have just been asked several questions by a
correspondent respecting nucleus swarming;, with the wish
expressed that we would go into the details of the
process in the Journal. Our correspondent says he has
carried out the practice as described in our Guide Book
with the greatest success, and is surprised that from its
simplicity it has not superseded all other ways of making
artificial swarms. We quite agree with him, and think
that for several reasons nucleus swarming is by far the
best of any. The principal reason for our saying so is,
that there are no queenless parts, for the stock from
which we take our swarm and the swarm are each pro-
vided with a laying queen. As the old stock does not
have the queen removed from it, she goes on laying
eager to replace the bees taken away, especially if the
swarming has been done, as all artificial swarming
should be done, if possible, only in fine weather. The
reason for this is very clear. We want a large number
of bees out on the wing, as these are to furnish the new
population ; and if the weather be not fine and the sky is
overcast, the bees will not be out in large numbers.
When the stock hive is removed to a new stand, the
flying bees will return to the old stand on which our
hive which is to receive the swarm stands. If only a
few of the bees able to fly return, there may not be
enough to form the swarm, although for days after-
wards if the weather continue cloudy, bees from the old
hive will be joining it.
As far as regards the old stock, this will make very
little difference, because it will have been removed
full of young bees and with combs full of hatching
brood, which rapidly more than make up for the
numbers of bees taken away. The swarm, however,
suffers most because after it is established, any bees not
belonging to it are looked upon and treated as strangers.
If they carry in stores, all well and good, they are
allowed to go in; but should they come without any-
thing, as would most likely be the case in unfavour-
able weather, they are looked upon and treated as
enemies. Then, also, when we cage the queen in the
new hive, we run a greater risk of losing her if
stranger bees are coming in when she is released. We
therefore, from past experience, do not advise making
artificial swarms by any of the methods described
except in fine weather.
In showery weather, if a swarm has to be made, there
is no better way than by the nucleus method. Of course,
our experience has taught us to look upon this method
as the best in any weather, and wo therefore practise it
in preference to any other. In nucleus swarming the
hive to contain the swarm has already a queen and
young bees, who are there ready to protect her from the
attacks of any strangers. We believe in young queens, and
attribute our success to the fact that we never allowed
an old queen in our apiary. Therefore, we always have
a number of nuclei with young queens in them. If
only young queens were used, bred from selected
mothers, we should not hear of any doubts being ex-
pressed about a queen keeping a hive of forty standard
frames properly populated. These nuclei are always
ready for any emergency, and I can supply a queen, either
to replace one that has been lost by accident or other-
wise, or to make swarms. In nucleus swarming the
queen is matured and fertilised before the final swarming
is performed, and there being no queenless parts, the
labour of the hive is carried on with vigour and rapidity
only seen in hives having young queens.
To make a swarm we proceed in the following way: —
Examine one of the nucleus hives iu which a queen
has been reared and if she has commenced laying eggs it
is in just the right condition for our purpose. We
always cage our queen, not because we have always
done so, but because we find it the only way to be
certain of success. We then remove the division-boards
and fill up the hive with frames of empty comb or comb
foundation. Then remove a strong stock to the place
occupied by the nucleus and put this on the stand where
the stock stood. In this way the bees from the old
stock, as they return to their former stand enter the
nucleus, while the few bees from the nucleus, and the
young bees remaining in the old stock, will take care of
the brood until they are increased in number by the
rapidly hatching bees. The nucleus already contains
some young bees who will look after the queen.
If the weather should become unfavourable, and there
appears to be a deficiency in bees, we can easily
strengthen our nucleus by inserting frames of capped
brood taken out of the parent or any other hive. After
thirty-six hours' caging the queen may be released, but
if she is not caged we may run the risk of losing her, an
experience which we have paid for. If the nights are
cold the swarm should be allowed only as many frames
as it can crowd, the space being contracted by the
division-boards. It must be borne in mind that such a
swarm has a mature queen, and with combs for her to
lay in the swarm will soon become a stock. A fortnight,
at least, is saved by giving a laying queen, and that is an
advantage which no bee-keeper should overlook.
The remarks of Mr. Quinby, with regard to this, will
strengthen our position. He says : ' The introduction of
a mature, fertile queen to a colony two weeks sooner than
when they swarm naturally, is an advantage sufficient
to pay for extra trouble. The time gained in breeding is
equivalent to a swarm.' Therefore the prudent bee-
keeper will try never to have a stock or a swarm with-
out a laying queen.
376
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 9, 1888.
BUNCEFIELD APIARY.
For full two generations the house of G. Neighbour
& Sons has been closely identified with the supply of
whatever is most advanced and useful amongst appli-
ances for bee-keepers, not allowing itself to be sur-
passed in enterprise and good workmanship, combined
with as much cheapness as can be got with efficiency.
It was only to be expected, therefore, that their com-
pleteness would be extended to their bee-farm ; and it
was with considerable pleasure that we sought for, and
obtained, an invitation to visit the apiary at Buncefield,
near Hemel Hemsted.
No worse time could well be selected for a visit to a
bee-garden than during such a continuous daily down-
pour of rain as we have had recently, and it was with
some trepidation (and croaking) that we stepped into a
conveyance at Boxmoor, after a twenty-mile ride from
Euston to Hemel Hemsted, with prophets of evil
weather on either hand. A steady rise of some 300 feet
over about six miles, through the usual beautiful lanes of
Hertfordshire, in which one might seek in vain for un-
picturesque scenery, and we were at Buncefield. With
what eager and almost envious eyes did we note divers
ten-acre fields covered with white-clover bloom, asking,
as plainly as plants can ask, for sunshine to bring the
bees to visit them ! With what sullen discontent do we
try to bring our minds into a fitting frame to ' bless
whatever is ! ' Par parenthhe, one thing we must all
learn this year is to ' extract ' comfort from comparative
misfortune, and thank our stars, somewhat pharisaically,
that we are not as other men, whose all lay in the fields
perishing for want of warm weather.
To anyone who desires to see a perfectly planned
apiary, managed by a past-master in the craft, I com-
mend Buncefield. Three acres (four goats in place of la
vache) are divided into orchard and bee-garden, the latter
again subdivided by pathways of closely cut velvety-
green turf into sixteen squares, ten to twelve yards in
extent on each side. Each of these squares, on the north
side, is occupied by a fine of hives, fronted by a cindered
alighting-ground; each square is fitted with a distinct
thick mass of bee plants : — Arabis, Borage, Crocus, Lim-
nanthes, Echinops, Nepeta, and so on. These in turn
are fringed with raspberry-canes, beyond which is a con-
tinuous line (all round the square) of the brilliant blue
spikes of Veronica rupestris, evidently much loved by
bees. The great novelty, however, was the pleasure af-
forded by noiselessly moving about on the smooth grass
walks. Upwards of seventy hives are kept in this garden,
perhaps as interesting and heterogeneous a collection as
can be found in the kingdom. Mr. Neighbour may some
day arrange them in some sort of chronological order, so
that they may give us an al-fresco history of apiculture;
in fact an illustration of the evolution of the hive from
the embryonic skep, through the supered skep, up to the
bar-frame hive of to-day ; and from the "natural honey-
comb to some fanciful future Koerbs' comb, drawn out
into abnormally long and narrow cells, whose bases shall
be sliced off, instead of the caps, and in which the bee
of the future shall continue to store honey, wondering
where it all runs to as it extracts itself into the honey
vat, down cells only wide enough to admit the bee's head.
At one corner is the greatest treasure we have yet
seen amongst hives — an original Langstroth, presented
to Mr. Neighbour by the venerable father himself two-
and-twenty years ago. Then, dotted about with as
much regularity as possible, are various ' friend ' Root's
chaff-hives ; and in all good part we may say that had
he been with us ho would have been considerably chaffed
about these as seen in comparison with the appearance
of the modern hive. Even this we seek to-day to make
as unlike a dog-kennel as possible, a vain effort.
Ponderous structures these chaff-hives are, evidently
built where wood is cheap, and built with the intention
that the hive ' conies to stay.'
We were shown some twin hives (used as one) con-
taining twenty-two frames, with a view to extracting.
These gave one an idea of ' ice-safes,' but are most useful
bee-houses, economising heat when used as twins, and
allowing easy uniting when run for extracted honey, or
offering facilities for artificial swarming by lifting back
the frame containing the queen, and turning the hive
round; the roof is hinged on like the lid of a corn-bin,
and can be similarly propped up to facilitate manipula-
tion. We next come to several immense straw hives, of
the pattern advocated by the celebrated Gravenhorst ;
these are called ' Bogenstulpers,' and are the best made
hives of straw yet seen. They look likely to last a life-
time, and are about three feet long, two feet high, and
a foot broad. Strange as it may seem, the top bar of
A Bogenstulper.
the frames is the bottom bar ; that is, when the hive is
inverted for manipulation we see a row of wooden bars
fastened to the straw sides by a stout wire pin or peg ;
to this bar is fixed a piece of wood bent to form a frame,
fitting only close enough to the inside of the hive to
allow a free passage-way round it. The foundation is
fixed in a slit at the top, or bent portion of the frame,
and is worked out and added to by the bees in the
usual way. When manipulated a little smoke is blown
under the back, the hive being tilted up for the purpose,
the bees rush up to gorge, the hive is quietly rolled over,
backward way, into a sort of cradle-like wooden stand,
pegs are removed, a frame withdrawn, bees brushed off,
and extracting proceeded with. The entrances are three
in number in the front side of the hive, not on the
floor-board.
After a visit to the adjoining orchard, we were next
invited to inspect the manufacture of comb-foundation ;
this was deftly done by a man and boy at a rapid rate,
the quality of the wax being specially noteworthy ; it
was almost tasteless, and was only slightly charged with
the inevitable pollen-grains. Mr. Neighbour is fortunate
in having a manager at Buncefield whose heart is so
thoroughly in his work. Mr. W. Marshall is exceedingly
enthusiastic; he introduced us to a most ingenious and
rapid method of fixing foundation in supers. We don't
wish to tell secrets or would explain it ; he may do so
perhaps.
Then comes the parting, the ride homewards, this
time behind a steed from the Steppes of Tartary.
Whether bee-men prefer foreign blood in their hives is a
moot point, but this we know, they like it in their shafts
(' A. E.' to wit). This reminds us we were to have the
pleasure of 'Amateur Expert's' society on this occasion,
but he was judging somewhere. We did see one sight
calculated to rouse all the covetousness in our nature.
This was an immense field of white clover in which
were dotted about some scores of pheasant coops, the
August 9, 1888.]
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
377
clover (here's the rub) being left in bloom for the sake of
the young birds.
A few days after this visit we called to see a three-frame
observatory hive of Carniolans at work at Mr. Neigh-
bour's shop in Regent Street. There they were, pro-
verbially busy, during very indifferent weather, hauling
in loads of pollen and honey from goodness knows where
— pollen red, orange, yellow, green, and grey. Regent's
Park and the Green Park were the nearest feeding
grounds. The hive was on the first storey, therefore the
bees incommoded no one, nor were they incommoded, for
to judge from their movements they were far busier, and
more intent on their work, than the human bees in the
street below, — any way more than — X-Tractor.
HUSH EXHIBITION.
In visiting recently the Irish Exhibition at the
Olvmpia, Addison Road, we were pleased to find that
the Irish Bee-keepers' Association had had the enter-
prise to present to the public so large and varied an
assortment of the appliances required by bee-keepers
in the present day, together with divers bottles and
sections of pure Irish honey. The collection of appliances
was chiefly from the Irish branch of Abbott Bros., of
Merchants Quay, Dublin. Amongst the hives were to
be seen the Economic, the Jubilee, the Irish Combination,
the Universal Doubling, the Irish Association, and sundry
othors, with all kinds of supers and sections, extractors
and crates, comb foundation for stock hives and supers,
honey bottles, &c. In fact the collection was remarkably
complete and well selected.
At no great distance from the exhibit of the Irish
I3.lv .A. was to be seen a case exhibited by the Honey
and Wax Company, Columbia Market, containing sam-
ples of the honey products, edibles, and beverages, tablets
and honey drops, &c, generally associated with the name
of Mr. Moyle. Looking more closely we discovered medals
which had from time to time been awarded to Mr.
Moyle from various bee-keepers' associations. We pre-
sume, therefore, that there must exist some connexion
between the new Honey and Wax Company and Mr.
Moyle — a conjunction which we confess we were un-
prepared to see. From the presence of the case in the
Irish Exhibition we consider that we may deduce that
the new Company are desirous of largely using in the
future the products of Irish bee-keepers.
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ASSOCIATION.
We beg to call attention to the date of closing of
entries (15th inst.) for the exhibition to be held at
Lancaster. The amount offered in prizes is calculated
to secure exhibitors a good return for their entries.
NATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE EXHIBITION AT
THE CRYSTAL PALACE. '
Exhibitors are reminded that entries for this ex-
hibition close on the 11th inst., Saturday nest. The
prizes offered for honey are on a liberal scale. Secretary,
Mr. Wm. Broomhall, i Norfolk Street, Strand.
SHROPSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
We desire to direct the attention of bee-keepers to the
annual exhibition of the above Association which will be
held in conjunction with the Floral Fete of the Horti-
cultural Society at Shrewsbury on the 22nd and 23rd of
August. The prizes will be on a most liberal scale ; and
free instruction and lectures in bee-keeping will be given
on the occasion. We trust that the exhibition will
prove a great success.
THE WEATHER.
While we have been experiencing such cold and un-
genial summer weather, the heat in Norway this
summer has been intense, the temperature exceeding
anything registered during this century. At Christiania
the thermometer has several times registered 86° to 89^°
Fahrenheit in the shade. At Nyborg in the Varanger
Fjord it has been up to 95°.
GLEANINGS.
The following query is taken from the Bee-keeper's
Ouide and will show the opinions of some of the leading
American bee-keepers respecting the suppression of
brood-rearing. — Ed. B.B.J.
Suppressing Brood Rearing. — Is it practicable and
profitable to suppress brood-rearing to avoid ' useless con-
turners' between the early and fall honey harvest?
No. Encourage it, if anything. ' Keep your stocks
strong.' — W. M. Barnum.
It is practicable by removing empty combs and putting
in tbeir places combs full of honey, or dummies, but it
is not profitable. — M. Mahin.
I do not think it is. Nature works in harmony with
itself. If the honey crop was all we had to consider,
there would be no trouble, but we have several other
factors in the problem. We must have bees as well as
honey in order to winter safely. I am an advocate of
strong colonies at all times, and any suppression of brood-
rearing unless in the hands of a practical expert will
surely work great harm. — J. E. Pond.
No ; for the time between the two crops is not long
usually to make this advisable. — Dadant & Son.
If practicable, hardly profitable. — G. W. Neihardt.
My experiments in this direction have not been satis-
factory. It looks very feasible that some plan that will
preveut excessive increase after it is too late for the
increase to aid in gathering the early harvest might be
resorted to with sure profit. How often we have been
told that all such increase became ' useless consumers,' &c.
The theory is very inviting to any one to try the experi-
ment, but when a practical test is made of the theory it
don't ' pan out.' My best colonies are always those that
have not been tinkered with. My colonies whioh have
plenty of stores to winter on, and come out strong in the
spring and work with a vim and courage that bring
success, are the colonies that have been allowed full
6wing at breeding. — G. W. Demarkb.
I have never given much thought to the ' practical '
part of this subject, but I have had queens that kept on
laying after the early harvest, and the late harvest
failing, until they had consumed what they should have
saved for their winter stores. I believe it would be
profitable to have less brood-rearing during certain parts
of the season. — H. D. Stewart.
In some localities it might be so and in some it might
not. I find that the bees attend to that matter them-
selves in this country. — J. S. Harry.
I have never seen the time when I wanted to prevent
brood-rearing ; on the contrary, it has been my aim to
keep up the strength of stocks so as to have bees to get
honey when it does come. It is practicable, but not
profitable. The queen can be caged, the heads of capped
brood shaved off as we do drone brood, but none of this
for me if you please. I would rather feed a little and
keep the queens at work.— W. M. Kellogg.
J. S. Cumming says in Gleanings with respect to foul
brood that he is sure that the germs are contained in the
378
THE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL.
[August 9, 1888.
honey, and he bases his assertion on the following : — He
had some colonies infected with foul brood and deter-
mined to experiment. He collected about two grains of
the droppings of some of the bees from the diseased
hives, put them in syrup, and fed it to a healthy colony
that he had purchased, and left ten miles from his own
bees. The bees from the colony so fed were not allowed
to fly, except under cover when there was no means for
them to escape. In just thirteen days the brood began
to show unmistakable signs of foul brood, and in four
weeks the colony was in a very bad condition of foul
brood. They were only fed about half pint of infected
syrup.
The Canadian Bee Journal says: — From all experi-
ments that W9 have tried, and we have used foundation
that has been one, aud in some cases two years old, by
putting it in a dry, airy place and keeping it as little as
exposed to the air as possible it will answer the purpose
just as well as new foundation. Of course before being
given to the bees it requires to be warmed up slightly ;
they will then work it out with more satisfaction than
if given to them cold and brittle. It can be warmed very
easily by putting it in fairly warm water for a few
minutes. The water should not be over 95 to 100
degrees.
The Canadian Honey Producer says : — Bee-keeping at
the present day requires to be conducted with care and
economy, the margin of profit one year with another is
not so great that we can dispense with the qualities
which are necessary to succeed in any other business.
The American Bee Journal says : — There are many
who should never attempt to keep bees — the shiftless,
the lazy, those who will not read and study the ne-
cessities of the business, those who are afraid of stings,
those who are nervous and irritable, and those who have
no time to attend to the care of the. be»s. All such
should never attempt to keep bees. Failures come in
every avocation. Of no occupation can it be said that
it never fails. 13oe-keeping is no exception to the
general rule — but it is not more liable to failure than
others. The manufacturer, the banker, and the mer-
chant, often have to grapple with financial distress and
commercial panics — but, do they forsake the counter, the
desk, and the factory, and look for some other business
wherein loss and trouble never come ? No ! indeed,
such reverses but stimulate progressive men to further
diligence and more dauntless courage ! When the
bankers, merchants, and farmers set the example, it will
be time enough for apiarists to become discouraged and
give up the business — but not till thenl
AVhen there is nothing to protect the hives from the
heat of the sun, the Bee-keeper 's Guide recommends
shado boards two and a half feet square, and made out
of f-inch stuff. The boards are
nailed to two upright pieces two
inches by one, and project below,
so as to form feet for the board to
rest on when it is leaning up against
the hive on the sunny side. This
has been found by Mr. Hill a
satisfactory way to induce bees to
work in their boxes in the dusk of
the day, and it also prevents sagging
and falling of comb foundation.
The facility with which foul brood may be spread will
be understood when we point out to our readers that the
Revue International mentions an instance of a dealer in
Carniolan bees sending to a subscriber one dozen colonies,
nearly half of which had foul brood.
In the Bienenzeitung (Nbrdlingen) Karl Schroter
describes his experiments with foul brood, and his
discovering that a mixture of carbolic acid and wood
tar was the quickest, simplest, and best remedy. It is
hot given in the food, but is applied in such a way
that there is a constant evaporation of the mixture,
and an effusion of the vapour in the hive. In order to
facilitate the process the worst of the foul-broody
combs were removed, although this is not absolutely
necessary. The vapour of carbolic acid, like that of
salicylic acid, kills the spores and dries up the rotten and
diseased contents of the cells. Care must be taken that
the bees do not touch the acid or the tar. He, therefore,
prepares two pieces of thin board about four inches square,
perforated, with a few holes. Strips placed round the
lower one, will form it into a shallow box which can
receive pieces of felt to fill it. Equal quantities of carbolic
acid and wood tar are mixed and the felt saturated in the
mixture, placed in the box, the lid put on aud the
whole then placed in the hive Cigar-boxes are just
right for making the cases for the felt. All the work is
now ended, as the dose will generally be sufficient for
the whole summer, although it is better to repeat the
dose every three months. Should foul brood reappear
in some of the cells the second season, commence the
treatment and continue until cured. The bees do not
object to the treatment and continue their work as
usual.
Sdrrtctr .]
August 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
395
HELP IN THE APIARY.
[17o2.] In answer to your request to bee-keepers, as
per Gleanings for June 1st, page 426, I will say that a
man endowed with common energy, and -working' less
than loO days in the year, manages for us six apiaries,
numbering about 400 colonies; that he finds time also to
■work at two other apiaries, one for himself and one for
another party, and that he has some time to spare,
although some of these apiaries are ten to twelve miles
from ours, which is in about a central position.
Of course, we give help to our apiarist at the time of
extracting, for we raise, more especially, extracted honey.
As we extract, on an average, 1250 lbs. per day, our
crop, when amounting to above 20,000 lbs., requires
sixteen da}'s' work for two men and a boy , so the average
number of days' work amounts to about 200 per year.
Good results with so little work cannot be attained
unless the apiaries are organized for the purpose.
You know, probably, that we use very capacious hives,
having adopted, after several years of careful compari-
son, the Quinby suspended-frame hives, enlarged to ten
frames, and a partition board. As we enlarge the space
just as soon as the crop begins, the number of our natural
swarms does not exceed two or three per cent, our bees
swarming only when they raise queens in the height of
the honey season. To enlarge the room we add supers
filled with half-frames, provided with combs. Before
the invention of comb-foundation, we used to adjust in
these half-frames all the drone-combs removed from the
brood-chamber. We have some of these which are
twenty years old, and which have been emptied nearly
every year since.
Having from 1200 to loOO of these combs in each of
our six apiaries, we place successively on each hive as
many supers as necessary ; our rule being never to ex-
tract, if possible, till the crop is at an end. In this way
we often have three of these supers, weighing about
fifty lbs. each, on some hives ; yet our spring crop is
short, coming to an end with the clover blossoms, for
there are very few linden-trees in this part of Illinois.
When we extract, our man takes out the surplus
combs and brushes the bees ; another brings them to the
extracting- room ; another uncaps; a boy turns the
machine, and places the empty combs back in the supers.
After sundown they are replaced on the hives, to be dried
by the bees.
As we do not extract from the brood-chamber, nine
years out of ten our bees have a large quantity of good
honey for winter, and are generally strong in the spring.
We are convinced that, but for the capacity of our hives
and the strength of our colonies after winter, our surplus
crop would be light, since it ceases just when the linden
blooms, and yields a crop for apiaries better situated.
Our surplus-boxes are left on the hives for the fall
crop, emptied again if necessary, then given back again,
to be removed late in the season ; then they are housed
securely away from mice, in cold rooms, where the frost
kills tho bee-moths if any are in the combs.
The floor of the room in which the extracting is done
is covered with painted cloth. The piles of surplus-
boxes, in which the emptied combs are put back, are
placed in tin pans made on purpose, and the men, while
waiting for the sun to set, clean the room. By these
means the work is far from being as dirty as you seem to
suppose.
Like our good friend Grimm, we do not manage our
bees intensively, convinced, as we are, that our course
pays better than the intensive method adopted by most
of our best bee-keepers. — Chas. Dadant. Hamilton, 111.
dragon-fly in pursuit of a bee, which it caught in mid-
air, and carried off to a neighbouring hedge to devour,
llunning to the spot where the fly had settled, I found
it holding the bee with its fore-legs, and suckiug its head ;
and so intent was it, that I caught it and carried it to
my carriage, before it relinquished its hold of its prey.
The poor bee was quite dead, and its head reduced to a
pulp. Next day a man told me that he had lost bis only
stock of bees last year through the murderous attacks of
these flies. He had seen a dragon-fly come out of bis
skep- frequently, and his bees gradually dwindled away
in a most mysterious fashion, though it was in the
height of the honey-flow. At last he raised the skep
one day, and found upon the floor-board a huge mass of
headless bees. His suspicions that the dragon-fly was
the cause of his loss were confirmed when I told him
what I had seen the previous day, and great was his
regret that he had not saved his pets by destroying their
enemies in time. In future 1 shall kill every dragon-fly
I can catch, and recommend your readers to do like-
wise.— .1 e x kin I >A VIES.
THE DRAGON-FLY AS AN ENEMY TO BEES.
[1753.] From what I saw a few days ago, I find that
bees have much to fear from the ' dragon-fly.' Whilst
driving along a country lane the other day, I observed a
A CHAT ON CURRENT TOPICS.
Preparation for Winter.
[17o4.] I am glad there is one bee-keeper besides my-
S If that had a good-enough opinion of a bee-space over
the brood-chamber in winter as to openly recommend it
in the B. B. Journal. Such a thing has not been tried
by the majority of bee-keepers on account of the draught
that it is said to cause round the bees, and which said
draught is also said to cause dysentery, &c. I think other-
wise, and fully agree with J. E. Pond on this subject,
viz., that a Hill's device — or a something that allows
free access from frame to frame without causing the bees
to go out of the heat of the cluster to reach their stores —
is equal to, if it does not surpass, the much-talked-about
and strongly -recommended winter passages. I have
tested the matter quite enough to satisfy myself that my
bees always turn out, or open, in the spring with a Hill's
device, or something that answers for the same, better
that way than any other; and that for the following
reasons : — 1. That there is fresh air round about the bees;
nearly everybody acknowledges that this is good, by
leaving entrances at full width, but there is no draught
if proper quilts and chaff — wheat preferred, either put
loosely in an empty crate or in cushions — is used. 2.
Winter passages are said to be quickly cut through a
number of frames, in next to no time to those that have
more time on their hands than most poor cottagers have.
Perhaps they can, but not so quickly as placing a Hill's
device on the top of frames ; to say nothing of pulling
the brood-chamber to pieces after it has been put square
for the winter, and to say nothing of the stings — we
must not forget them — for that means a good deal to
some, no doubt. I should like to see a novice cutting
winter passages through the combs of a strong stock of
hybrids I came across the other day, it was not safe to
be withiu half a mile of them. 8. In many cases the
winter passages are never built up again, thus causing
the queen that much less space to deposit her eggs in.
4. Most bee-keepers agree that after a queen has bt en
removed from a stock, the cutting of the combs like
unto the cutting of winter passages has the effect of
greatly inducing the bees to build queen-cells, though
they will find a place to put them without that.
Now I fancy I have noticed that these holes that have
been cut for winter passages, and not built up the
following spring, are a great — well, a temptation, when
swarming time comes round to them, for the bees to put
queen-cells in when queen-cells are not wanted by the
bee-keeper, but a hive full of bees, plenty of white clover,
and tine weather for them to visit it. — J. W. Blankley,
Grantham, Lincolnshire.
396
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 16, 1888.
PAPER QUILTS.
[1755.] la reply to your correspondent who invites
reports, p. 345, upon paper quilts, I may say that I
have used the next thing' to them, namely, a cushion six
inches thick, stuffed with paper of all sorts torn into
small pieces. This cushion completely fills the entire
space inside the super case over the calico quilt, and
keeps the stock very snug and warm during the winter.
But what I have used for many years, and much prefer
to anything else, is a similar cushion filled with dry
beech or other forest leaves. This keeps the bees all
right, is always sweet, clean, and dry, does not harbour
insects, and is remarkably light and handy to put on or
off, which my paper cushion is not. However, if I could
not obtain leaves or moss 1 should use nothing 'but paper
stuffing for my winter packing. — II. W. Lett, M.A.
A TWIN-HIVE.
[1756.] I herewith send you sketch and description
of my twin-hive. The dimensions are as follows : — Out-
side measurement — length 40 inches, width 24 inches,
depth from floor-board to eaves 24 inches. It has a span
roof, i inch, boards covered with four full-sized sheets of
tin, and is thoroughly waterproof. It stands on four
strong legs. 2 x 2 A inches, and is twenty-four inches
from the ground to floor-board, and contains a drawer
which holds twenty section crates. The roof, which is
hinged, falls back, and is held in its place by two pieces
of gird-iron, with a joint in each. The back part folds
down and gives great freedom for manipulation. The
inside contains three compartments, two of which hold
sixteen frames each, placed across the entrance. The
middle compartment holds three frames, and is placed
end-on to the entrance. All the frames have 15j-ineh
top bars ; the middle part can be used as a nucleus for
breeding queens or holding an after-swarm. Three
squares of glass set in a wood frame cover the tops of
the frames, with two handles to each so as to lift then
like a tray. 15ee-space being left, the bees have freedom
to pass between the glass and tops of the frames. At
the rear of middle compartment is a space which holds
about lOlbs. of sugar ; the three divisions have perforated
tin on the side next this space, or hopper, and the bees
take the sugar through the holes. The alighting board,
perches, and sliding shutters are detachable, and are all
on the south side. In the centre, communicating with
nucleus, is a portico supported on two turned pillars. It
has a mahogany panelled front door, with brass knob.
I was going to add a brass rapper, a scraper, and a mat
to wipe their feet on, but have not done it }7et. It has
II windows in it, with the blinds half drawn; it is
spouted all round, and a conductor goes down into a
drinking fountain, where the bees take the water. It is
fancy painted ; as it stands in the garden from the
ground to the top of the chimneys it is 5 feet in
height ; it would look well on a grass lawn in front of a
gentleman's house. I have a double swarm in one of the
ends, and I am going to put a foreign variety into the
other to see which does best, but I have not got them
sent to me yet. — J. Smith, Loioick, Northumberland.
P.S. — I add there are two glass dummies set in a
frame which close the bees in at the back, and a ther-
mometer which gives the temperature.
[With this description we received two sketches: the
hives would be very ornamental on a garden lawn. — Ed.]
LINCOLNSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS.
[1757.] A few weeks ago I received a letter from a
leading bee-keeper in Lincolnshire asking if I could make
arrangements for a new Association for the county,at the
same time offered 5/. towards the expenses in aid of that
object if I or any one in our neighbourhood would under-
take the work of organization, I am pleased to say a
gentleman of undoubted integrity has intimated that he
will accept the post of Hon. Sec. pro tern., and try to re-
organize the Lincolnshire Bee-keepers' Association. I
should be glad if former local secretaries would com-
municate with me, and any others, as to their willing-
ness to assist in the undertaking. A meeting will be
called shortly for the purpose of forming the Association.
I shall hope to receive some suggestions from old friends
with respect to the rules, See. — H. 0. Smith, Eastgate,
Louth.
MISMANAGEMENT, &e. (1718.)
[1758.] 'Welsh Novice' is much mistaken in my
disposition if he thinks I have any capacity for 'chuckle,'
sardonic or otherwise, because of ' this detestable
weather.' It is no satisfaction to me to know that others
are equally witli myself disappointed in the hundred-
weight returns per hive. He lumps my losses, See., in the
one word — mismanagement. Perhaps if I tell him how I
managed last winter, he will be kind enough to tell me
wherein or what constituted my mismanagement.
Eorty-two hives of bees went into winter quarters
with at least 25 lbs. or 30 lbs. of honey (not a drop of
syrup). They were dry and well packed with quilts,
horse-hair, chair-seating, thread and wool quilts, some
two or more thicknesses of brown paper over that, and a
chaff-frame over all. They so remained until Easter
Monday. Being a ver}' fine summer day, I overhauled the
whole of my stocks, when I found some of them queenless,
which I united to their next-door neighbour, some two or
three all dead, with abundanca of stores in all the frames,
Two had died from dysentery. All .young or second-year
queens : I found but a very little brood in any of the hives.
Seeing the frost and snow had cleared away, I began to
stimulate with syrup, and some of the hives I took out
the back frames, and with a flour-dredge well rilled the
cells with pea- flour. None died after this ; but with all
this some of the young queens are the weakest of my
present number. Now, Mr. ' W. N.,' tell me where I
mismanaged in any particular. The ' detestable weather '
was not of my ordering. Surely ' W. N.' would not
recommend me to have overhauled my stocks any time
during that long winter of severe frost and snow.
' Amateur Expert' in his 'Jottings,' page 367, thinks
I have overlooked in my calculations the question of
temperature. If ' A. E.' will kindly refer to my article
again he well find that my calculations are based on the
higher temperature as per answers to inquirers, page
327. If I had taken the lower temperature it would have
further taxed the laying power of the queen to one-third
more, i.e., from 1200 to 1800 per day, from April to
June, without intermission, and then I have not allowed
for any loss of life during that time, which would in the
nature of things be very great.
In this week's issue of the Journal the writer in the
first page evidently has me in his mind when he says,
' If only young queens were used, bred from selected
mothers, we should not hear of any doubts being ex-
pressed about a queen keeping a hive of forty standard
frames properly populated.' I have done this very thing,
but still my queens have failed most lamentably, none of
them have exceeded thirteen standard frames. Mine
are all English bees; I have tried Ligurian swarms, but
would not have another as a gift. I found them exceed-
ingly prolific, perhaps they would cover forty frames,
but after swarming twice (I had them June 8th or 10th),
they even swarmed on the 8th of August, and at August
20th had not a single cell of honey sealed over, while
the English bees had enough storos and to spare.
Perhaps our English bees are like horses, of very
diverse breeds, some ' thoroughbred ' and some only New
Forest breed. Now, Mr. Editor, I would like to try
some of those thoroughbreds if you, or some other good-
natured gentleman, will send me a swarm to try. —
Sueubohne, August \3th.
August 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
S&7
A CORRECTION.
[1759.] ' Sherborne,' poor man, has enough to suffer
without being held responsible for another's short-
comings. Mr. Blankley (1744) believed it was he
(' Sherborne ') who had desired the suppression of state-
ments respecting large takes of honey. Someone else,
in an earlier number, has spoken in deprecatory terms of
the proposal. Sir, allow me to confess that this proposal
came from me, and was intended to be humorous. In
future, perhaps it would be advisable, when I venture
into a little facetiousness, to acquaint t lie reader with the
fact, and label it, ' This is a joke.' What say you, Mr.
Blankley? — East Glamorgan.
FEEDING BACK EXTRACTED HONEY—
CARBOLISED CLOTHS.
[1700.] For the last three or four years I have tried
in a small way the system of completing unfinished
sections by feeding back extracted honey, 1 hough not on
such scientific lines as described in ( 1735). But I have
found two great drawbacks. First, the waste alluded
to by Mr. Hutchinson, which in my experience has
been quite four or five pounds of extracted honey to one
pound in the sections. But the second drawback has
been greater, and I should like to know if others have
found the same, and if there is any remedy, supposing
the system really worth adopting. In almost every case
the sections have been beautifully tilled and sealed,
though usually there is a perceptible difference in the
sealing from that of first-hand tilling. But after a short
time the fed-back extracted honey has set quite hard,
which the first-hand honey has kept liquid, so that the
value of the section for use (and, I suppose, for sale,
though I have never sold such sections), lias been quite
spoilt. As we usually keep the newly finished sections
for home use, and comb-honey is much preferred to ex-
tracted, it has seemed a pity not to get the sections quite
full; yet the result has been that I think we have spoilt
our comb-honey, so that I decided to give up the system
altogether.
With regard to carbolised cloths, to which 'Three
sceptics' were converted as sung by 'Neophyte' (p. 835),
I have myself used them exclusively for some time, but 1
have given up the recipe given in ' Useful Hints ' (p. 283)
for what I find a simpler, quicker, and more effectual
plan. I daresay others u,-<> it, and perhaps it lias been
mentioned already in the B. B. /., but in case not I will de-
scribe it. This spring, being very busy and having none of
the carbolic solution recommended in the B. B. J. by
me, I wetted a bit of sponge with two or three drops of
the agent sold by Mr. Webster for use in his fumigator,
and smeared it over a piece of calico. I now use
nothing else. I think it lias several advantages over the
solution. One smearing lasts for weeks, so there is no
constant wetting and wringing out the cloth ; being dry
it does not leave a taint behind, which I have known the
solution do if the cloth was not enough wrung out, and I
find it more effectual with the bees. I have used the
original piece of calico for over five months, sometimes
day after day and from one hive to another, yet have only
refreshed it twice, and once was a matter of extra pre-
caution when I had thoroughly to ransack a very savage
lot who usually care little for carbolised cloths. They
were as quiet as lambs this time. I have now three such
pieces of calico which I carry in my ' bee-basket ' folded
up in a cardboard box with the bit of sponge, so they are
at hand at a minute's notice. The other day 1 was
asked by a neighbour to drive a sleep notorious for the
savageness of its inmates which had quite beaten off
another driver. While getting ready I put the bit of
sponge into the doorway, and when I turned up the skep
they were quite peaceable. The odd thing is that the
queen does not seem to mind the smell, though the other
bees bury their heads. When searching for her I keep
one cloth over the unsearched combs and another over
those that have been examined, and have several times
found the queen walking quietly about laying eggs close
up to the cloth. Carbolised cloths I find specially use-
ful for uniting by alternating the frames. A cloth spread
over each hive for a minute or two, makes the bees cling
to the comb and bury their heads so that they can be
put very quietly among the other bees ; and when all
are in, if the cloth is left on for another minute or two
and then very quietly replaced by the quilt. I have
known two very savage lots of hybrids united without
loss of a bee, and apparently without either lot being
conscious of the operation. — C. W., Aug, 4.
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES.— BEES, 16;35 A.D.
1 761.] The following quaint extract is taken out of a
book entitled, Speculum Mundi : or. A Glasse representing
the Dice of the World, written by John Swan, M.A., 1635.
' Bees. — These be those winged workmen, which
whether their profit or admiration be greater, 1 am
scarce able to say. For they do not onely busily be-
stirre themselves to gather bony, which is very usefull
n the life of man: but they do work it up in most
strange manner, and keep it in their waxen cells so
rarely built that all the men which the world affords
are not able to do the like. Neither is this all : for they
live so, as they may be true patterns of needful govern-
ment, keeping themselves under the subjection of a king,
and order of laws. They may well be likewise said to
have the sovereignty and pre-eminence above all others
of this kinde, because the rest come farre short of their
perfections.
' It is a creature having foure wings, and bloudlesse,
the onely crafts-master of honey. Their eyes are some-
what of a horny substance, hid deep in their bodies, as
is also their stings : which when they lose they die :
Vitam in vuluere pronunt :
because their sting and entrails come away together.
They want neither tongue nor teeth, and out of their
short feet or stumps, there grew forth as it were two
fingers, wherein they carry a little stone, for the poysing
their bodies in stormy, windie, tempestuous weather; it
being a great means to keep them from blowing away
and losing their homes.
' Neither can it be denied but that by nature they are
much different : for some (saith* one) are more do-
mestical! and tame, and others again are altogether
wilde, uplaudish, and agrestiall. Those former are much
delighted with the familiar friendship, cu3tome, and
company of men ; but the other can in no wise brook or
endure them, and therefore they keep their trade of
honey-making in old trees, caves, and such like other
holes.
'As for their breathing, I do not believe it; howbeit
they may pant, move, or stirre (as the heart or brain
doth") and by transpiration be comforted and made lively :
for the}' be much refreshed by the aire which passeth
through their divided places, insomuch that theyalwayes
use great diligence and care to preserve them from being
stopped : for as soon as they be stopped in those passages,
they die ; as we see if at any time they chance to fall
into oyl, or the like liquour, which may stop their pores.
' Some make three kings amongst them, differing in
colour, as black, red, and divers coloured ; but perhaps
there is rather one king in a companie, the other like
kings may be esteemed as viceroyes. In their breeding
they actually couple together, after which they lay egs,
sitting upon them for the space of five and fourtie dayes ;
then do they hatch their young ones, which at the first
come forth much like to white worms, except the king,
who only is said to be hatched with wings. And some-
times there is a kinde of bee bred out of putrefaction,
* Topsel in his History of Serpent'.
398
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 16, 1888.
as authors write. A rotten horse breedeth wasps; a
dead calf bees, if the west winde blow ; from an asse
proceed humble bees; of a mule, hornets, &c. And
whether the bees in Sampson's dead lion were bred any-
where else, no man knoweth.
' They have a commonwealth, and are governed by a
king, as before was mentioned ; and him they reverence
and honour, being alwayes readie to do according to
his pleasure. He is of bodie farre bigger than the honey
bee, hath shorter wings, but a brighter and more goodly
head than they. There is always excellent discipline,
and very good government among them : for at the
mouths of the hives there be some which stand like
wardens placed at the gates of a castle, to see who goes
in and out. And having rested quietly all night, there
is one which with a humming noise doth call them up,
whereupon they prepare to fly abroad about their busi-
n-sse : but if they make no haste to look out, or go not farre
from home, it is a certain signe of no good weather.
' When they be busie at their work, the bees which go
abroad return home with laden thighs, full of the sub-
stance of the flowers : and this especially is said to be
an office of the younger bees ; for some of the others do
onely carrie water: and the elder ones remaining at
home, do busilie lay up, carefully dispose, and curiously
dresse what the others bring in. Such as be sluggish
among them, are diligently observed, and bitterly
punished ; and as for the drones, they are supposed by
some to be the female bees, which they drive out of
then- hives when breeding time is past ; and therefore
they do ill who use to kill the drones before. Others
again think that the female bee is no drone, but rather
bred among the bees, and being idle, and unapt for
work, is driven away either in the busiest time, or time
of dearth. And yet perhaps it may be the female,
which having done as much as can be naturally required
from her, must not think much to be driven away, but
leave her room to a succeeding generation.
' I said before that in the morning there is one among
them which calls them up, and so in like manner at
night they leave their buzzing by degrees, at last hearing
as it were a proclamation through their hive to go to
rest: and as the watch being appointed, and all things
set in order, they all make themselves readie to go to
bed. So long as the king liveth, so long the whole
swarm enjoyeth the benefit of peace ; but he being
dead, there is great disorder. The king keepeth his
court by himself, in the highest room and largest part of
the whole' palace, his lodging being very curiously
made. And if at any time any of them chance to die,
they be carried out of the hive, as it were upon the
shoulders of the other bees, who will suffer nothing in
their houses which may pollute them: but if they be
onely sick then have they a medicinall aliment of honey
drawn from annise, saffron, and hyacinths by which
they are cured. — Topsell,
' And when they be readie to swarm, they dare not
take their flight untill their king leade the way : unto
whose side they strive to flie, as neare as they can.
Some say, if the king be such as tenders the good of the
other bees, he goes but seldom abroad : and stragling
often from home, they will rid themselves of him. But
when he dies through age, they carrie him forth in
solemn manner and behave themselves as at some sad
funerall. Neither is he so tied to his home but that he
may sometimes go abroad to refresh his aged bodie,
whom they accompanie in a sweet obediential! manner ;
and if it chance that he grow wearie and faint by the
way, they bear him back again upon their wings, and
with great commiseration pitie his decayed estate.
Moreover they will not suffer a dead bee to lie in their
hives, but carrie him forth as to his buriall, lest he
should corrupt their pure and cleanly decked dwellings.'
—Extracted by T. Bonner Chambers, F.L.S., Tref
Eylioys, Caerstw, Montgomeryshire.
HONEY OF THE EUCALYPTUS.
[1"62.] Only recently the valuable properties of a
honey, received from Australia, have been determined.
We have a specimen of it iu its ' run ' form, not unlike
our own honey after being kept a year or two. It is not
so dark as heather honey, but slightly darker than the
flower honey. The taste, however, is very distinctly
marked. Mixed with three parts of water, in which it is
easily soluble, it has a peculiar resinous flavour ; it is
agreeable to the palate, the taste reminding one of the
aroma iu the air when passing in the spring-time i he
firs laden with their young cones. It will not do,
however, for 'Athol Brose,' as we cannot get it to
dissolve in alcohol. Some of our readers may not be
aware that a very good cure for a cold, when taken in
time, is this Scotch recipe, viz., equal quantities of honey
and whisky stirred up together till the honey dissolves.
It was four years ago when the distinguished French
naturalist, M. Guilmoth, was travelling in Australia
that he made the discovery of the honey. He observed
near the top of one of the eucalyptus trees a strange
excrescence ; on examining this with his field-glass, lie
noticed a vast army of small insects flying about,
entering and leaving an opening in the tree. Struck
with the unusual appearance, he got his men to cut down
the tree. Ituring this operation the insects came in
deputations to see what the strange workmen were
doing. M. Guilmeth was then convinced that the
insects were small black bees. The workmen got their
faces protected from the attacks of the bees, and the
tree fell ; the shock made the queen leave the hive inside
the tree, accompanied by her faithful subjects. The
hive was examined, and the honey, in considerable
quantity, was found to be of such a peculiar flavour and
sweetness, that M. Guilmeth sent home specimens of the
honey and the bees to his friend. Dr. Garaman, at Forges,
in Normandy, for analysis and examination.
Dr. Caraman submitted a report on the eucalyptus
honey to the Academy of Medicine, Paris. The black
bees were of a peculiar kind, unknown to any of the
entomologists. The honey was found to contain 62 per
cent of sugar; the active principles, i.e., eucalyptol,
eucalyptene, terpene, cymol, colouring, resinous and
aromatic principles, 18 per cent. This large proportion
of sugar and medicinal elements drew the attention of
the medical savants to the importance of the honey in
therapeutics. The oil of eucalyptus has been used for
some time aa a better anti-septic than carbolic acid,
leaving no bad effects. The honey contains all the
property of the oil ; besides, on account of its sweetness
and nutrient qualities, it has been recommended as an ex-
cellent substitute for cod-liver oil in wasting diseases.
M. Ilerrison, director of the Chevrier Laboratory in
Paris, tried to manufacture the honey by mixing with
common honey the essential properties of the eu-
calyptus. In this, however, he sigually failed; the
stirring could not control the separation and gradual
volatilising of the essential ingredients. Accordingly,
it is concluded that the resinous substance on the gum-
tree, as this particular eucalyptus is familiarly called in
Australia, requires to be digested by the bee before
being fixed in the honey. We have studied the reports
of the French medical press on the subject, and gone
over a number of cases treated witli this honey alone.
We believe it will be found particularly useful in various
diseases, as bronchitis, phthisis, &c. — Dr. M'Pherson,
Scottish Nights.
Suggestion for Feeding Starving Stocks and Swarms f
at the present time. — Leave excluder-zinc on (or use
strainer cloth) and pack upon it Bernerara sugar. Also
suitable for winter, and is very economical, as no feeders
are required. I got thi3 ' wrinkle ' from a bee-keeper at
the Nottingham Show. He says he feeds thus every
winter, and he keeps forty colonies. — C. N. P.
August 16, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
399
(jfkljacs front % p i b cs.
St. Wilfrid's, Parkttone, Aug. 6th. — Seeing by last
week's Journal so many deplorable accounts of the
honey harvest in most places, I thought I would just
let you know that it is certainly a little more hopeful in
this little corner, though, if the weather had been any-
thing as all have wished, it would have been a great
deal better still. I started this year with five bar-hives
and one straw skep. I have taken from one bar-hive
twenty-eight sections, and the bees are now working four
crates of twenty-ono each. 1 hope to have another
twenty finished in a day or two. Two more bar-hives
have got sixtv-three sections nearly completed ; the other
two have forty-two each. They are all working hard,
and if the weather will only be kind, the heather is
nearly out in bloom. As you say in last week's ' Hints,'
the bees have bred enormously this year. I hail one of
the best hives swarm on August 2nd, about 7 or s ll>s.
1 returned them in the evening, and they have gone on
quiet since. The sleep swarmed twice, and I have
stocked two more hives with them; the swarm is now
working a crate of sections. What surprised me is
how the bees have got honey at all ; they must have
made hay while the sun did shine. If the montb "f
August would only be tine, I hope to get a good lot of
heather sections. I have taken altogether fifty sections
nicely filled, and hope to have another fifty this week. —
A.. Dabneb.
Yo.v/ord, August 8th. — A neighbour had a swarm <>f
bees on 3rd of August. I have never before heard of
one so late. My bees have been very strong in brood,
but have done badly in storing honey. I have taken
off but few filled sections, and the bees have not sufficient
for winter supply. They are now very busy, limes and
blackberries bring in full bloom. — J. P.
North Leicestershire, August \'.\th. — The first three
days of this month found the bees in full flight, but
forage was scarce, and tlie results nil. The next three
days totally blank, for bees remained at home. On the
~th and four following days a higher temperature (75
to 70°) set the nectar flowing in the white clover and
limes, and asa consequence some stocks are showing a little
(very little though) sealed comb. To-day is very windy,
and the cold has returned, confining the bees to their
hives.— E. B.
Navigation, Trehurris, It. S. 0., Qlarnorganshire, Au-
gust l'ith. — Seeing 'East Glamorgan's' experience in
last week's Journal, and as I live close to Pontypridd,
it made me feel a bit uneasy, so to-day I made time to
examine one of my stocks. I have ten. I am pleased to
say the first one I looked at, having on a rack of twenty-
eight sections, was doing splendidly; all of them were
worked out, full of honey, and the middle ones sealed. The
frames also contained from two to four pounds of honey
each, most of it sealed ; after seeing this I felt satisfied,
and did not think it worthwhile to open the other hives,
as from all appearance they seemed to be doing equally
as well. I may say that Mr. Gay, expert to the Gla-
morganshire 13. K. A., started me in bee-keeping, and
is the maker of the hives I am using ; he has also had the
entire management of them up till about a month ago.
They are what he calls ' The Combination Hive,' and
will hold seventeen or eighteen frames, and two racks of
twenty-eight sections each. Should the weather con-
tinue good, I shall put on the other rack, which had
been removed in consequence of bad weather, and dwind-
ling down, or else extract from the frames. I am very
glad to be able to give such a good report, and hope it
will cheer ' East Glamorgan's ' heart, as well as other
bee-keepers. By the bye, I think ' East Glamorgan '
rather premature in changing his nom de plume, as no
one but a novice would attempt to heft or lift the frames
to ascertain the weight without first removing the
quilt. I hope you will be able to find room for this,
my first Echo, in your very instructive Journal. —
A. H. Sims.
North-east of Ireland, Aug. 7th. — It is a long time
since there was a worse year for bee-keeping experienced
in the north of Ireland. First we had a late, cold
spring, and now we have been passing through a chilly,
rainy summer. There has been little sunshine to bring
forth nectar and pollen in the flowers, and though in
some places there have been enough of swarms, they
will have to be fed to secure them the requisite twenty-
five pounds of stores again-t winter. There have been
ehows of honey at Belfast on June 21st in connexion
with the North-east of Ireland Agricultural Association,
at Armagh on July 4th, at Strabane on July 13tb, and
Banbridge on July 31st. But the entries were below
those of former years, and many who bad intended to
exhibit were unable to do so when they went to their
hives and found no sections ready; while, except at the
latter place, there was not a properly finished section or
super staged. Honey will not, this season, be the cheap
irug it was in 1887. As an example of the difference,
between the yield of the two crops, I can instance a
gentleman in Co. Down who, at this time last year,
had secured eleven hundred sections, but he has no;
yet had one for 1883. — II. YV. Lett.
Oork,AuffUst *t/i. — Your readers, cosm qjolite-. in tle-ii-
desire to hear the latest ace units of th>> little busy b - . a
word from the south of Ireland will then interest them.
Had I written one week ago I should swell the buzz
your several local correspondents raised abiut your ears
when their one and only cry was a lament on the un-
reasonableness of ' Jupiter Pluvius.' It was here, in the
south of Ireland as it was in the north and south of
England, a mere apology for summer ; and the little bee
has just as hard a lot with us as it had in your leaders'
apiary— a lot which it patiently endured. However,
during the past few days some kind friend of the bees
has soothed the fierce wrath of the rainy god. The sun
shines out brightly, and the flowers — such of them as
remain— are daily expanding their leaves once again.
Had the weather continued as it was a fortnight ago,
'the last rose of summer' would, indeed, by this time
have faded and gone. — E. C. 1!.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
Letters or queries asking /or addresses of manu/acturers or correspon-
dents, <>.' where appliances run be nurchascd, or replies gieiwj suck
information, can onl/y be inserted as advertisements. The spaa
devoted '■> letters, gueries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-beepers, and not for advertisements. Wt wish our Corrsspondents
to bear in mind that, as d is necessary for us to goto />.<>;..- madvancs
of ih< dote of issue, gueries cannot always '<• replied to in tlie issue
nediately following the receipt oj their nmunication.
ATI queries forwarded will '.: attended to,aui those only of personal
interest mill be answered in this column.
Git. A. B. — Honey. — The sample of honey seems to us to
be very good. There is an agreeable sharpness of
flavour that we like. The bees may have worked
rhubarb, but whatever it may be from the sample is
good, and no doubt of its genuineness, we should say,
need be entertained. Our correspondent may consider
himself fortunate to have such produce. AVe hope he
may have hundredweights of it.
A. W. — Heather. — No. 1 is the cross-leaved heath {Erica
Tetrali.i), No. 2 is the common ling (Calluna vulgaris) ;
both are excellent honey-secreting plants, perhaps the
latter is the best. We trust that you will find the
heather to be prolific in honey this year, as accounts
from all parts indicate that other sources have been a
total failure.
M. F. K. — 1. Carnio/ans v. Ligurians. — Both of these
varieties are very good workers, but the Carniolans are
most easily handled — we prefer them to Ligurians. 2.
Carniolan Hybrids. — We prefer the Carniolan queen
crossed with the black drone. The first cross we
400
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 16, 1888.
usually find superior to either parent. 3. Queen-
introduction. — This does not seem quite settled ; man)'
bee-masters preferring the cage-introduction. We have
recently had much success with direct introduction by
the Pond-Simmins' method.
C. N. P. — 1. Larvai thrown out. — By feeding you will
have stopped the mischief. Starvation was the cause
of the abnormal proceedings in both cases. 2. Forming
Swarm with new Queen. — You would have to cage the
queen in nucleus. All the bees joining same will be
old bees, and therefore more liabb to ball the queen,
but this does not take place in all cases. We should
cage so as to be ou the safe side.
W. Corkhill. — 1. Swarm without Queen. — Introduce a
fresh queen at once. She will raise brood this season
which, as young bees, will be of great service through
the winter. 2. Foundation. — The samples of founda-
tion sent are very good and pure.
II. W. Lett. — Foul brood : Bacillus edvei.
E. J. Spilled. — Dead Queen. — This appears to be a
fertile queen. It might, very probably, be the one
you introduced, as the princess, being more lithe and
active, would have the advantage in the contest, thus
causing the old queen's death.
P. Tonkin. — Ligurian Dead Queen. — Probably there is
another queen in the hive, as the one sent to us has
had wings which have been roughly torn out. If on
examination you find the hive queenless, you should
introduce a fertile one at once. If you have drones
you could raise one by giving the stock a frame of
eggs from another hive. We consider her a pure
Ligurian.
E. Weber. — Microscopes. — For extraordinary work we
use a Beck's Class A stand. It is the best binocular
microscope made by that firm. The objectives most
useful are a § inch and \ inch, and we think you would
find a 14 inch useful. If you are going in for the
study of Bacteria you will want a fa oil immersion,
but great care should be exercised in the selection of
this. We use one of Powell and Leland's, but such
an objective cost 2-'i/. ; it was one of these that was
given to Mr. Cheshire to carry on his investigations. —
Yes, we have a ^, but we seldom use it, and do not
recommend you to get one. You can get a very fair
fa of W. Baker, High Holborn, for about 5/. 5s., and
it is made by Leitz specially for such work. Y'ou will
find that with practice you will be able to make dis-
sections, but for this purpose we use a specially con-
structed microscope. This is called Stevenson's binocular
dissecting microscope, and can also be had of Mr.
Baker, the cost of stand being 8/. 10s. AYorking with
this stand is much easier because the platform is large
and level, and the tubes are inclined so that the ope-
rator can sit comfortably at his work. The objective
can be raised or lowered by means of a rack-and-pinion
movement, and it is suitable for the lowest as well as
tolerably high powers. We cannot give general in-
structions for mounting, but if you will tell us what
subjects you wish to work upon we shall be happy to
give you particulars. All the necessary materials may
be procured of Mr. Baker. If you will say to what
sum you wish to go we will advise as to apparatus
most suitable.
John Perry. — 1. Xucleus Hives. — Y'our method of form-
ing nuclei has been tried and found to be of little
utility, as during winter the disturbance of one nucleus
communicates itself to the rest, so that there is a
continual commotion during the time that perfect
quietude should reign. Thin boards instead of perfora-
ted zinc are much better ; we always use ^-inch stuff
in the same manner as you propose using zinc. 2. Two
Queens in a Hive. — Your bees would be in a much
better condition if you ran two hives of ten frames
each, as one queen, if she is any good, can well till
that number of combs. To restrict a queen to only
five frames would be very bad bee-keeping, as one-
half, at least, of her eggs would be consumed by the
bees. A hive having a good prolific queen will bo
more successful than one having two queens separated
as you propose, by a zinc diaphragm ; it has been
tried frequently.
M. J. Swift. — Candy-making. — If you carry out the
instructions given at pages 101 and 102 of our Guide
Book you cannot fail. Boiling up the sugar is not
sufficient, but it must be continued until it is of the
right consistence. Wheat-flour should be used and
not wheat-meal, as the bees can make no use of the
bran and coarse particles. When the flour is put in
the mixture must be stirred until it thickens, and then
pour it out. The quantity is one and a half pound, as
stated, not one half pound.
C. Cox. — Last year's Honey. — Our reply last week was
dictated from our experience with, and our knowledge
of, the rules of the B. B. K. A. We have no desire to
enter further into the points of contention. We con-
sider that the officers of the Association with which
you are connected are sufficiently equal to the deter-
mination of the matter in dispute.
E. C. R. — 1. Situation of Apiary. — The situation chosen is
very suitable. Protection from the north wind can
always be given during the winter by erecting hurdles
made in a similar manner to those used for the
protection of sheep during the lambing season. —
2. Flowers to plant in Garden. — Early spring flowers
are the most suitable, as later in the season there are
plenty of wild ones. Crocuses, White Arabis, Wall-
flowers and Snowdrops are the best.
G. M. Thompson. — 1. Sugar in Honey. — To absolutely
settle this point would require the assistance
of a very expensive instrument called a polariscope,
which we should think the purchase of same would
hardly be warranted by its use to you. 2. Cane and
Beet Sugar. — There are several descriptions of sugars
in which beet is never used, of which the following
are the best : Demerara (not Lyle's coloured, which
is frequently sold as such), Barbadoes and Porto
Iiieo ; these are called raw sugars. The manufactured
pure cane sugars are Tate's and Martineau's cubes
(first quality') Granulated (when branded on barrels
' Free from Beet,') and large crystals (coffee sugar).
The methods employed in analysing sugar and honey
would occupy every column, and more, of one issue of
this Journal.
Gilbert King. — Bombus lapidarius. — The large size cf
your specimen indicates that it is a female, or in
apiarian language a ' queen ' humble-bee.
Amateur. — Old Bees. — A hive is said to consist of old
bees only when it has been without brood for a few
weeks, either through the queen's inability to lay or
through the loss of the queen. We much prefer to in-
troduce the new queen within an hour or two of the
removal of the old one.
Oxfordshire. — 1. Failing to introduce Queen. -We
cannot see why you should have failed with the plan
you adopted : try again. 2. Fecundation. — You can-
not secure pure fecundation of your Ligurian queens,
unless you have none but pure Ligurian drones
around. Your only plan is to get a pure Ligurian
queen ready fertilised.
Buzz. — 1. Price of Honey. — This is quite as much a ques-
tion of quality and get up as scarcity, still the price
ought to be higher this season, but up to the present
we have had no general quotations. 2. Feeding. —
When syrup is recommended between the honey-flows,
as in a bad season like this, it is intended to give not
more than a quarter of a pint in the evening, with
only one hole open, then the bees will consume and
August 16, 1888.]
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
401
not store it. This cautious feeding is a great factor
in successful management in our shifty -weather.
Henry STtJ&wr.—Weak Stocks. — Unite the two weak
lots at once.
An Ignorant Bee.— 1. Stores fur Winter. — About 30
pounds sealed. 2. Feeding for Winter. — About end
of August. 3. Functions of Antenna. — This is a very
debateable point, as you will see by reference to our
back numbers. 4. Finding Queen. — The queen-bee has
ofttimes a way of avoiding the common gaze. 5.
Drones. — If you have no drone-comb you cannot have
drones. Nowadays bee-keepers avoid raising drones
except when specially required. G. Peculiar Odour.-~
Probably this is the smell of new brood, something like
fresh killed meat. If you still think it is foul brood
seud a piece of the capped brood. ". Extending Brood
Nest. — Under the circumstances do as you suggest.
8. Surplus Honey. — Do not expect any section honey
now this year.
%* Letter from Secretary oflrUlt B.K.J, in our next.
SHOWS TO COME.
August 22 & 23. — Shrewsbury. Hon. Secretary,
W. G. Preece. Entries close August 15th.
August 29 & .'!0. — Derbyshire Show at Derby. Hon.
Secretary, W. T. Atkins, 6 North Street, Derby.
September 5 & 0. — Surrey. Hon. Secretary, Captain
Campbell. Entries close August 30.
September 5-7.— Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Lees McClure,
The Lathoms, Prescot. Entries close August loth.
^Business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St .
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester,
Edey 21
FOR SALE.— Pure Carniolans, Pure Ligmians, Hybrid
Carniolans, Ligurians ; best Wet Weather Bees.
Owing to removal, I will Sell for 25s. per Stock. Address
E. Jackson, Welwyn, Herts. D 25
ONEY WANTED, Bulk.— Samples by post to Rector,
Bottwnog, Pwllheli, North Wales. n 26
H
KILLICK'S WAX EXTRACTOR, complete, from the
Inventor, post free, 3s. lOhl. Address W. Killick,
Sandhurst, Berks.
TO NON - SMOKERS OF TOBACCO. — Touchwood
(rotten Oak), best for the Smoker. Light, clean, and
dry, emitting volumes of smoke until all is consumed.
1/- per parcel. Address James Woodward, Van Builder,
Railway Street, Wolverhampton.
SEVERAL Strong Stocks in Standard Bar-frames for
Sale cheap. Removal. Address Fewtrell, 130 Cum-
berland Road, Reading. d 28
RIVEN BEES Wanted by Dr. Ward, Priory House,
Danbury, Essex, at 1/- per lb. on rail. None from
districts affected with Foul Brood need apply.
SELLING OFF.— Remaining Stock of Bee-keepers'
Goods. Must be Cleared this Season. List of Re-
duced Prices free on application to The British Bee-
Keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch Street,
London, E.C.
NATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE FESTIVAL. — Crystal
Palace, Aug. 18, 1888.— Scotch Honey.— Mr. John
D. McNally, Springburn, Glasgow, will be in attendance
personally to receive offers for above. His exhibits con-
sist of Supers, Sections, and Extracted. Inspection invited.
LIGURIAN QDEENS, hardy, pure strain, im-
ported direct from Italian Apiary near Monte Rosa.
7s. each, carriage paid. Address J. W. Kempster, Galley-
wood, Chelmsford. a 4309
The Derbyshire Bee-keepers' Exhibition.
29th and 30th August.
All Classes for Hives, Furniture, and Appliances,
Open to all England.
Schedules from Secretary, W. T. Atkins, 6 North Street,
Derby. 206
EBSTER'S BOOK OF BEE-KEEPING.
' The most practical that has appeared.' — The Field.
London : L. Upcott Gill, 170 Strand, W.C. A 4130
YN AWR YN BAROD (Now Ready) Y GWEN-
YNYDD. An Illustrated Practical Handbook on Bees
and Bee-keeping, in WELSH, by H. P. Jones, Llanerch,
Dinas Mawddwy, Expert for the Montgomeryshire B.K.A.,
and Professor M. D. Jones, Independent College, Bala.
It contains over 50 Illustrations, price Is. ; cloth, Is. G.
McNally had come all the way from Glasgow to attend,
and there were to be found Mr. J. M. Hooker, Mr.
Woodley, as well as ' Woodleigh,' and a host of others
who were co-operators as well as bee-keepers.
We should liked to have seen a few honey merchants
present as buyers, as several would have taken low prices
in preference to carrying their honey home again and
risk breakage. The co-operators may be congratulated
on having so many able bee-keepers amongst their
numbers, and such a good display of honey as a part of
their fete; and the exhibition proves the amount of
success that has attended the labours of the B. B. K. A.,
which has made it possible to gather a honey show of
such magnitude, after such a bad season, by a society
whose sphere a short time ago bad no idea of including
bee-keeping amongst its operations.
Old Sol was good to us on Saturday afternoon in
contrast to the few previous days, and made the weather
fairly enjoyable, and the mass meeting on the terrace
possible to a class of enthusiasts who take even their
pleasures soberly, and helped to make it enji lyable, too, to
— Amateur ExrERT.
The following is the list of awards : —
190. — Comb and extracted honey arranged as a trophy
or any other tasteful form. — 1, S. J. Baldwin, 50s. and
silver medal of the B.B.K.A. ; 2, F. Cudd, 30s. and bronze
medal of the B.B.K.A. ; 3, A. D. Woodley, 20s. ; 4, Walter
Dance (gardener to Colonel Lowe), British See Journal,
value 10s. ; 5, J. D. McNally and Walter Debnarn, equal, six
dozen Breffit's jars, value 8s.
191, — Comb honey in twelve Lib. sections (19 entries). —
1, Walter Debnam, 20s. ; 2, J. D. McNally, 15s. ; 3, A. D.
Woodley, 2s. Gd. ; 4, Henry Kerridge, 5s. ; 5, S. J. Baldwin,
2s. Gd. ; H. C, Charles Trevener.
192. —Bun or extracted honey in twelve Lib. glass jars
(23 entries). — 1, Henry Kerridge, 20s.; 2, Walter Debnam,
15s. ; 3, George Cole, 7s. Gd. ; 4, Walter Dance, 5s. ; 5,
George Stocks, 7s. Gd. ; H. C, A. D. Woodley. _
19:5. — Comb honey in Lib. sections. — 1, Jeanie McNally,
for six Lib. sections, Baker's No. 105 hive, 10s. Gd. ; Modern
l:,;' Farm, 7s. 6i(. ; Howard's feeder, 2s.: value 20s. 2,
Allen Potter (four Lib. sections), Modem Bee Farm, Is. Gd.;
Jenkins' crate, 4s. id. ; Hutchings' feeder, Is. Gd. ; Meadows'
section cases, 2s. : value 15s. 3d. 3, Hichard H. Coppin
(twelve Lib. sections), Hutchings' section rack, 4s. Gd. ;
Baldwin's feeder,' 2s. : value, 6s. Gd. 4, C. Duncan (three,
Lib. sections), three dozen Breffit's jars : value 4s.
191. — Run or extracted honey in 1-lb. jars, not less than
2 lbs. — 1, Jeanie McNally (six bottles), ' Gayton ' hive,
12s. Gd. ; Modern Bee Farm, 7s. Gd. : value 20s. 2, Allen
Potter (four 1-lb. bottles), ' Little Wonder ' honey extractor,
7s. ('..;. ; Baldwin's No. 69 Smoker, 5s. ; Baldwin's foun-
dation, 3/. : value 15s. Gd. 3, R. H. Coppin (twelve 1-lb.
bottles), Hutchings' f umigator, 4s. Gd. ; Baldwin's foundation,
2s. 2d. : vaJue 6s. 84 4, A. J. Runciman (two 1-lb. bottles),
three dozen Breffit's jars : value 4s. Commended, George
Stocks, jun., two 1-lb. bottles.
195, — British wax from exhibitor's own hivo (18 exhibits).
— 1, J. D. McNally, Turner's cottager's hive, 10s. Gd. ;
Modern Bee Farm, 3s. 64: value lis. 2, R. H. Coppin,
Jiriiixli Bee Journal, His. Gd.; B.B.S.'s section cases, 2s.:
value 12). 6./. 3, W. Hollands, three dozen Breffit's jars,
4s. ; three dozen Parker's honey tins, 6s. : value 10s.
196. — Honey in applied forms (such as foods, beverages,
confectionery, medicine, &c). — 1, Rev. V. Moyle, Baker's
No. la hive, 16s. Gd. ; Modern lice Farm, 3s. Gd. : value
20s. 2, George Stocks, six dozen Breffit's jars, 8s. ; Modern
Bee Farm, 3s. Gd. : value lis. Gd. 3, Henry Kerridge,
three dozen Breffit's jars, Is.
^clcctctr OJhtcrn.
[21.] In working for extracted honey do you prefer
standard frames in the upper hiee or shallow frames
:,}. inches deept Do you cuns'ul-r it best to use a r/ueen-
aiul-drone excluder between the hives ?
I have had no experience of shallow frames, but
should imagine they would be less liable to break. I
.1, carded queen-and-drone excluder long ago as useless.
— B. Ball.
In working for extracted honey I should not use the
' tiering' system at all, and most certainly in any event,
should not use shallow frames for the purpose. To me
it is sickening to read the rotten rubbish that sometimes
appears, extolling this hive or that, on the ground that
the bees will store most honey in this or that form of
receptacle; for it is quite certain thai I s cannot any-
where store more honey tKan they can collect, and it is
equally certain that having collected all possible, they
Kill deposit it somewhere in the hive, and the principle I
have always adhered to is that that somewhere should be
where it is" most easily comeatable by the bee-keeper. If
compelled by an unwise employer to work on the tiering
system, I should prefer interchangeable standard frames
for both top and bottom storey, although I should detest
the principle that made it necessary to pull the hive all
to pieces when interchange of frames became desirable.
' I speak whereof I know.' Excluder zinc would in such
case be unnecessary. — (J. N. Abbott.
I have not found any advantage gained by using
shallow frames o-i inches deep, and prefer standard
frames; but I would recommend that a queen and
drone excluder always be used between the hives, as
the quality of the honey obtained is thereby greatly
improved, being much brighter in appearance than that
obtained without the use of excluders.— II. Wood,
Lichfield.
408
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 23, 1888.
We prefer a frame 6 inches deep for extracted honey,
also for many other purposes in connexion with the
standard frame. In all cases, save with a swarm, we
use excluder. Being an established colony's purpose to
increase and multiply, super work is not safe without.
A swarm purposed to store and furnish a home ; with
such, we have not found excluder so great a necessity. —
John II. Howard, The Model Apiary, Holme, Peter-
borough.
I like standard frames in preference to shallow, as in
doubling you may remove two or three outside frames,
containing most honey and little ( worker) brood to
upper storey, and insert full sheets of foundation in place
of them, hut always use excluder between. — Tom Sells.
I much prefer standard frames in the upper hive,
wired. I consider it best to use queen- and -drone
excluder zinc between the hives. — Henry Beswick.
Have not used the shallow frames, so cannot say. I
should consider it best to use a queen-excluder, if combs
ready for filling are given in the top hive or box ; those
excluders that give bee-space below and also above are
preferable, as causing least impediment to the bees when
carrying their loads of honey to the store combs. — W.
Woodley.
Always, till last year, I used frames the same as my
hives. I then tried some shallow frames, and like them
very well ; but I like the larger frames better, as when
the frames are full of honey one gets more honey ex-
tracted with less labour. I do not use excluder-zinc, as
the bees never seem to go through freely. If we had
some that would keep the queen and drones out, without
being any hindrance to the bees, I should prefer it. —
John Walton.
In a good honey flow I do not think thero is any per-
ceptible difference; in poor seasons bees would probably
begin rather earlier in shallow frames. I should always
prefer a honey-board both for production of comb and
extracted honey ; where standard frames are used it
does not so much matter, as they can be easily utilised
at end of season in bottom chamber if containing brood.
— John Edey.
I much prefer the shallow frames — say, 5 3 in. deep — ■
with the use of queen and drone-excluding honey-board.
Experience teaches that on this system honey is obtained
more abundantly and of finer quality than by any other
that I have tried. — George Raynor.
I prefer shallow frames 5| inches deep in the upper
hive for tiering up, with a queen excluder honey-board
between it and the brood-chamber. This will be found
to give the best results. — John M. Hooker.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
Or, Glossary op Technical and Scientific Words
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
Bacillus, plur. bacilli, n. {late L. a little rod; dim.
of bacillus, a rod.) — A genus of cylindrical or rod-shaped
bacteria ; vegetable micro - organisms multiplying by
fission, and distinguished for their power of forming
spores, which possess extraordinary vitality, and are
capable of resisting high and low temperatures ; even
acids that would destroy bacilli have no effect on their
spores.
Bacillus alvei. (L. alveus, hive.) — Name given to
the species of micro-organisms found present in decay-
ing larvaa in the disease known as ' foul brood.'
Bacillus alveolaris. (L. alveolus, a cell in a bee-
hive.)— The name given in Germany to the bacillus
present in foul brood.
Bacillus depilis, or Gaytoni. (L. depilis,
without hair.) — Name given to micro-organism found
in hairless bees.
Backward flight. — Applied to a bee on the
wing, receding, head backwards, and is accomplished by
changing the inclination of the plane of oscillation of
the wings. This is done by moving the abdomen of the
insect so as to displace its centre of gravity.
Bacteria, n. pi. (mod. L. and Or. baeterion ; dim.
of bad run, a staff.) — The general name given to minute
unicellular organisms not containing chlorophyl, and
multiplying by fission. Hence the term ' Schizomycetes,'
or ' splitting fungi,' is applied to them.
Bacterial, a. — Of or pertaining to bacteria.
Bactericidal, a. (L. bacterium, and cwdo, I slay.)
— Destructive of bacteria.
Sacteriolog y. ( Or. baeterion, and logos, discourse.)
— The scientific study of bacteria.
Bacterium, 11. pi. bacteria (L.) — A genus of schizo-
myceta?, which are slightly elongated-elliptical, fusiform,
or short and cylindrical, with rounded ends, and capable
of spontaneous locomotion, being possessed of a flagelluin
or iilament at one or both ends. Various species are
found in all decomposing animal and vegetable liquids.
Spore formation like that of bacillus.
Balling' a queen. (Ger. ball, a ball or globular
body.) Inaccurate, thero being no English verb to ball ;
encasing is the correct term. — Bees surrounding a queen
in a small, compact ball or cluster, generally with the
intention of killing her.
Barbed. p. pi. (L. barba, a beard.) — Bearded ;
jagged with hooks or points standing backwards.
Barbs of sting". — The hooks or points on the two
darts of the sting standing backwards as in an arrow,
and intended to prevent the instrument from being ex-
tracted. Each barb in the sting of a bee is provided
with a small opening through which the poison is forced
out.
Bar-hive. (From Sax. beorgan, to secure, and
hufe, a house.) — A hive in which the combs are secured
to, and suspended from bars, instead of being enclosed in
frames. Used formerly, but has been almost entirely
superseded by the frame-hive.
Bar-frame hive. — Applied to hives witli frames
the top bar of which was made to be detached from the
other three. Frame-hive is the more accurate term.
Bark hive. —Hive made from the bark of cork and
other trees.
Bars. n. plur. (Fr. barre.) — Strips of wood or
metal from which the combs hang in bar hives and
supers.
To Prevent Stings. — It is a fact not generally
known that if one holds his breath, wasps, bees, and
hornets, can be handled with impunity. The skin
becomes sting-proof, and, holding the insect by the feet,
and giving her full liberty of action, you can see her
drive her weapon against the impenetrable surface with
a force that lifts her body with every stroke, but let the
smallest quantity of air escape from the lungs, and the
sting will penetrate at once. I have never seen an
exception to this in twenty-five years' observation. I
have taught young ladies with very delicate hands to
astonish their friends by the performance of this feat ;
and I saw one so severely stung as to require the services
of a physician through laughing at a witty remark of
her sister, forgetting that laughing required breath.
For a theory in explanation I am led to believe that
holding the breath partially closes the pores of the skin.
My experiments in that direction have not been exact
enough to be of any scientific value, but I am satislied
that it very sensibly affects the amount of insensible
perspiration. — Mr. Wilder in /Science (America).
August 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
409
CotTCSpOllbCuTC,
Ttu: "Editor does not hold himself responsible for the Opinions stressed
by his correspondents. Ho attention uoill be lol.ro oj anonymousoom-
municotions, and correspondents are requested to mite on one tide <>J
the paver only, and give their fall names and addresses, noi necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating, to the literary department, reports oj
Issociations, Snows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
,iv., must be addressed only to 'The. Editor of the "British Bm
Journal." c/o Messrs. Strongeways and Sons, ZWer Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
.(v., must be addressed to Mr. J. Uikkle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
in.' no " of 4doertisemenb ■)
'„' In order (o Jarihlole ri/trnn.v, CVrcsjn>inln(ts, irii.'il sj.mti'ilj o/
any ^'//i.f nr gueru preeiously inserted, leill n/.//',/,- by mentioning the
number of the f.-t(./r, as loell as the page on tohieh it appears.
IRISH ASSOCIATION'S STANDARD HIVE.
[1768.] With reference to your Editorial Notice on
2nd August of the Irish Association's Standard Hive,
the Oommittee wish me to say that a full description of
this hive with illustrations appeared in the British Bee
Journal for 20th October, I887,and they desire me, with
your kind permission, to make a few observations in
reply to your criticism.
There is an incorrectness in the second paragraph of
the notice, where regret is expressed thai we did noi
adopt the same size frame as the British Standard, 'the
depth of which was lixed after considerable thought had
been bestowed on the subject,' dearly implying that the
depth of our frame is different, and that this change is
due to insufficient thought on our part. Now, the
dimensions of our frame were adopted after so much
thought on the part of fully qualifies persons, that 1
must say Ave should have been entitled to our opinion
had we really altered the depth. But, as a matter
of fact, the depth of our frame is the same as that
of the British Standard, as is stated, though incon-
sistently, in the first paragraph of your notice. The
dimensions, indeed, of the Irish are in every respeel the
same as those of the British, except as regards the length
of the top bar, which is 16 inches in the Irish as against
17 in the British.
You say, in reference, I presume, to our recommend-
ing hives to be made 9J inches iu depth, that ' the chief
reason for finally settling the depth <>f the (British)
Standard frame at 83 inches was £0 admit of the hive
being made 9 inches deep, this being the depth of the
drals (!i inches by 3) imported into this country, so that
they could be made with as little waste of material and
as cheap as possible.' But we do not admit that the
sides of a hive to take an 83-inch frame can safely be
made from boards cut from a 9-inch deal. Several
boards, originally 9 inches wide, were measured to-day,
These, without planing or dressing of any sort, or being
subjected to artificial heat, had shrunk to 8| inches,
which, if you allow g inch for planing, would only give
a space of 5 inch between the bottom of the frame and
the floor-board. Even if you only allow 5 inch for
shrinking and another g inch for planing, not more than
a bare j- inch will be left between the bottom of the
frame and the floor-board, which many qualified bee-
keepers think insufficient when manipulating strong
stocks. Moreover, in hives in which the side rests on
the floor-board, a plinth will he required to keep out
wet, and the lj-inch piece which you call waste can
very well be used for making this plinth. If you will
refer to the illustration of our hive you will see that the
back end of the Irish Standard hive is 10s inches deep,
while the sides are 9f inches deep, both sides and back
end having a rabbet 1 inch deep by i inch wide taken
out of their lower edges for the floor-board, which is
16 inches wide, so that the sides and end overhang the
floor-board, thus saving the material for plinths and also
the cost of making and fixing them, besides having the
hive completely waterproof so far as the joint between
the hive and floor-bjard is concerned.
A point iu favour of the Irish Standard Hive, which
you seem to have overlooked, is, that the 10-ineh top bar
udmits of its being made with single sides where a hive
at the lowest possible cost id desired, and this, we think,
is not possible with the 17-inch top bar. — IIiiNiiY
Che.nevix, lL'ii. rice. Irish Bee-keepers' Association,
10th August, Is B.
[The paragraph to which you refer should read thus : —
' It is much 10 be regretted that the Irish Association did
not adopt the same size as the British Standard.' The
addition of the word/rame was a mistake of the printer.
It will be seen by the previous paragraph that we are not
referring to the frame, but the hive, as wo there say, the
frame is the same as the English standard. We do not
wish to enter into the question of shrinkage, &C. Our hive-
manufacturers have found no difficulty when using .'/<«"/
materials in making the standard frames lit a hive made
with '.1-inch hoards. It is qidte true that the piece ripped
off a 11-inch board would make the greater portion of
the plinth, hut wide stuff costs more than It-inch. The
part of the Irish hive we take exception to most is the
fixed iloor-board, which cannot lie changed or cleaned in
the spring without taking out tin- frames and disturbing
the bees. This we consider a mistake. — Ed.]
THE IMPORTANCE OF FORMIC ACID IN
HONEY.
[17(14.] In No. 0 of the Eichstadt Bienenzeitung for
the current year, Dr. MUllenhofi says, on page 01,
' When the cell is nearly filled and the honey is not
intended for immediate consumption the bees add a drop
of the secretion "f their pi, is., a 1/ and. After the addition
of some more wax on the prism side, followed by the
beu ding together of the rims of the cells the latter be-
come half closed: the cell is then filled up and finally
closed by completing the cell cover all round. Thus
hermetically sealed the honey is protected from
evaporation.'
This most interesting observation iu the bee-hive
attracted my attention; the more so, since from a
E radical point of view it confirmed the finding in the
oney of formic acid — bee-poison, it is well known, is
formic acid — by Professor Erlenmeyer and myself in 1 878j
when 1 reported at the meeting of Swiss naturalists
iu Bern, as follows (see Swiss Bienenzeitung, 1879,
No. 2): — 'There, in the honey stomach, is the real
concentrating apparatus of this very dilute solution of
sugar (nectar) iu the course of diffusion of the water
through the membranes of the ante-stomach and
removal through the many termini of the urinary
organs. By the addition of formic acid the preparation
is completed and finds its way through the alimentary
tube into the honey-cells. Nectar contains no coagu-
lable albumen, while honey does. In the nectar from
Fritillariu imperialis" we found no volatile acid ; but I
discovered formic acid in the nectar from Protea inelli-
fera from the Cape of Good Hope, with the examination
of which I am at present occupied at the Agricultural
Chemical Laboratory here. It is interesting to find that
Nature in that hot climate has provided for the preserva-
tion of the nectar, which is so liable to decomposition,
before it is collected and further concentrated by bees
and human beings. All honey, however, contains vola-
tile formic acid, which plays a very important part in
the economy of bees, not only as a poison, but un-
doubtedly also in many other respects.'
On the antiseptic properties of formic acid, Professor
Erlenmeyer expressed himself as follows at the sitting of
the Academy of Science at Munich, on the Gth February,
1875 :—
' In conclusion I must not omit to mention that the
•The nectar from this flower is said to possess emetic
properties.
410
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 23, 1888.
results of my experiments with dilute formic acid (one
part acid of the specific gravity of 1*206 and 1000 parts
of water) were quite similar to those obtained with
Balicylic acid. On the whole it seems that the property
of arresting fermentation and putrefaction is possessed
by many other substances, which produce a dark colour
in solutions of salts of iron. If formic acid, meconic
acid, or rkodan-hydrogen be added to a fermenting
liquid in the proportion of 1 : 1000, fermentation ceases.
1 am engaged at present in comparing the antiseptic
action of these substances with one another and may
remark now that a mixture which in 1000 parts contains
1 part of boracic acid, ferments very briskly.
I was induced to experiment with formic acid, in the
first place, because it is closely allied to prussic acid ; and
secondly, because, as I have shown before, it behaves in
many respects similarly to sulphurous acid. But prussic
acid and sulphurous acid are well known to be most
powerful antiseptics.
I have indeed had frequent opportunities in the labora-
tory of observing the energetic anti-fermentative pro-
perty of formic acid in a very striking manner — it not
only prevents fermentation, but arrests it immediately
when fully established.
From what I have said above it will be seen what an
interesting physiological fact in the economy of bees we
are discussing here. The bees indeed require but a
minute drop of poison for each cell, as formic acid could
only be detected in the samples of honey in very small
quantity. But as it acts so powerfully an infinitely
small quantity is all that is required for each cell, the
more so as this acid doubtless exists in a very concen-
trated state in bee-poison. — Da. A. von Planta,
Zurich.
FEEDING BACK.
[1765.] The objections to this practice, briefly told,
are, — that the work must be performed at a time when
robber bees are troublesome; there is a liability to
creating suspicion in the minds of the public as regards
the purity of the honey ; the honey loses its freshness,
so to speak, by being extracted, stored in vessels, heated,
run through feeders, and re-handled by the bees ; when
honey is fed to secure the completion of unfinished
sections, the combs have a botched, patched, bulged
appearance, unless they are arranged with great care,
and the whole operation managed with skill ; the combs
are also likely to become travel-stained unless care is
exercised to have new combs in the brood-nest, or the
sections are removed very promptly upon their com-
pletion ; if there should be an unknown case or two of
foul brood in the apiary, nothing would spread it more
effectually ; but the must serious objecf ion is the increased
tendency of the honey to candy.
The advantages are few, but weighty. Comb honey
is more saleable, at a higher price, than extracted honey,
and, if the latter can be changed into the former at no
great expense, there are quicker sales and greater profits ;
but the greater advantage is in securing the completion
of nearly finished sections.
We will now show how most of the objections may
be removed or greatly overcome. With a feeder like
Mr. Heddon's, there need be no trouble whatever from
robbers. The reservoir is in the centre, and just over it
a part of the cover slides back in grooves. There is no
contact with the bees, no smoke is needed, no propolis
disturbed, and the cover fits so snugly that no odour of
honey escapes to attract robbers. The first feeding should
be done at dusk, as it puts the bees in an excited state,
and this is the time when robbers would make trouble.
After the bees have become accustomed to finding honey
in the feeder, feeding produces but little, if any, ex-
citement; still at dusk is the best time to feed, as we
thus avoid the annoyance of having robber bees follow
us from hive to hive and dive into the feeder reservoir
whenever it is opened. Mr. Unterkircher speaks of the
bees rushing out and stinging whenever the cover of a
hive is raised. We have noticed this same feature.
When the cover is taken entirely off the feeder, we
disturb the bees at their feast, and it seems to anger
them. But there is no necessity of removing the covers.
When we wish to take off the cases, we insert the blade
of a pocket-knife between the feeder and the upper case,
take hold of the handle of the feeder upon that side and
lift up, and give the knife a twist at the same time,
which loosens the feeder. We then puff some smoke
in the opening between the feeder and the upper case,
set down the smoker and lift off the feeder, placing it
corner-wise upon the cover of a neighbouring hive. The
diagonally opposite corners of the feeder then rest upon
the wide projecting cleats nailed to the ends of the cover,
and raise the bottom of the feeder from the cover so
that no bees are crushed. The man who attempts to
feed in a haphazard way, using anything he can pick up
for a feeder, spilling honey about, &c, will certainly
have trouble with robbers; but the one who goes at it
systematically, with the right kind of hives, feeders, and
utensils, can snap his fingers at the robber bees. In
regard to any suspicion that might be created iu the
minds of consumers by the feeding of honey to have it
stored in combs, we would say that the public need
know nothing of it. Keep still about it. Don't blab.
Producers, manufacturers, and dealers in other lines, do
not herald their methods to the world, why should bee-
keepers ? In other professions there are ' trade secrets,'
why should bee-keeping be an exception ? We have \
fed back honey for years, feeding thousands of pouuds,and (
yet not a noighbour ever knew of it. We have even had
bee-keepers visit us, and go away with no suspicions that
we were feeding back. We do think that ' fed honey '
has a slightly different taste from honey stored directly '
in the combs by tlie bees, but it is very slight indeed
where all the utensils are kept ' as neat as wax,' and
would be noticed only by an expert. We would not
advise the heating of the honey. If the water that is
used to thin it be heated it is sufficient. This warming
and thinning of the honey enables the bees to handle it
much more rapidly.
The lengthening of cells, bulging and patching up of
combs, have been most graphically described by Dr.
Miller, and but little can be added to his directions how
to overcome the difficulty. Bees usually have about a §
space between the combs, and in putting back the
unfinished sections we must try and preserve this space.
When the space is less than this, no harm is done unless
it become so small that a bee cannot pass through, when
the bees will connect the two surfaces at some points by
little bridges of wax, and when tho sections are taken
apart these little bridges will pull pieces out from one
comb or the other. When the space is much greater
than £-, and the comb upon each side is sealed, the
bees, especially if crowded, will construct comb upon
the sealed surface of the other comb, which gives it a
very botched appearance. If the comb at one side of
the space be sealed, and the other not, the sealed comb
will be left undisturbed, and the unsealed cells on the
opposite side lengthened out until the space between the
two combs is reduced to about 5. If, in this instance,
the sealed comb should be smooth and even, and in the
right place as regards the section as a whole, all will be
well; but if it be concave or convex, the unfinished
comb facing it will be drawn out in conformity with the
surface of the finished comb. If two unfinished surfaces,
in the same stage of completion, are brought facing each
other near the centre of the super, they will be drawn
out and sealed straight and true and alike ; if they are
near the outside, the chances are that the comb nearest
the centre of the super will grow faster than the one
farther out, and a bulge will be the result. Combs near
the centre of the super are drawn out quicker and
August 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
411
finished sooner than those at the outside and corners,
hence we place at the outside those sections that are the
nearest completion. Especially do we take pains to
have sealed surfaces come next to the sides of the super,
while combs the furthest from completion aro placed in
the centre. By this arrangement of all the sections in
a super are finished at about the same time. Unless
some of the combs are beginning to show signs of travel-
stains, it is better to leave on the super until all, or at
least nearly all, of the combs are completed, for, as the
combs near completion, this matter of adjustment be-
comes more difficult. Where foundation is used, and
comb honey produced, ' right from the stump,' by feeding
extracted honey, we have none of this bulging, patching
difficulty to contend with, as the combs all grow alike,
and some of the finest, straightest, plumpest, whitest,
and most handsome comb honey can be produced that
the eye ever beheld ; but we have never found it profit-
able, except by placing a few ca9es on top, near the
close of finishing up a lot of unfinished sections, to give
the bees room, and thus prevent the bulging of combs,
as explained in the }ane lieoiew. In regard to spreading
foul brood by feeding back, we do not know that it is
practical to overcome this objection. Of course it would
he possible to add something to the honey to destroy the
germs, if any should be present. Whether this addition
would be objectionable we do not know, but we feel
quite certain that most bee-keepers would take the risk
rather than go to this trouble. The most that can be
done is to be ever on the alert for foul brood. And we
may remark", parenthetically, that, considering the pre-
valence of foul brood, it would be well if every bee-
keeper could see a genuine case of it, and for this reason :
In its early stages it is very difficult to detect. Or
perhaps we should say, scarcely noticeable, and there is
a something about its appearance that is very difficult
to describe ; it must be seen to be comprehended. 'When
over at Mr. Taylor's a short time ago, we were shown
colonies that required a very critical examination indeed
to discover any cells containing foul brood. Hut the
tendency of the honey to candy is, in our opinion, the
most insurmountable objection to feeding back, especially
so if the bees are given only foundation, and all of the
honey stored is ' fed ' honey. When the sections are
nearly completed, and the feeding is done simply to
have them completed and sealed over, the proportion of
' fed ' honey is so slight that the candying would not he
so serious an objection were it not for the fact that the
presence of a littlo candied honey hastens the candying
of the whole mass. There is a great difference in honey
as regards its candying, and one of our correspondents
says that thinning the honey increases its candying
propensities. We have fed but very little thick honey.
The bees worked it so slowly that we bec.ime discouraged,
and went back to thinning it. We know that they seal
it over quicker when it is fed full thickness, and it is
possible that this is the better way of feeding it. We
must admit that this is a point upon which our ex-
perience is limited. We believe that the best advice that
we can give upon this candying point is to sell the
honey early, and in a market where it will surely reach
the consumer before it candies. Of course we cannot
always follow this advice, hence we consider the in-
creased tendency of the honey to candy as the greatest
objection to feeding back.
Taking one year with another, we have secured
about two pounds of comb honey from the feeding of
three pounds of extracted. With the right kind of
weather and colonies, we have done much better — secured
four pounds for five, and we shall continue to feed back
to secure the completion of unfinished sections ; and if
others desire to do so, we feel that we have placed before
about them all the information obtainable upon the
subject.— W. Z. Hutchinson (The Bee-keepers' Review.)
[We have given above, and also at page 371, the ex-
perience of Mr, W. Z. Hutchinson on feeding hack, but
we must caution our readers not to expect such good
results in this country. Ten or twelve years ago we
ourselves experimented on feeding extracted honey to
complete sections, but we soon found out that such a
practice would not pay at all, and that it could only be
done by an enormous waste of honey. Mr. Hutchinson
says that, taking one year with another, he has secured
two pounds of comb honey from feeding back three
pounds; but our own experience is very different from
this, and we proved to our satisfaction that it took at the
least from two to three pounds of extracted honey to
produce one pound of comb honey. We have, therefore,
not continued to practise it, and prefer extracting the
honey from unfinished sections, as the combs, after they
have been cleaned by the bees, can be kept very well
until until the next season. Later we shall have occasion
to speak more fully upon this subject, for there are other
objections to feeding back besides its unprofitableness.
—Ed.]
AN EXPLANATION WANTED.— A REPLY TO
'SHERBORNE.'
[1766.] I think Mr. Sims owes the readers of the
Journal, and especially those of them who live in his
neighbourhood, an explanation. In his ' Echo,' dated the
l-'!th inst., he reports having on that date examined one
of his hives and found a rack of twenty-eight sections
full of honey and the middle ones sealed. The frames
also contained from two to four pounds each, mostly
sealed. Taking the number of frames under the rack
as ten, and giving them an average of three pounds each,
we have in the body of the hive thirty pounds of honey,
which, added to that in the rack, brings the total to
fifty-eight pounds, [s it possible? I know that we
have had a few fine days from the 7th to the 12th inst.,
and I know that the bees can do wonders when they
have an opportunity, hu1 those tine days surely cannot
account for the present f the fifty-eigW pounds mostly
srn/etl. 1 can only account for it in one of three ways:
that the atmospheric conditions were of late more favour-
able at Navigation than they were a few miles away
(which is not likely) ; that this hive managed to store a
considerable quantity of honey from the fruit-blossoms
(which, from what I know of Navigation, is just as un-
likely), or that the bees have been fed too liberally. Is
it not possible, Mr. Sims, that you have made a mistake,
or mistakes ? Are you sure that what you thought was
sealed honey was not sealed brood? (Tray, don't be
angry. I remember one such mistake recorded in this
Journal.) Then perhaps you have estimated the weight
in the frames too highly. " A full frame at the ordinary
distance will scarcely hold more than four pounds.
Whether you have made a mistake or not, allow me to
wish you as much success — or more — -with the denizens
of the hive as you have attained with those of the. coop.
'Sherborne' (1758) tells us how he managed last win-
ter, and wishes me to inform him wherein he mismanaged.
He could scarcely ask a more incompetent person. How-
ever, I will endeavour to comply with his request, to
suffer presently, perhaps, for my temerity. Giving
twenty-five to thirty pounds of honey was a good com-
mencement. The packing was unnecessarily elaborate.
I find strong stocks winter well under a single sheet of
enamel cloth and with the full complement of frames.
Weaker stocks do better confined to as many frames as
they cover, and under a porous quilt of, say, four thick-
nesses of calico weighted down. Draughts must be
particularly avoided against both at the top and sides.
If long hives are used see that the division-boards are
close fitting. In these I prefer that even a weak stock
should have a couple of frames more than they can
cover, as I find that the bees choose to cluster close to the
division-board away from the direct draught which
412
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 23, 1888.
strikes at the entrance. No, I would not recommend
overhauling your stocks during winter. On the contrary,
I would recommend absolute non-interference until some
very fine day in April — that is, if 3'ou are confident of
the presence of sufficient stores. You say you began
feeding with syrup at Easter. Hardly advisable, I
should say, where stocks went into winter quarters with
twenty-five to thirty pounds of honey. Don't feed until
the stores already in the hive are nearly exhausted.
Don't bother with pea-flour if you have a middling
quantity of hazel and willow in your vicinity. Take
special care that the bees are well covered in spring.
Be very slow in spreading brood ; leave that operation
until the middle of May. — East Glamorgan.
EXPERIENCES.
[1707.] Major Eair, the secretary of the Middlesex
Bee-keepers' Association for this district, gave me about
the end of March your first number of the British Bee-
keepers Adviser, and I was so pleased with it that I at
once ordered it at the bookseller's to come in regularly. I
have been very much amused with the experiences of
some of your correspondents, and many lessons I have
learned through the publishing of their failures. I do
not know if my experience would be of any benefit to
any one ; if you think so, please make it public.
In July, 1885, a swarm of bees came and settled on
the stump of a branch standing out from the tree where
a branch had been broken off about twelve inches. The
said stump was about six inches thick, about twenty
feet, or a little more, from the ground. I had never had
any experience with bee-keeping, but at the time I had
a young man working under me whose father had kept
bees for some years down the other side of Lymingtou ;
and he persuaded me to capture the bees. After trying
to excuse myself, as 1 had no skep or anything else fit to
put them in, he persisting they would do in anything, I
got a box about 11 by 11 ins. each way ; and after a deal
of persuasion from him, I got a ladder and put it up the
tree near the bees, and then very cautiously carried the
box up and fixed it over them, expecting the bees to
go in, for I could not shake them in, and I dare not
attempt to try any other way. In about half an hour
about half of them were working their wa}' up into the
box. Then a man came along that I knew, and he offered
to hive thein for me, saying the bees would never go
up altogether. You may guess I gave permission, and
be was soon on the ladder, and when little more than
half way up, going up roughly, he shook the lot down,
and it fell on the bidder just above his head, and then to
the ground, and the whole lot of bees were swarming
round his head; it made the bees vicious, he got five
stings, and I got two. After that they settled again in
the same place, and he soon put them in the box. I
watched them all go into the box, then went to make a
stand and fix it afterwards. When I went to fetch them
in I was vexed to find that a boy had kicked the box
over, and the bees outside the box, and I felt like giving
it up, but I got a branch and wiped the bees down
after turning the box up right again, and soon had the
pleasure of seeing all go inside. Then I carried them in
and put them on the stand, and felt a little proud that I
had accomplished such a feat. The bees took kindly to
their new home, and went to work finely. I soon became
interested iu my bees, was never tired of listening to
people that could tell me anything about bees, and, like
others' experiences, had to hear much rubbish ; neverthe-
less, out of all the ridiculous I got occasionally some little
idea, if not actual knowledge. Then I had Modern Bee-
keepiny given to me, and l'agden's little book on Bee-
keeping. Then I went in for making a hive and frames
according to Modem Bee-heej>iny instructions, and was
very pleased when I finished the first hive, which was in
time for first swarm that came off on June Ilth, 188G ;
and I got so excited with talking and studying about bees
and making bee-hives, that when I shut my eyes to
sleep I seemed to have numbers of bees moving about in
my vision. My second hive was soon finished after
swarm came off, then I placed the new hive, number t\m,
where the stock stood, placed stock (in top of frames to
get the bees to take to it and build in it; but although
the bees passed through the hive they would not build
comb in new hive. Then I drove the bees out of stock,
took comb from stock, and tied it into frames, and put into
new hive and bees with it. Three days after I went to take
the tapes off, got into middle of hive, and down dropped
the comb, brood, and all out of frame. I managed to get
it out and tie it in afresh, left it a week, and it was fixed
all right, and all went on well. The next trouble was the
swarm built their ci unb ail across the frames, so in autumn
L887 1 had to drive bees, and cut out all combs and tie
in frames ; they fixed them all right. In 18S7 old stock
gave me two swarms, one June Oth, next June 19th;
sold second swarm for 15*., so with swarm and honey
that I sold I had a little surplus left after paying for
tools, wood, &c, for hives, anil in the spring of 1888 I
made hives to hold seventeen frames, and division-board,
to try and prevent swarming. I changed my bees every
spring intojclean hives for summer. May 7th, 1888, I put
crate sections on one hive, on May 14th changed into
large hive, putting a frame of sections front of hive, and
ten frames, standard, behind the sections, then division-
board with passage under, and on top a crate with
eighteen sections, and then on May 25th a swarm came
off weighing five pounds. I cut out queen-cells. Four
days after I had another swarm come < iff from another
hive, on June 4th, that I had treated in the same way
by giving plenty of room in advance, but they would
swarm even after the}' had begun to draw out comb ami
stored honey behind the division-board. So you see
there is no rule without an exception. I have made
seven hives since beginning of 1880, and I do not know
how many frames, and two smokers, six section crates,
a case for showing one frame of comb-honey, three cork-
dust crates, and all done in my odd time after and before
going to work. The station-master in our village kept
bees, and I got great help from him— help that I shall
never forget, for I never went to him to ask a question
but he was ever ready to answer and help me as far as
he knew, and also to encourage me to push on. Last
month [ passed my examination and got my certificate
for third-class expert, and I may say that I have five
hives of bees second to none in the neighbourhood ;
clean, healthy, strong. I feed well every autumn and
spring. In my first box I was a bit puzzled to know
how to feed, after a bit of thought I hit upon a plan,
took my pocket-knife and cut a hole in top, took out
piece of wood, put piece of perforated zinc over hole, tied
muslin over top of jam-bottle, and put large flower-pot
over bottle, then covered over with sacks. I fed with
syrup according to Modern Bee-kaepinff, and when I pack
them up for winter I place three or four flour-cakes
over the frames, and the bees come out well in spring.
I am forwarding you a piece of comb from which the
wax has been melted. I thought the comb was all wax,
but it appears not to be so. Would you be kind enough
to tell me, through the next number, what it is made of?
I wish you every success with the new Journal, and I
hope it may be a means whereby we may tell each other
of our successes and our failures, and so help on the class
to which I belong, and I believe those for which the
Journal was started, namely the cottager. My motto
now is ' Persevereance overcomes great difficulties.'- — W,
D. Marlow, Teddington, Middlesex.
[That which you observed are the cocoons of eacli
successive bee left as it emerges from its birth-place ;
these indicate the number of generations which have
taken place in the cell. These silken pellicles, ever ac-
cumulating, gradually reduce the size of the cell, render
August 23, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
413
it unfit for use, and affect the size and productiveness of
the worksr bee. Dr. Hunter counted upwards of
twenty of these pellicles in the cells of an old comb. It
foUows that after a series of generations old comb should
be discarded, and new comb take its place. — Ed.]
WILL REMOVING THE QUEEN INCREASE
THE HONEY YIELD?
[1708.] Quite a number of bee-keepers assert that
more honey can be secured by removing; the queen about
three weeks previous to the close of the honey harvest.
The theory is, that stopping the production of brood
turns the energies of the bees entirely into hone}7 gather-
ing; besides this, no honey is used in feeding the brood.
Mr. F. Cheshire says that the rearing of a bee, from tho
egg to maturity, costs a colony the equivalent of four
cells of honey, and it is only because a bee, in a fail-
yield, is able to requite the colony with many times its
cost, that a large population means surplus ; but if this
large population is brought upon the stage after the
harvest is over, it becomes a consuming instead of a
producing population.
Removal of the queen also prevents increase, which,
in out apiaries, is especially desirable. When the bee-
keeper has a large number of colonies and prefers honey
to increase, the prevention of swarming is quite desirable.
In some localities and seasons, the honey ilow is early
and of short duration, and if the bees turn their energies
in the direction of swarming, but little surplus is secured.
When a queen is removed a frame of brood covered
with bees is usually taken witli her, and they are put in
a small hive where they are kept until the time arrives
for their return. After her removal if preparations for
swarming have not already been commenced in the old
hive, queen-cells will at once be started, and the 1 9
thus endeavour to retrieve their loss. At the end of
eight or nine days the queen-cells must be cut out, and
the bees given a frame of eggs or unsealed brood, from
which they can start another batch of cells. Just before
this lot of cells hatch (in eight or nine days), they must
be cut out and another comb of brood" given. This
method of management must be continued as long as the
colony is left queenless, because, if hopelessly queenless,
the bees seem to lose courage ; they must have a queen
or the hope of one.
. The small hive containing the removed bees and queen
is sometimes placed upon top of the old hive, and when
they are returned, the bees that have learned to recognise
the upper hive as their home, will, upon finding it gone,
gather in a cluster upon the top of the hive, where they
will remain a short time, and then take up a line of
march down over the front of the hive to the entrance,
and join the parent colony again.
It will be seen that this method of removing the
queen entails considerable labour, and is, we think, not
advisable unless to prevent swarming, as the production
of brood can be greatly curtailed by contracting the
brood-nest, which is a short and simple operation
requiring very little work.
The method of removing the queen that strikes us the
most favourably, is that of allowing the bees to swarm,
then removing and destroyhig the old queen allowing the
bees to return, and then, at the sixth or seventh day,
cutting out all the queen-cells except one. This prevents
increase, deprives the colony of a laying queen for about
eighteen days, besides furnishing it with a young queen.
— W. Z. Hutchinson {Country Gentleman).
TEMPER AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
EASTERN RACES.
[1760.] As to your questions : 1. ' Do you not have
in Carniola, and in your apiary, queens which produce
some workers with yellow bands?' Yes, yes; and I
have yet to see an apiary in Carniola where such do not
exist, although I have visited all the most important
apiaries existing here, and have seen hundreds of colonies.
There is in the race a tinge of yellow blood that crops
out every now and then, do the best one may. I breed
only from such queens as produce grey workers — such as
show no yellow or orange bands — not even a tinge of
of orange, and I permit no drones to be reared in my
apiary except those from Carniolau queens, whose
workers and drones are quite grey ; but there are
several native apiaries (Ijox hives) near me over which
I have no control, and whose owners care nothing for
yellow bands if they exist.
There were at my residence to-day two intelligent
bee-keepers from the northern parts of Carniola, and I
questioned them on this point, and they replied that an
occasional tendency towards orange or rusty-red bands
was always the case with all Camiolans, but that it was
no mark of impurity in the race, since it exists so all
over Carniola. This agrees with my own observations
made here in 1680, 1883, 1880, 1887, and 1888. Please
refer to the article on Carniolans which I published in
the leaflet Bees for January 20th, 1886, and you will see
that I mentioned this in the second paragraph.
2, 'Are all Carniolans tho gentlest beos known?'
Like all races, individual colonies differ in temper.
The crossest Carniolans are likely crosser — less gentle —
than the gentlest Italians. Put for all this it is none the
less true that the race — Carniolans — are far gentler
than Italians, and the crossest Carniolans by no means
equal in crossness the crossest Italians. And though
I kept Italiaus in Michigan for many years, and also
several years in Tennessee, and have handled them iu
many different apiaries in the north and south, it has
never been my lot to meet with any (in America nor in
any part of Italy, which I have visited some six or eight
times, and the length and breadth of which I have
travelled several times), that were as gentle as the
gentle Carniolans. When now we take into account
the fact that Carniolans are much hardier and more
prolific than Italians, we have abundant reason to place
them as superior to Italians. Yellow bands or no yellow
bands, I hey are better, and the best we can do is to try
to avoid the bands in breeding. Hybrid bees are common
iu Italy, except in a few districts. Moreover, several
prominent Italian breeders have imported Cyprian and
Syrian bees from which to breed, in order to have
yellow stock ! Perhaps also to give energy to their lazy,
sluggish, drone-like workers!
1 suppose when you advertise Carniolans as just ' as
prolific as the wicked rdcet,' you mean by this last Egyp-
tians, Palestines and Syrians. Surely, you would not
commit the blunder of including under this expression
also the Cyprians! Well, at any rate, you have made a
decided mistake in saying that Carniolans are so pro-
lific as any other race, except other European races,
which they excel in prolificness. Put Syrians exceed all
other races. Cyprians are little behind them, and, in-
deed, individual Cyprians nearly or quite equal the best
Syrians, Palestines, Egyptians, and Tunisians are close
on the tails of all these others; and then come Ilymettus
(Greek) and Dalmatian bees standing about the same as
Carniolans.
Strange to say, if I were to send 3*011 a Ilymettus
queen, you would not know her, nor her bees, from
Carniolans, except in their temper. The Ilymettus bees,
or bees of Attica, will fly at one when ho approaches
their hives, with much more vigour than even blacks,
and also in greater numbers. Disturb them without
smoke, and you will want a brook near at hand to jump
into. The same rusty-red bands, only occasionally
slightly lighter — almost a dirty white, appear with them
as with Carniolans.
Dalmatians are curious, shining blue-black bees that
414
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 23, 1888.
play and chase each other like flies at the hive-entrances.
They are not difficult to manage, and are splendid comb-
honey bees. — Frank Benton, Carniola, Austria, July
4th, 1688 {American Bee Journal.)
THE VALUE OF EXPERIENCE.
[1770.] It is very pleasant for any one who is a real
lover of the ways and means of bee-culture just for its
own sake, leaving out of count the profitable keep of the
same, to see from month to month so many valuable
hints on the successful treatment of these busy little
insects. I believe this is a subject in which we gain
more real knowledge by experience or by reading tho
experiences of others than by perusing the theories, un-
supported by practical tests, of the most capable of
writers. One fact among bees is worth a hundred
fancies; therefore it is that the portion of your excellent
Journal that is more distinctly given to this department is
in reality the best for amateurs and cottage bee-keepers ;
and to make it answer the purpose for which it is in-
tended every available help possible to the practical
working in all the departments is the very best and
foremost design to be kept in view.
Now, Sir, I speak from a part of the country from
which I believe you have no correspondence, and with
your permission I shall occasionally give you some ex-
periences here if it should in any way prove useful and
to the benefit of your numerous readers. The weather
has turned out almost completely against us here. In
the early days of tho summer everything went on
splendidly, and we were promising ourselves a large
harvest; but the wet weather came, and has so continued
almost constantly. So that I am afraid the sections now
half filled will scarcely be finished before the season is
out, still we may expect some good work yet if the
weather would improve.
I cannot trouble you any further, but hope to return
to something more practical next time. — T. II., Ireland.
SPARROWS.
[1771.] Those sparrows ! ' They are insectivorous, my
friend,' says Mr. Sparrow-defender to the farmer who is
deploring the ravages made in his corn-fields. Insec-
tivorous ! Aye, I believe you, my lad. Come, stand
with me near my amateur apiary, and you'll have ocular
evidence of the fact. For some time I have been
watching my hives for the purpose of detecting such of
the bee-destroyers as ' go about here seeking whom they
can devour.' I have heard the snap of the swallow as
he caught in mid-air the unsuspecting toiler, either on
its outward journey, or on its return laden with pro-
vender ; I had seen the wily blue-tit peeping into the
bee entrance, and ever and anon hastily seizing a strayed
denizen of the hive ; and my suspicions have been
excited by the artful movements of an old cock sparrow
who, after suddenly darting at an object, gave
' A chirp, chirp, chirp, and afly away.'
I also saw his help-meet, Mrs. Cock Sparrow, similarly
employed, and the object visible in their bills was none
other than a 'little busy bee.' I vowed to exterminate
the thieves if possible, and took measures for the ac-
complishing of my vow ; when lo ! to my surprise and
sorrow, the pair recently mustered their progeny, and
commenced to 'train them up in the way they should
go,' by audaciously arresting a bee, giving it a fatal
pinch, and then parentally placed it in the mouth of
the wing-shaking young one. Wasn't that a sight too
harrowing to the feeling of any bee-loving Briton ? Yet
that was not all it was my lot to endure. One dare-
demon actually came within three feet from me, perched
himself on an alighting-board, snatched up a bee, and
mounted an apple-tree in a jiffy with its prey. Haven't
1 vowed vengeance against the brown-coated tribe ? So
soon as I can procure some acidulated drops in the shape
of life-curtailing corn, most assuredly I shall commit
sparrow-cide exultingly.— Aged Amateuk, Cheriton,
Hants.
FEEDING BEES WITH LAST YEAR'S HONEY.
[1772.] In your issue of August 9th, under the
heading ' Notice to Correspondents and Inquirers,' your
correspondent 'C asks if it is allowed for exhibits to
feed the bees with last year's honey to produce sections
for competition for the silver medal of the B. B. K. A.
I should have thought no one would have been so dis-
honourable as to resort to such means. Feeding in any
form ought to be discountenanced. But as it is answered
in the Journal of August 16th by ' C. Cox,' I suppose it
is done ; and to show the difficulty under the present
Rules of the B. B. K. A., I will "state a case I have
heard of.
The judges go round ; there are put before them (a
year like this) two or three exhibits of 1-lb. sections of
inferior quality, perhaps unsealed ; they are instructed
to award the silver medal to one of them by the Hon.
Sec, with the words, ' We have paid our 11. Is., and if
we do not award it we lose it altogether, and we have
as much right to it as if the exhibits were good ; as if we
do not award it this year we cannot get it, nor will
they allow us two next year instead.' They (the judges)
find one exhibit well sealed and filled (for the year) by
honey of inferior colour and brightness. Although they
may suspect it is not altogether right, they have no com-
plaint before them, nor any means of ascertaining ; they
must give it the prize, as there is no other honeycomb
equal to it. If any one knows that it is not what it
professes to be, they ought to give information to the
Sec, or they are as bad as the other. — Alpha.
THE ANTENNAE CLEANER OF H YMENOrTERA.
Prof. Cook, in an interesting communication in The
American Naturalist on morphology of the legs of
hymenopterous insects, thus describes the peculiar ar-
rangement by means of which the busy bee and others
of its kind are enabled to keep the antennas free from
soil and dust :
In the anterior or prothoracic legs of the honey-bee,
he writes, we first notice at the base of the first tarsal
joint and in the angle between it and the tibia a short,
hollow semi-cylinder.
The concave surface of this cavity is smooth except at
the outside margin, where
there are from seventy-eight
to ninety projecting hairs,
which under the microscope
remind one of the villi of the
small intestines of mammals.
These teeth, like hairs, pro-
jecting as a fringe, form a
most delicate brush. The
tibial spur is so modified as to
resemble a very short-handled
razor, the blade of which is
for a wide space facing the
tarsus, a most delicate mem-
brane, and this blade forms a
sort of lid to the cavity just
described. When the leg is
straightened this lid rarely
reaches the cavity; but when
the first tarsus is flexed upon
the tibia it serves as a cover
to the cavity and really closes it. As the antennae are
not only the sensile tactile organs but also the organs of
smell, it is of the highest importance that they be kept
from the dust. But the very habits of most hymenop-
terous insects, visiting as they do, flowers laden with
August 23, 1888.]
tHE BRITISH BEE JOUENAL.
415
pollen, or digging in the mud and dust, tend to soil the
antennas. If a captive bee or wasp on the window pane
of our room have its antennas quietly dusted with lime
or flour, we will see it pass an anterior leg forward, draw
an antenna through the cleaner, and then pass the fore-
legs, now foul with dust, between the brushes formed by
the soft hairy inner faces of the basal tarsi of the inner
legs. This will be repeated several times, when upon
examination the antennae will be found entirely freed
from the troublesome dust.
(jBrtjocs front ibc fjtbcs.
World's End, Newbury, Aug. 17th. — Wails from the
Hives fur mini/ the Royal Berks Apiary. — We've had no
summer, no chance to gather honey ; we're on the verge
of starvation in the middle of August ; our numbers are
Legion, every hive teems with a multitude of hungry
bees glad to sip even the juice of the raspberries when
the weather is warm enough for us to venture forth ;
but to-day we are prisoners ; the thermometer stands
only a few degrees above zero. Our outlook is gloomy
as far as our own labour is concerned, but we trust the
' Boss ' will not let us starve, as some ' Bosses ' do their
bees. We heard of even old-established hives of the
whole colony dying of sheer starvation last week, and
swarms of this year have died wholesale all round the
district during the past week or two. — Apis Mellikica.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses oj manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
Robert de B. S. — 1. Condemned Bees.— Condemned
bees will rarely do any good if placed in empty
skeps. We should not think of so wintering them.
They ought to be put on frames of comb or, at
least, on alternate fully-built combs and foundation.
2. Illegal interfering with Bees. — Place them under
lock and key in the loft, moving them during the
winter after they have been confined to their hives
for four or five weeks by bad weather. They must be
allowed an entrance and exit through wall of loft.
.'3. Feeding Condemned Bees. — Feed on autumn syrup.
It is worth the expense and trouble if you give them
combs ; the cost will be about 4s.
Novice, Sussex. — 1. Wintering Bees. — Remove supers
after honey harvest and examine frames ; if well filled
they will winter, if not, feed quickly with autumn
syrup. Do not enlarge the hive. 2. Transferring . —
It can be done now, but we should advise their being
fed up and transferred about April. If you transfer
them now do not destroy the combs, there will be
brood in them (see answer to 11. de B. S.), as your
bees will be but condemned if you remove the combs.
3. Dividing Colony. — It is too late in the season for
dividing your colony. Remove supers and feed up for
winter.
L. VV. R. — 1. Super. — This should be removed now.
2. Feeding. — Feed now with twenty-five to thirty
pounds of syrup, as per Cowan's Guide, for autumn
feeding, otherwise it may be too cold for the bees to
get it properly ripened and capped. 3. Condemned
Bees. — Now. 4. Driving two Skeps. — Drive into
separate skeps. 5. Securing Qtieeiis. — Surplus queen
of no use except to introduce to a queenless hive at
once. 6. Hiving Driven Bees.— Join the two lots
together by shaking them on a sheet in front of the
frame-hive so that they run in together. One queen
must be removed first, 7. Bees 'Travelling. — They
will be all right for twenty-four hours in the skeps or
swarm-boxes. 8. — Comb-building. — They would still
build out the foundation.
G. M. Thompson. — A reply to your questions will appear
in our next week's issue. In the meantime, if you
would take the trouble to refer to our article on
' Sugar for Bee-feeding,' which appeared in No. 162,
Vol. XIII., you will fiud the subjects you have written
on fully treated, and your questions, we trust satis-
factorily, answered.
West Kent. — 1. Hive with Foul Brood. — We have had
exactly the same experience with several stocks. 2.
Enamel Cloth. — Yes.
E. — Eucalyptus Honey. — This kind of honey was kept
last season by the British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George
Yard, Fenchurch Street. We do not know whether
their stock is exhausted. We should be obliged by
any bee-keeper informing us where it may now be
procured.
Enquirer. — Honey. — The sample of honey forwarded
is of good colour and of excellent flavour. It has been
gathered by the bees from clover, and possibly from
the lirues.
A. W. House. — Driving and uniting Colonies.. — Your
plan will do very well. No. 3 may be driven, or
bumped if you prefer it. You will not find muchl
brood now ; of course you will lose what there may be
if you do not wish to transfer it. The honey you can
use. See reply to ' Novice.'
St. Dunstan's. — Heather. — Sample enclosed is the real
honey heather. You should get honey by the — well,
we envy you.
P. P. K. — Dislodging Bees. — If they must be got rid of
and the roof must not be moved, you might kill them
with sulphur, if you can get it alight below them.
But are they obnoxious ? Can you not get under the
roof and hive them ?
' Father L anqstroth, in acknowledging the receipt of
the money subscribed to the Annuity Fund, through the
American Bee Journal, expresses himself thus to all who
have helped to ameliorate his latter-day infirmities : — " I
cannot well express how much the kindness of my bee-
keeping friends has done to make me comfortable in my
old age. Your kind wishes make what you sent me the
more acceptable." He concludes his letter thus : — " May
we all meet at last in that blessed fold from which no
friend ever departeth." This sentence will strike a re-
sponsive chord in every true heart, for he is one of the
best and most God-like men we ever met. To spend an
eternity with such is worth the " battle of life." ' — A. B.J,
SHOWS TO COME.
August 29 & i!0. — Derbyshire Show at Derby. Hon.
Secretary, VV. T. Atkins, 6 North Street, Derby.
September 5 & 6. — Surrey. Hon. Secretary, Captain
Campbell. Entries close August .'!0.
September 5-7. — Lancashire and Cheshire Association
at Lancaster. Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. Lees McUlure,
The Lathoms, Prescot. Entries close August Kith.
business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Huskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme Peterborough.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[Aug 23, 1888.
Hutchings, A. P., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B, Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 0 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins' Bee Company, Limtd., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howakd, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godhan, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
IT ot i o E.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent k Co.f 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of alU al Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON. H. M.. 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER. W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bowdley, Worcestershire.
DORRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
HOLE, J. R. W., Tarrington, Ledbury. Herefordshire.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RTJDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Special prepaid ^advertisements.
Exchange Column. — Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Goods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms: Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
Situations, Publications, Bee Plants, dx. — Twenty words
and under, One Shilling ; for every additional Three words.
One Penny.
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
Now Ready.
SIMMINS' NEW BOOK.— 'A MODERN BEE-FARM,
AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9<2. Special Edition, stiff
covers, 7s. Orf., post free.
The Special Edition includes Photos of the Author's
Domestic Hive ; his Home Apiary, and another covered
Apiary ; also one of Queen and Workers on a Comb. Of
the Author, Rottingdean, Brighton ; Neighbour & Sons,
149 Regent Street, London ; and J. Huckle, Kings Langley,
Herts.
BEE-KEEPING, Plain and Practical : How to
Make it Pay. By A. Rusbridge, Is. 6 29
BEES. — Stocks or Swarms in exchange for splendid
Single-barrelled Gun, new last season. Address
JonN Thos. Gregory, Heathersage, Sheffield. D 31
h
H
ONEY WANTED.— Extracted and Sections. Samples.
Address W. Griffin, 251 Oxford Road, Reading, d 32
WANTED.— Vol. I. Cheshire's ' Bees and Bee-keeping.'
Cheap. Address Parkin, Upper Villiers Street,
Wolverhampton. • r> 33
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoewats' Printing! Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 323. Vol. XVI.]
AUGUST 30, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Bbitaxml, ^atms^&t.
SUGARS-FEEDING UP FOR WINTER.
I thank you for replies on ' Sugar,' etc., but should like
further light about buying for winter feeding. I have about
eighty stocks, so cannot afford to buy the wrong kind. I
have used the white granulated sugar in bags in former
years, but have lately been led to think that it was prin-
cipally beet. Of course there was some cane in it, and it
was called ' cane' sugar. 1. Please say why the raw BUgars
are not tit for feeding — would the molasses they contain
purge the bees in winter ? 2. I am told that many of the
cane sugars are retined with acid— is not this acid injurious
to the bees ? Are all the best sugars so refined ? 3. What
is the difference between the three qualities of Tate's, or
Martineau's, or Lyle's ? Are the inferior ones mixed with
beet, or do they contain more acid ? 1. I have a difliculty
in buying the granulated cane here. Are the cubes as good
for bees ? If so, please give mc the name of the best brand,
price and suitability considered. 5. Would beet sugar (the
white granulated) do for stimulating purposes equally with
the best sugars ? Why is beet objected to ?
All these questions refer to syrup-feeding. Shall be very
glad if the answer can be in next issue, as I wish to purchase
as early as I know what will bo safe to be done. I think
many other readers of the Journal are anxious to know the
safe path for feeding. — G. M. Thompson, Keelby, Uleeby,
August 18th.
We think the season of 1888 may be reckoned as the
most disastrous that modern bee-keepers have ever
experienced in the liritish Isles. Flowers have been
plentiful, but when in bloom the weather prevented the
bees leaving their hives and also retarded the secretion
of the necessary nectar in them. In consequence of this,
many stocks at the present time are either starving' or
bordering on that condition. Last week we drove
(bumped) seven stocks of bees in straw Bleeps, the
property of a cottager who, in other seasons, has aver-
aged from fifteen to twenty pounds of hone)* per sleep.
Although these skeps were full to overflowing- with bees
— we took four pounds and a half of bees from one
having a super on — the total amount of honey obtained
from the seven shirks was just a trifle over three
pounds; one of them had commenced to succumb,
hundreds lying dead on the no r-board. The foregoing
we take as almost a general average, in our district, of
the condition of colonies left entirely to their own
resources. At the present time, therefore, the question
left fir consideration is, will it pay to feed the colonies
the quantity of stores necessary for their winter's con-
sumption ? With the frame-hive bee-keeper his answer,
given we should think without am im nt's consideration,
wili )).• • Ye:..' Of this theve canuot be two opinions, but
with the cottager an outlay of (say) four shillings per hive
is a consideration ; yet it will pay him. Many of these
poor folks have all their work cut out for them to make
two ends meet with their present earnings, but to expend
four shillings per colony money down, to keep the bees
alive is an impossibility, and so the dying out of
such colonics during the coming winter will be most
calamitous.
Having satisfied ourselves that 'feeding up' is now
the only and most remunerative course to pursue, the
next question to arise i-, What to fed'-' There is
such a variety of sugars on the market that (lie novice
scare.' knows which to choose, and even when he docs
Un iw the description of sugar, the form ill which it is to
be given to the bees is a stumbling-block. ' Dry sugar
feeding,1 says one; 'Syrup,' says another; 'Candy,'
another; '"Good" candy,' o fourth; 'Place the sugar
in a dummy-board,' advises a lifth; 'No, don't; put it
on top of the frames,' chimes in a sixth. Well, be-
tween all these numerous words of advice he becomes
bewildered, and gives the apparent enigma up in despair;
and yet each <.f these advisers is giving sound advice in
us far as the different requirements of a colony al a given
time necessitate. A little reflection on the part of tha
bee-keeper will prove to him that dry sugar feeding
alone during the coming season will be of no use what-
ever; the food given must be syrup — good thick cane-
sugar syrup; no washy siigai-and-water — we might
almost say, water and syrup. We have for some years
tried dry sugar feeding, and have found it in some cases
very useful, but where a colony has little or no natural
stores it has invariably been a failure; times and times
have we endeavouied to rear condemned bees placed in
fully-built combs upon dry sugar, but always failed. A
colony at commencement of winter having six or seven
pounds of stores, if fed on dry sugar will die out, or be
of little use the next season, but where a colony has just
a shortness of stores barely enough to last it until the
following spring, then dry sugar feeding will be in-
valuable, and so will candy, both ordinary and ' Good.'
Having then satisfied ourselves that for the present
season, at least, syrup feeding is our only resource, it
behoves us to consider What sugar to use, how to make
the syrup, and how to feed. The first question is,
perhaps, of the greatest importance, as the quality of —
we cannot call it adulterated — unsuitable sugar for bee
feeding on the market is enormous.
Sugar at the present time is obtained commercially
from a variety of vegetable substances ; of course those
yielding the greatest quantity are chosen before others,
and as the beet-root yields eight per cent of cane-sugar
it is the principal, after the sugar-cine, vegetable re-
quisitioned to supply the tea and breakfast table. Then
again cane (sugar-cane) sugars when damaged, or of bad
colour, are after chemical treatment transformed into
good coloured and sound samples, and used for admixing
1 with beet-sugar; this description of sugar can be mostly
418
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 30, 1888.
detected by the smell, by an adept by the sight, the
chemicals used in the bleaching process giving a most
decided acid odour. The smell of beet-sugar to most
people, for our own part we should say to all people, is
most nauseous, but when mixed with other sugars and
refined it loses to a great extent, but not entirely so,
this unpleasant, odour. Sugars of this description are
known in the trade by the term ' pieces.' When feed-
ing bees such sugar should be avoided. Any respectable
grocer will give an applicant the information as to what
is, or what is not, ' pieces ' ; they are now selling at Hrf.
and 2d. per pound. Loaf-sugar, best qualities, are
almost free from beet, the best being ' Tate's cubes' No.
1 quality, black brand, Martineau's cubes first quality ;
both these are in hundredweight square, wood cases ;
their wholesale price now is for ' Tate's cubes,' 21*. Gd. ;
and Martineau's 20s. per cwt. Dutch crushed, sold now
in large quantities for preserving purposes, is not to be
j-ecommended, as frequently other than sugar-cane sugars
are used in its manufacture. This sugar is packed in bags
of about two hundredweight, mostly having a lead seal
attached to mouth of bag. It is in irregular-shaped
pieces of loaf-sugar, together with large quantilies of the
dust of same ; as its name denotes it is ' crushed ' loaf
sugar. Other descriptions of loaf-sugar we do not re-
commend.
We now come to a description of sugar which we
have found eminently suited for bee-feeding, not only
have we found it useful and suitable in this respect,
but we never use any other description upon our table,
as its clean sweetening properties are far before loaf and
raw sugars. It is called ' granulated.' When this was
first brought before the bee-keeping public one manu-
facturer only produced it, Duncan ; it then was known
by the name of ' Duncan's Pearl Sugar.' This firm
ceased refilling, and certain manufacturers in America
purchased the royalty, manufacturing and importing
large quantities to England packed in barrels of about
238 pounds; unfortunately during the last few months
no consignments of this sugar have been received in
England. This sugar made a splendid clear thick syrup
if half-a-piut of water was added to each pound of sugar
and made in the ordinary manner. The foregoing sugar
being now beyond our reach, we have found an excellent
substitute for same in a granulated sugar manufactured
by two firms, viz., Messrs. Geo. Crosfield and Co., of
6 Stanley Street, Liverpool (registered trade-mark C.
in a diamond,) and Messrs. Lyle, of Glasgow and
London ; both these firms guarantee their granulated
sugar as perfectly free from beet. These firms, being
refiners, will not supply a private individual, but any
respectable grocer will obtain the sugar for a consumer;
the wholesale price is from 19s. to 20*. Gd. per cwt. ; of
course, the grocer will require a profit on these prices,
the rate would be about 3d. per pound in small quantities
or in hundredweights about 24s. to 2os.
Haw sugar--, sucli as Demerara, 17s. to 10s. Gd. per
cwt. ; Barbadoes 14s. Gd. to 18s. Gd. ; Porto Rico 15s. to
16s. Gd , will make very good syrup, upon which the bees
will successfully winter, but their colour detracts from
their merits, as such syrup will stain the combs; this,
according to our experience, is the only objection. Deme-
rara sugar is imitated by one firm who colour a white
crystallised sugar with some material (a trade secret), this
sugar can easily be detected by placing a small quantity
in the mouth. After sucking a short time the remainder
left iu the mouth will be quite white, the act of sucking
having removed the colouring matter, which is only
superficial. As we do not know what the colouring
matter is composed of we object to its being used in the
apiary. Porto Pico sugar we find the most suitable for
dry sugar feeding as it is very deliquescent, it also, for feed-
ing on top of the frames, binds together with slight
pressure, so forming itself into almost a solid cake. ' Good '
candy is made by mixing icing sugar with hot honey
until of the consistency of putty ; this is much too ex-
pensive and on account of the same suitable only for the
food used in queens' travelling boxes.
The answer then to the question, What sugar to use in
making syrup ? will be found to be granulated guaranteed
by the makers to be free from beet. How to make the syrup
is answered also in the above paragraph, and will also be
found in any modern manual on bee-keeping.
How to feed is then the next question. The ordinary
regulating bottle-feeder will be of little service this
season ; a fast-feeder must be used. There are plenty
of these to choose from, and where expense is of little
object any of the boxes with numerous divisions, upon
the principle of which most fast-feeders now are made,
can be used, but there are other and cheaper methods of
making a fast-feeder, the following one we frequently
use :— Obtain a 2d. tin dish, having almost perpendicular
sides, into this place a wood float almost fitting the dish,
and having a number of holes, freely dispersed, bored
through, we place this on top of the frames, after filling
it with syrup, aud under the quilts, allowing, by laying
pieces of wood across the tin dish, the bees to work up
over the edge and take the syrup down. This feeder costs
3d. It is not what we call a tidy way of doing it, but
it answers as well as the most expensive feeder. The
dish is refilled through the hole in the quilt, and will
hold about four pounds of syrup. The quilts must be
tucked down snugly all round. A good stock with this
feeder can be fed up in about ten days or less if weather
is warm.
It is very noticeable that beet-sugar is objected to by
most bee-keepers, aud rightly so. Although beet-sugar
is, chemically speaking, cane-sugar, it is vastly inferior
in its saccharine properties to sugar made from the
sugar-cane. If we place a quantity equal in bulk to
what we usually find with sugar-cane sugar sufficient
for sweetening a cup of tea, it will be found quite unsuited
to our taste, necessitating a further addition of at least
one-fourth the original bulk. Bees fed on same do not
winter in at all a satisfactory manner, therefore we think
that a knowledge as to where to get a sugar free from
beet will be of great service to our readers, and likewise
a comfort to our poor little dependants through the
rigours of the winter l«88-9.
RECOGNITION BY BEES.
We presuppose that in a greater or less degree,
nearly all questions affecting the physiology of bee life
will also refer to a vast number of winged insects, if not
to all their various orders. This is true when dealing
with such matters as the use of chitine as building
material in the fundamental structure of many insects ;
or, the clawed feet of Arthropods, or the ring-like
arrangements of the bodies of the Annulosse. So that
when we notice peculiarities in the conduct of such
insects (other than bees) as live in colonies for mutual
support, protection, and defence, it will not be an unfair
assumption that such seemingly strange or wonderful
behaviour will also be found in the life conduct of bee*.
Examples of these will also be found in the cleaning out of
refusefrom nests, carrying out dead, eating eggs, thecarry-
ing in aud feeding the helpless young with stores gathered
by individuals other than the parents. Methods of signal-
ling and summoning members of the community to aid in
various undertakings, the appointment of thesi to this
duty, those to that, and so on. Such are a few from a
long catalogue of analogies which might be given between
the habits of bees and other insects. Their methods of
recognition are doubtless not much dissimilar, whether
it be the recognition of friend or foe, and whether it bj
accomplished by the seeing, speaking, hearing, touching, or
smellingorgans, all of which they seem to have in common
with most other animals; and this, by the way, forces
into prominence the thought that throughout both the
August 30, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
419
animal and vegetable kingdoms there seems such a great
similarity of parts, that one is constrained to consider one
living thing modified into another by a chain of almost
imperceptible links.
We wonder at the vast diversity there is existing side
by side with so much similarity. We have but to ex-
amine the contents and construction of a bit of cellular
tissue of both plant and animal, and their methods of
carrying on their generations, in order to see a wondrous
sameness of idea; or, to compare the lichen with the oak
(in the vegetable kingdom), the microbe with the
elephant (in the animal world), in order to get a view of
the gigantic difference co-existing with the utmost
similarity.
Revenons a nos abeilles. Not long ago we had the in-
teresting subject of the vocal organs of bees discussed,
and now, let us leave the speaking and hearing senses of
bees on one side, powerful but silent factors though they
be, and used though the}' be to some extent as aids in
recognition, while we consider the most probable method
(as it seems to us) by which our bees know each other
as friendly members of one community, or the reverse,
by which they recognise their queen and their home.
It is a truism, about which there is now no argument
whatever, that the sense of smell in insects is acute t< i an
intense degree ; so extremely attenuated is this faculty
that some have classed it as a separate sense from that
of smelling as we know it. Night and dusk flying
insects are guided about in search of food (and each
other) by this sense alone, until their organs of sight are
brought near the white flowers, which arrest their vision
after having attracted them by their perfumed nectar.
So probably do coloured flowers in daylight exactly treat
our honey-bees. We are told of the now common practice
of carrying the female of the Lepidoptera, thus ensuring
the early and near presence of the male insect, guided to
the insect-hunter by its acute sense of smell. So pro-
bably in the daytime, in the heights of air beyond the
ken of worker bee, do the drones and queens of a
district dart about at rapid rates, in a selective chase,
which seems intended to bj almost perfectly preventive
of that very in-and-in breeding which was recently
under controversy in our columns; but guided about are
the drones by their acute olfactory organs. Within the
hive much the same condition prevails we think, that is,
in the darkness of the house the sense of smell is the
most important factor. We find little or no extra atten-
tion paid by the workers to a virgin queen, and when
they are presided over by such a one, or even are queen-
less, the robber bee or wasp, the mouse or earwig, finds
little resistance made by the disheartened insects who
are without a ready and rapid means of telling foe from
friend. Immediately, however, our queen begins laying
or receives stimulating food and attention from the
workers all is changed, and a busy, prosperous com-
munity jealously guards the portals of the house.
What is it, then which produces the volte face I
Simply, in our opinion, the queen herself provides the
workers with the means of recognising each other and
herself in a manner not unlike that adopted by other
insects and by other animals. So)id/«res are only dust-
like from the egg-layer, but with the ovaries in great
activity and prepared liquid food (ready at the top of
the tongue of every worker) in large consumption, it is
the fact, as is to be expected, that liquid dejecta are pro-
fuse, the flooring of the hive receiving the greater portion
of this kind of faces f i om the queen, who descends to the
lower edge of the comb for defalcation.
This, and this only, in our opinion, gives the honey bee
the distinctive and characteristic odour or perfume (for
such it is) which enables it to recognise the house and
every member of its family. Alter the smell of this
dejection by phenol, peppermint, or what not, and we
are able to unite strangers. Is not this the magnificent
smell of bees (not nectar nor pollen ) noticeable when all
is prosperity in a good stock ? Let there be no false
delicacy about this matter, or let the collector of Oriental
perfumes silence the prudish by narrating the source* of
his wares. Many people can bear witness to the scent
left on the hands after handling a queen, an aroma which
attracts workers, and which is a silent, yet sure, means
of enabling a swarm in a dazzling blaze of sunlight to
keep together, and to gather round the queen as the
nucleus of the new home. In case of robbery we spray
the hive with carbolic solution, so that the thieves re-
turning home may have lost their scent ; we use scent in
uniting, to destroy, for a time, the distinctive ' home-
scent,' until the hive is again charged with it ; and,
believing each hive to have a distinctive smell, by the
conduct of sentinels towards wanderers or thieves, surely
we may inquire what is the cause of this power of recog-
nition hitherto considered wonderful! It may be urged
that formic acid (plentiful in every hive) gives the dis-
tinctive odour we speak of, but we find this present with
queenless bees; and, if this were the case, every bee
would have a separate characteristic smell, which would
vary by the food it fed on ; besides, the ejection of
formic acid by angry bees, or the odour of it from a
crushed bee, seems to so alter the ' home-smell ' that there
is a rush of bees to the rescue. The smell of poison,
therefore, is of such an unusual and exceptional character
in a hive, varying in every bee, and producing war in-
stead of peace, that we must look in some other direction
for the common cause of bee-recognition — the direction
we have indicated. There is no question that bees com-
municate by tapping on the framework of the head,
immediately above the brain, with the antenna?, and also
by crossing, rubbing, and touching together these sensi-
tive rods, containing, as they do, the ends of the smelling,
hearing, and feeling nerves ; yet we have only to watch
the behaviour of sentinels towards returning bees, in a
busy time, to know that they smell without having time
to touch the returning co-inmates of home. True, a
satisfactory aroma of incoming honey may be a passport
into the hive, as it often is, but bees after a cleansing
flight, drones, and young bees, are passed into the lodge
with only such examination as could be made by sound,
sight, or smell, the latter being, we think, the more cor-
rect test of right of entry. All other tests fail to account
for that apparently wonderful use of some mysterious
method of recognition, an almost (seeming) uncanny
application of a hidden faculty.
USEFUL HINTS.
Weatheh. — The fine weather, on which We Con-
gratulated ourselves in last 'Hints,' proved, alas! evanes-
cent and fleeting. Again, rain, thunder, storms, and an
unusually low temperature for the month of August,
have been the theme on every tongue. We are tempted
to ask how it is possible that 'Trophies of comb and ex-
tracted honey, large and beautiful, exciting the admiration
of all ; not only all large in quantity, but of remarkably
fine quality throughout,' could be produced in such a
season as we have experienced P To that highly
favoured Kent, with its myriad cherry orchards, its
countless fields of fruit — sainfoin and clover, and what
not ? — we suppose must chiefly be assigned the honour
of so grand a display at the Crystal Palace Co-operative
Exhibition. Well, we are downright envious. Here are
our own poor bees unable to store surplus at, all — feed,
feed, feed, has been our everlasting song all through the
summer ; our hives are overcrowded with population, but
honey less, simply because the modicum of honey collected
during the very few fine days granted to us has vanished
in a trice, as food to the hungry producers.
Queens Mating. — Our virgin queens, however, have
all mated successfully, about twenty in number, with
one exception only, and are increasing the population of
their hives as young queens alone can. It is a pleasant
420
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 30, 1888.
sight to behold the solid sheets of sealed brood furnished
by these queens, and destined, we trust, for work in
another year more prosperous than the present one.
Swallows and Sparrows. — Swallows are plentiful
around us, but we never credited them with the whole-
sale destruction of bees justly charged upon the sparrows
and tomtits. As regards the former, we can fully en-
dorse the indictment brought against them by ' Aged
Amateur ' in his letter (1771, p. 414, B. B.J.). There
are no birds more destructive to bees during the breeding
season than sparrows, and he who tolerates their nests
near his apiary is certainly most unwise. In the
Canadian Bee Journal (vol. iv., No. 18, p. 345) a
serious charge was made and proved by Mr. 1). A. Jones,
its editor and proprietor, against the martins, as
follows : — ' Some years since our home bee-yard was
the best of all that we had in which to rear and fertilise
queens, but for the last two or three years it has been
getting gradually poorer until the present, when we have,
as reported in our late numbers, lost probably seventy-
live per cent of the queens which went out to mate.
We were unable, until a day or two ago, to get any
satisfactory reason for the loss. The foreman of the
apiary had almost given up the rearing of queens here
for a bad job, and was giving his attention to the outside
yards where from seventy-live to eighty per cent of the
queens were fertilised. Yesterday we were putting up a
lot of queens, and our attention was drawn to the fact
that quite a number of martins were Hying about the
yard. The sky was cloudy, and the bees could be seen
distinctly for some distance Hying about in the air. In
watching them we noticed a martin catching one on the
wing. The thought suddenly Hashed through our minds
that, perhaps, this was where our queens had gone.
Farther observation proved conclusively that the martins
were, at any rate, making away with a great number of
bees. Going to the house we procured our gun and
brought down one of the martins which was Hying
arouud. On dissecting it we found the gizzard crowded
almost to bursting with bees. We shot three more, and
found the same results. To-day six more were brought
down, and we have proved quite conclusively to our own
mind that we have been losing our queens' through the
presence of these birds. In most instances we found
nothing but bees in the gizzards ; they have been ap-
parently feeding on our bees for the past two or three
years, and we have, until now, been without knowledge
of the fact. . . . These birds resemble much in their
size, shape, general appearance, and flight, a bird which
we found very destructive in the Island of Cyprus. In
certain seasons oi the year they came from the south in
great numbers, and we lost many queens at our apiary
at Larnaca. We should like to have information on this
point from others.'
We re-echo this wish. Has any English bee-keeper
proved that the swallows, or martins, which frequent our
homes during the summer season, are equally apicidal in
their propensities? This is a most important question
for all bee-keepers, and should not be allowed to rest
until the full truth has been elicited.
Superseding QuEBNS, which are unlikely to be
serviceable another year, should now take place'. Those
which are in their third year may be advantageously
superseded by queens of the present year. The age of
every queen ought to be known, which is not so easy of
accomplishment as many suppose ; since the superseding
is often done very quickly by the bees, during the
summer months, unknown to their owners.
l'V.u i ii.i-; Wohkebs.- Two colonies in our own apiary
have lately made an abortive attempt at supersession
abortive in consequence, wo believe, of the cold, ungenial
weather. In both cases a dead nymph was found in a
sealed queen-cell, and in both cases fertile workers were
depositing egg . which apparently induced the bees t,,
continue in lull work and to bring home pollen in large
quantity. Both colonies are now doing well under im-
ported Italian queens, the fertile workers having been
deposed by the usual course of shaking all the bees from
the combs at a distance from the stands.
Condemned Bees. — We have several inquiries re-
specting the practicability of building up condemned bees
into colonies, strong enough for wintering, by placing
them on foundation alone. So much will depend on
the autumnal weather that it is impossible to give a
categorical reply. With fine, warm weather, and a
supply of one or two built-out combs, and full sheets of
foundation for each colony, no doubt it may be done.
But ' if 'twere done, 'twere well 'twere done quickly ; '
there must be no delay. The populations of three
ordinary skeps at least, and a plentiful supply of syrup
from a rapid feeder, together with wrapping up warmly,
and careful protection from robbers, are requisites for
success. Some years ago we united three lots of con-
demned bees in the early part of October, and placed
them on full sheets of foundation, feeding copiously with
thick syrup, and by the middle of November they had
eight combs well drawn out and stored with sealed
food. On these they wintered well, and swarmed early
in the following spring. The autumn was unusually
fine and mild, and bright sunny days prevailed. Con-
demned bees are also very useful for strengthening we.ik
colonies, but when the population of a hive is sufficient
to cover well eight standard frames, it is not advisable
to add more bees. Too many bees on going into winter
quarters is almost as great an evil as too few.
Brood without Honey. — Many hives will be found,
even at this late period of the summer, full of sealed
brood, but possessing little or no sealed honey. In such
case we advise that no time be Inst in feeding up to full
winter store. From twenty-five to thirty pounds of
thick syrup should be given to each colony. We prefer
syrup as food in all cases to dry sugar. Copious feeding will
put a stop to breeding, and we do not care for young bees
hatched later than the middle of September. All supers,
except in the heather districts, should now give place to
rapid feeders. Bees at the distance of half a mile from
the heather-bloom should store rapidly in fine weather.
It is the opinion of many practical men that they collect
as much honey at that distance as when placed upon the
heather.
Passage-way over the Frames is preferred by
many, and ' Hill's device,' which provides this, is much
needed in America. Winter loss, however, is far greater
there than here, whatever the cause may be, whether
climatic or otherwise. We are in favour of allowing no
passage above the combs, but of cutting winter passages
through them where such are not provided at the upper
corners by the bees themselves. This is more in accord-
ance with the natural instinct of the bees than creating
a vacuum above. The inducement to build queen-cells
in these winter passages we consider no disadvantage,
since a better position in the hive than the uppermost
and central parts of the comb could not be selected, and
we may trust the bees to waste neither time nor labour
in the construction of queen-cells when such are not
required. Whenever they are required they will certainly
be provided, independently of the existence or non-
existence of winter passages.
Introducing Queens. — A clerical friend sends us
the following, which may interest some of our readers : —
' During the last three years I have introduced queens by
removing the old queen and then shaking off the bees from
one frame after another on to a board slanting up to the
entrance of the hive. I began with the frame nearest to
the entrance, and worked backwards, returning each frame
to its original position. While the hees are scampering
back to the hive, and at about the last frame but one, I
throw out the new queen and all her attendants amongst
the ascending bees, when they have been invariably re-
ceived. The nearest approach to failure occurred on
August 30, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
421
Wednesday last, August 15th, when I gave an imported
Italian queen, received from Messrs. Neighbour, at noon to
a stock that had been queenless certainly a month, and
which had neither brood nor honey. So many of the
attendant strangers were killed that I feared much for the
queen's safety, but at 3 p.m. I saw one bee carrying in
pollen, and now, thanks to liberal feeding, they are busily
bringing in plenty, and the queen is safe. Possibly others
have tried the same plan, but I have not seen it mentioned,
and I certainly think it the most direct, as it involves but
a single operation, and has been, in my experience, uni-
formly successful, to say nothing of saving the attendants'
lives.'
Our friend is correct iu saying, ' possibly others have
tried the same plan.' In Mr. Cheshire's Bees and Bee-
keeping (Vol. II., pp. 041-2), the method is given in
externa, with these concluding words : — ' I have experi-
mented on this plan with many hundred* of colonies —
condemned bees and others — and can truthfully assert
that it has never failed in a single instance.' One word
of caution we would add : Do not attempt to practise
the method during the daytime when honey is scarce
and robbing is rife. At such a time let it be dune in the
evening, when the temperature is sufficiently high to
prevent chilling the bees, liut, after all, introduction
by the improved pipe-cover cage in the hands of an
expert is just as safe, and really occupies less time. Let
us advise all who intend making introductions to get
them over a3 soon as possible. There is less danger of
queens being chilled and of robbers attacking now than
there will be a month hence.
jacket cb %tcrn.
[22.] What number of standard frames do you consider
best for the brood-chamber t Do you prefer the frames
at right angles, or parallel to the entrance? Give your
reasons.
I consider ten frames, standard size, best for ordinary
purposes. I do not think it signifies a straw which way
the bars hang, provided you can get from side to side of
the hive by going round the back. Bees in skeps start
their comb from the highest point inside the dome, and
at right angles to the shortest perpendicular section
through the cavity of the hive. Hence it is possible to
determine beforehand which way the combs shall run in
a skep. — E. Ball.
I cannot fix upon any specific number, but should be
governed by circumstances. A swarm should have as
many frames given to it as will give room for all the
bees to work on them — one of my swarms this year re-
quired twelve frames — and others, from .four upwards.
Prior to swarming a stock should have as man}' frames
in its brood-nest as the queen and the bees can command,
so that there may be no enforced limit to the production
of brood and bees; and even during the honey-harvest,
when it is good policy to have the queen's power of pro-
duction under control, great care should be exercised, or
swarming out might be the consequence. I prefer the
frames across the entrance way, parallel with the front
of the hive. Among the very many reasons in favour of
that arrangement, the chief is that of convenience for
manipulation by the bee-keeper. The question of which
is best for the bees has been already answered, pro and
con, and the verdict arrived at appears to be that one
way is as good as the other. Assuredly, judging from
the way bees act wdien they take" possession of perfectly
level domiciles, as, for instance, the spaces between the
floor and ceiling of a house, when they almost invariably
build across the entrance, from joist to joist, the advocates
of the parallel principle gain much support. It being,
however, admitted that preference by the bees is some-
what doubtful and that results under either system are
equal, I claim that the great advantage the parallel
system gives to the manipulator carries the point in its
favour. Bees will do their best in any hive under any
system, and the best hive and system are those which
afford most facilities to the bee-keeper. — 0. N. Abbott.
Ten frames, with power to add, on removal of the
dummies, yet two more. All frames and surplus work
right angles to entrance. To reject or accept the charm
entrance-crossing frames do present, we were compelled
to a practical trial, finding, after three seasons, the
right angle to entrance-frame, in a body of the above
capacity, and used as a brood-chamber only, give the far
better results. With the latter, power to give or with-
hold at all times, a more perfect ventilation is to hand ;
thus influencing a colony's work and purpose in a manner
frustrated by any other system. — John II. Howard,
Holme, Peterborough.
Ten; right angle to entrance in using long hives. They
are more easily manipulated, but in using both ways in
my apiary I do not find bees do better in one or other. —
TOW fsliLLS.
I always use twelve frames for the brood-chamber in
the height of the season. It' less than this number 1 do
not consider the queen has sufficient cells, and if the ex-
cluder-zinc is not used she will deposit eggs in prohibited
places. I prefer the frames running parallel to the en-
trance. I find the manipulation easier, and the hives
have a better shape, where twelve or more frames are
used. — Henry Beswick,
I consider ten a good average number, but often super
on nine, increasing if the colony swarms to eleven or
twelve — that is, presuming 1 return the swarm to the
hive from which it issues. I have hives with frames
both angular and parallel to entrance, but find no differ-
ence as regards the well-being of the bees, but 1 prefer
the parallel for working with. Your hive opens from
the back, forming a good screen from the flying bees,
and when crates of sections are on the dummy can easily
be moved back and frames removed, if desired, without
disturbing the colony. — W. Wooulky.
About ten, though I vary them at times from nine to
twelve in different hives. I have my hives with frames
both ways, and can see no difference. I think it is all a
matter of opinion, not affecting the bees very much. —
John Walton.
I consider twelve standard frames best for the brood-
chamber, and prefer the frames to be parallel with the
hive entrance, as I consider hives are more easily manipu-
lated and better adapted for the prevention of swarming
when the frames are so arranged. — H. Wood, Lichfield.
Ten-frame hives are handiest, if more- room is wanted
double or tier up. So far as bees are concerned I do not
think it matters, have wintered about a hundred colonies
half each way, with no perceptible difference, but con-
sider right-angled hives rather the most easily manipu-
lated, especially iu preparing for winter quarters. — John
Edky.
A strong colony with a prolific queen at its head will
occupy well ten standard frames. I prefer the frames
at right angles to the entrance for the sake of ventilation,
dryness of hive, freedom of passage for working bees, a?id
ease of manipulation. — Gbohge Raynor.
Ten standard frames. The frames should be at right
angles to the entrance. The ventilation of the hive is
much better; in hot weather the bees at the entrance
can control the temperature between all the combs; and
with a wide entrance in winter there will be no mouldy
combs if the back of the hive is raised an inch, so that
any moisture or condensation may escape by the entrance.
In tho combination hives (about which we hear less than
we used to do), with the frames across the entrance,
there are several disadvantages : — The hive cannot be
laised at the back to let out the moisture and prevent
the rain from pouring in, or the frames will not hang
422
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 30, 1888.
true and the combs would not be built in them properly;
the liability of the entrance becoming stopped by the
dead bees falling in front of it, as has occurred with me ;
the frames hanging across the entrance and stopping the
ventilation ; the combs getting mouldy; in manipulating
the front combs you have to reach over all the others.
The majority of most advanced bee-keepers both here
and in America use hives with frames at right angles
with the entrance. — John M. Hooker.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY;
Ob, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Words
used in "Works upon Bee-keeping.
Bar super. — Boxes fitted with bars, placed on the
top of hive and used by the bees for storing surplus
comb honey.
Barley-sugar, a. — A confection, usually in twisted
sticks, made by boiling sugar till it becomes brittle on
cooling, formerly in a decoction of barley.
Barren, a. and sb. (O. Fr. baraigne, fr. Celt, brah,
a sprout, and une, without.) — Unproductive, sterile; in-
capable of producing young ; void of vital germs.
Barricade, n. (Fr. barricade, fr. barr, a bar;
that which bars out, blocks up, protects, or defends.) —
Applied to a construction of propolis and wax erected
by bees to reduce size of entrance, and thus exclude
enemies. Barricades are frequently found in districts
where the death's-head moth is prevalent.
Basilar membrane, (mod. L. busilaris, fr. L.
basis, base, and L. membrana — membnim, a member.) —
The membrane in the compound eye of the bee, found at
the base of the great rods, which they perforate in their
connexion with the bundle of optic nerve fibrils situated
beneath.
Batten, n. (fr. Fr. baton, a stick.) — A piece of
squared timber, not more than 7 inches broad and 2^
inches thick ; a bar or strip nailed or glued across any-
thing composed of parallel boards to hold them together,
give strength, and prevent warping ; a ledge ; a clamp.
Battened, p. pi, and a. — Formed of battens;
strengthened with battens.
Bean. n. (Sax. bean.)— Name given to that part of
the male organ coming immediately below the ductus
ejaculatorius, from its resemblance to a bean, and from
its enveloping the spermatophore like the outer skin of
a bean. By some writers it is called ' lentil.'
Bees. n. pi. (A. Sax. bev.) — Various forms: To
thirteenth century, beo ; thirteenth to nineteenth cen-
turies, bee ; fifth century, by ; fifth and sixth centuries,
be; sixth century, bey. I'l. bees; also to twelfth cen-
tury, beoii ; thirteenth to seventeenth centuries, been ;
fourteenth century, bene, bien ; sixth century, beene. —
Applied to the different species of insects of the genus
Apis ; also in scientific use in a general way, including
all insects of the honey-gathering division of the sting-
bearing Hymenoptera, and comprising two families — the
Social Bees or Apida, and Solitary Bees or Andramidce.
Bee -bike. — A nest of wild bees. (Provincial,
North.)
Bee-bird. n. (Sax. bird or bridd, a chicken.) —
Name given in BOme localities to the spotted fly-catcher
(Muscicapa grisola).
Bee-birds, n. pi. — Used by some old writers for
bees. Bees are still occasionally called bee-birds in
some out-of-the-way rural districts.
Bee-bob. n. (Gael, bob, a tuft or cluster.) — A
bunch or cluster of dead bees strung together, forming
u ball about the size of an egg, and used as a decoy for
inducing a swarm to settle.
JOTTINGS BY 'AMATEUR EXPERT.'
'Mel Sapit Omnia.'
The August number of the American Apiculturist is
solely from the pen of Mr. Henry Alley. 1 have ' boiled
down' a few jottings from its columns for the benefit of
the readers of the B.B.J.
Cheap Queens.
He is advertising his best American -bred Italian
queen-bees at a dollar each (4s. \\d) Lucky Americans,
to get a good queen in July for a dollar ! Early in the
spring I tried to induce him to send us in England
queens at that price, as the postage on ' suuples' is very
small. The trouble is with the Post Office, who refuse
to pass live bees through the post. Here is work for the
committee of the B. B. K. A., to get the absurd restric-
tions removed.
Feeding Back
Mr. Alley is opposed to ; he says it will not pay for
the time, trouble, and waste of honey involved. The
partly filled sections are of far more value in early sum-
mer to induce the bees to take to the supers readily. In
this I agree with Mr. Alley, as well as the recent remarks
of our own Editor in the Journal. It will not pay.
Do Bees Mix Honey in the Cells ?
Last year a party of bee-keepers at my house were
discussing this point over our ' Bohea.' I never remember
seeing anything on the point in print till this month's
Apt. Mr. Alley says only ' one kind of honey is stored
in any one cell;' thus one will be full of clover, another
basswood, another buckwheat honey, and so on.' I have
found, especially late in the season, a great diversity in
the flavour of the honey stored even in one section. But
a microscope is a more certain guide in this m.itter than
the palate, as the origin of any honey may be traced by
the minute pollen grains it contains.
Bee Veils.
Mr. Alley says, sooner or later the eyes of all those
who use bee-veils will be damaged by the constant
straining caused by looking through ' the fuzzy meshes
of a cloth bee-veil.' His remedy is to use a good smoker
and no veil. The veil I use has been my companion for
nine years, and will last nine more with proper care. It
was a little costly at first, being comprised of the finest
silk net, but it gives one no consciousness of anything
being between the eyes and the object; and when not in
use I can carry it in my waistcoat pocket. I certainly
should not advise any one to do without a veil, but some
of the cheap veils sold are a great obstruction to the
light, I admit, and possibly may prove harmful in time.
Next to silk net, give me Dr. Pine's wire gauze veils, only
they are bulky and require a hat-box to carry them in if
you are on an expert's tour.
Honey Boards and Queen Excluders
Are not used by the manager of Api. An attempt is
being made to 'boom' them in England, after having
been discouraged for a few seasons. It looks as if some
one had an ' axe to grind' in the shape of a new inven-
tion. It is very wicked of me to make such a suggestion,
I am aware, but. I have not had a single queen in my
supers again this year, and the Americans are beginning
to do without them just as we are asked to rush back to
them again.
Requeening after a Swarm has issued.
Three days after a swarm has issued Mr. Alley Bays if
you cut out all the queen-cells, and run a fertile-laying
queen in at the entrance, she will always be received and
much valuable time will be saved. I have done this suc-
cessfully in two cases this season; consequently I think
the probability is as he says.
August 30, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
423
Getting Bees out op Sections.
Several cases of sections were removed from the hives
just before sunset and placed in the bee-house, standing
on one end. A cage containing a queen was nailed in a
box, and the box was then inverted on the section cases.
In the morning every bee had left the sections, and most
of them were quietly clustering on the queen-cage. The
box was then placed out-of-doors, the queen and cage
removed, and all the. bees at once proceeded to fly home
to their respective hives. Had it been desirable they
might have been utilised as an artificial swarm.
Some Queer Things about Bees.
These I had better give you in Mr. Alley's own words
adding a thought of my own as we proceed : —
' I have a number of queens in cages that are used in
the yard as decoy queens. These queens I do not feed
nor take any care of, except to shelter from the hot sun
and cover up when it rains. The cages are placed on a
hive, or upon the handiest object, when I am done with
them for a time. As soon as left, the bees find them and
furnish all the food and take all the needed care. Some
of the queens have been used in this way for nearly a
month, and they are very bright and lively, and will
stand it for a month yet.' (I do not see the object of
' decoy ' queens. — ' A. E.')
' Bees do not seem to notice a virgin queen ; yet, if
they are deprived of one, they seem to miss her aud feel
as bad as though she had been a fertile queen.' (That is
my experience. — ' A. E.')
'I have watched the worker, queen, and drone bees
when they seem to be struggling to emerge from the cell,
and though they had hard work to crawl out, the bees
woidd not offer the slightest assistance nor would they
take any notice of them; but should one of those bees
die in its attempts to leave the cell the bees would at
once remove it. Bather poor judgment in the bees.'
(No! nature abhors a weakling, but tolerates it in the
highest order of animals. — ' A. B.')
' Should a bee be born with defective wings he is at
once invited to go outside the hive, as his room is more
valuable than his company. This seems heartless ; yet
a bee without wings is of no account. " The survival of
the fittest" seems to be the motto of the hive.' (Exactly.
— ' A. E.')
' When a bee goes and finds some honey after the
general harvest is over, on his return home he makes
known the fact to his companions that he has it by
shaking his whole body as though trying to remove some
dirt from his wings. If more stolen sweets are to be had
at the same price, the bee quickly unloads and starts for
more plunder, and at the same time several other bees
will follow. By the time three or more bees have loaded
and return, the whole colony begins to become excited,
and in a very short time the roar of the bees indicates
that something was wrong in the apiary. By following
the hum of the bees the apiarist can easily find the
mischief the bees are about. I should have said in
the beginning, that when the first bee returns loaded the
other bees seem to detain it at the entrance and try to
make him tell where he obtained the stolen property.'
(I have frequently noticed that a bee loaded with lumen,
as distinct from nectar, is detained at the entrance by the
guards. — ' A. E.')
If you wish to know 'How to prevent excessive
swarming; ' or about 'Feeding new swarms : ' or, ' How
to get drones late in the season ; ' or, how and when to
'Form new colonies ; ' or, 'How to find a queen;' or,
' Do bees know a stranger ? ' or, ' How to keep brood-
combs during winter ; ' or, ' Preparing for winter ; '
and a host of other things, you must get Api, and
read it for yourselves, or ask for further information
on any point you wish to know about from— Amateur
Expert.
ASSOCIATIONS.
THE SHROPSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The Annual Exhibition of this Association was held
on Wednesday and Thursday last, upon the occasion of
the great Floral Fete at Shrewsbury held under the
auspices of the Shropshire Horticultural Society.
The comprehensive prize list attracted a fair competi-
tion, aud brought together a capital display of bees,
honey, hives, and appliances; and we are pleased to state
that, although the Association was dissolved three years
ago, yet, through the energy aud exertions of the present
Hon. Secretaries and Committee, it now appears to be
in a most satisfactory condition; this, the second show,
held under the new regime, being a very important
exhibition. The great speciality in the apiarian depart-
ment was the institution of a series of lectures, which
were gi ven in a seated tent ; and when it is remembered
that 40,000 persons attended the fete, it must be ad-
mitted that there is ample scope from which to induce
recruits to the humane teachings of modern bee-keeping.
The lectures were delivered at advertised hours by -Mr.
S. J. Baldwin, the subjects taken being, ' Bee-keeping
Past and Present, with comparative results, aud illustra-
tions, showing also the Horticultural Value of the li ie ;'
' The Bee-hive : its Mysteries ;' ' Superstitions and their
causes and resulting stumbling-block;' 'The various
Races of Bjes;' and ' Bee-keeping as an Industry: for
the Amateur, for the Cottager, with Hints on Profitable
Management and Marketing Honey.' These lectures
were repeated each day. and attracted numerous and
appreciative audiences, Mr. Baldwin treating each sub-
ject in a masterly and exhaustive manner; his usual
fluency, pleasing address, an 1 'plain unvarnished tale,'
being most attentively heard ; the many resulting queries
put to the lecturer at the close of each demonstration
proving the intelligent manner in which the information
was conveyed and received.
The exhibits of honey compared but indifferently
with the enormous display of last year, ~t>0 lbs. being
staged only as against .six tons, thus showing that
Shropshire has also experienced the effect of the bad
season. As regards the exhibits generally, the display
must be considered as very satisfactory, bearing in mind
the short spell of summer weather we have experienced.
The collection of appliances was far in .advance of any-
thing previously attempted in the locality. Eighteen
hives were entered in the Single Hive Open Class, Mr.
Redshaw's First R. A. S. E. Nottingham Hive again
securing first prize, a well-made hive by Mr. Palmer, of
Wellington, Salop, built closely following Mr. Redshaw's
pattern, being placed second. Messrs. Abbott of
Southall secured first prize for the collection of appli-
ances with an excellent display. Mr. Baldwin of Bromley
being second, a special third being awarded by tha
judges to Mr. Whittingham, Shrewsbury, thus showing
the importance of the class. Mr. Lewis, of Oswestry,
who, we heard, has been appointed an agent for Mr.
Meadows, being commended ; over twenty new inventions
appeared in this class, many being of real utility. The
whole show afforded a real practical lesson in modern
bee-keeping to the novice and 'skeppist;' and this, taken
in conjunction with the lectures, really proved a most
instructive exhibition, the tent being entirely thronged
the whole time. The comb-honey exhibited by Mr.
W. G Preece, whose name we remember in this con-
nexion at the Indian and Colonial Exhibition at South
Kensington, aud the run honey of Mr. Goduian, and a
particularly attractive show stand of Mr. Palmer's, being
much admired; while so great were the inquiries
round the Observatory Hives, that it was almost
necessary to tell off an attendant to comply with visitors'
demands. The handsome show case of the Association's
424
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 30, 1888.
silver and bronze medals to be awarded at the exhibi-
tion, added to the attractiveness of the exhibition, and
especially also the nicely-mounted specimens of ' honey-
yieldiug plants ' contributed by Messrs. Abbott.
The judges were Thomas W. Cowan, Esq., and H. Clegg',
Esq., of Loppington Hall, Shropshire, whose awards
gave every satisfaction.
We are pleased to congratulate the Committee of the
Shropshire B. K. A. upon the results of their labours, not
forgetting also that to the Hon. Sees, great credit is due
for their exertions on behalf of the Shropshire bee-
keepers. Below is the official list of prize takers : — ■
Honey. — Class 1 — For the best exhibition of comb honey
in sections to exceed 601b., silver medal and 11. — 1, W. G.
Preece, jun., Shrewsbury. Class 2— For the best 48 1b.
sections of comb honey, silver medal and 15s. — W. G.
Preece, jun. Class 3 — For the best 24 lb. sections of comb
honey, silver medal and 10s., for the second best ditto,
bronze medal and 5s.— 1, W. G. Preece ; 2, S. J. Baldwin,
Bromley, Kent. Class 4— For the best exhibition of run
honey to exceed GO lb., silver medal and 10s. — 1, John
Palmer, Wrockwardine. Class 5 — For the best 48 1-lb.
bottles of run honey, silver medal and 7s. 6d. ; for the
second best ditto, bronze medal— 1, A. Godman, St. Albans ;
2, T. E. Horton. Class 6— For the best 24 1-lb. bottles of
run honey, silver medal and 5s. ; for the second best ditto,
bronze medal — 1, S. J. Baldwin ; 2, T. B. Horton. Class 7
— For any novelty in honey of sufficient interest — Not
awarded.
Appliances, Hives, &c— Class 8— For the best hive suit-
able for modern bee-keeping, It. ; for the second best
ditto, 10s. — 1, Charles Bedshaw, Leicester, won with first
prize Nottingham hive, E.A.S.E.; 2, J. Palmer, Wrock-
wardine ; h. c, W. G. Preece, jun. Class U— For the best
hive as the foregoing, the work of an amateur, 10s. ; for the
second best ditto, 5s. — 1, J. Palmer ; 2, J. Bradley. Class
10— For the best collection of apiarian appliances, 1/. 10s. ;
for the second best, 15s. — 1, Abbott Brothers, Southall,
London ; 2, S. J. Baldwin ; special third prize, T. Whitting-
ham, Shrewsbury. Class 11 — For the best honey extractor
— 1, bronze medal, W. H. Lewis, Oswald Road, Oswestry.
Class 12 — For the best section rack — 1, bronze medal, S. J.
Baldwin. Class 13— For the best 1-lb. sample of super-
foundation— 1, bronze medal, W. H. Lewis. Class 14 —
For the best new and useful invention — 1st, bronze medal,
T. Whittingham.
Bees. — Class 15— For the best exhibition of live foreign
bees with queen, in Observatory hive — 1, silver medal, W.
H. Lewis ; 2, Abbott Brothers, London. Class 16 — For the
best exhibition of live British bees with queen, in Observa-
tory hive — 1, silver medal, J. Bradley, 2, W. G. Preece, jun.
Artisans' and Cottagers' Classes. — Class 17 — For the
best exhibition of notless than 24 lbs. of comb honey, 15s. ;
for the second best ditto, 7s. 6<;.— This class was not filled.
Class 18 — For the best 12 lb. sections of comb honey, 10s. ;
for the second best ditto, 5s.— Not filled. Class 19— For the
best exhibition of not less than 24 lb. run honey, 10s. ; for
the second best ditto, 5s.— 1, Richard Watson. Classes 20,
21, 22, and 23, were not tilled. (Cottagers' classes.)
YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SHOW.
Huddehsfield.
Among the many very interesting exhibits at this
show none was more popular among those interested in
the matter thnu that illustrating bee-driving. In this
department Mr. R. A. Grhnshaw, the lion. Sec. of the
Yorkshire Bee-keepers' Association, gave lectures in the
bee-tent at intervals, with the assistance of Mr. W.
Dixon, Leeds, their expert. The life-history of the bee,
worker, queen, and drone, was sketched, and the manipu-
lation (if the bar-frame hive and the obtaining of honey
by means of .sections and the extractor, were explained.
Hue prominence was also given to the advantages of
l lern or scientific bee-keeping, in which the lives of the
bees are preserved, over the old method of keeping bees
in the straw skeps of, what we hope are, bygone genera-
tions. One point was made quite prominent, that if we
were not repaid a single drop of honey it would still be a
duty we owe to the community to keep bees for the sake
of the benefit they confer upon the fruit, clover, bean,
and other crops. It is a pretty well conceded fact that
the cross-fertilisation of plants gives us a better quality of
seed and a larger volume of the surrounding fruit ; the
assimilation of nitrogenous matter by fertilised seeds is
more rapid and profuse when the pollen is brought from
another plaut, than when, so to speak, self-fertilised.
The humane aspect of scientific bee-keeping was laid
stress on — that now-a-days bee-keepers preserve the lives
of their bees ; whereas by the old methods they were
; condemned to perish in the sulphur pit. There is no
doubt about one thing, that bees can be handled without
much fear of being stung, for Mr. Urimshaw handed
| round, outside the bee-tent, frames covered by bees,
queen, drones, and workers, exhibiting to the spectators
the varying phases of bee life, without receiving a single
sting, and this on a sunny day without any protection of
veil or gloves, the only iutimidaut being smoke used by
Mr. Dixon. This has the effect of frightening the bees
into gorging themselves with their stores, when, the
honey sac being full, they are disinclined to sting. The
collection of bee-appliances was one seldom met with,
even at the Yorkshire Show, and consisted of every
known convenience for dealing with the various exigencies
of bee-life. Mr. A. C. Jemieson, York, had one of his
cottage hives and his ' York ' champion hive. The latter
is a remarkable combination, and contains every modern
improvement. He also showed his ' Dreadnought Hive,'
and a 'A 1' doubling-hive, besides a collection of articles
of use to the bee-keeper. Mr. John Dixon, of Ayton,
showed his improved patent bar-framed hives and super-
crates, section -boxes for straw hives, and a rather
cleverly -conceived bar -lifter. Mr. W. Dixon, Leeds,
bad on view a complete stock of hives and appliances,
and a novelty, worked by bees hi the hive, giving a good
representation of the words ' God save the Queen.' He
had a decidedly novel rustic bee-hive also on the stand.
Messrs. Abbott Bros., London, too, had a good show of
useful appliances. Among the prize-winners Messrs.
Abbott, London, took first honours for a bar-frame hive,
not exceeding 15*. in value, and Mr. A. C. Jemieson,
York, took second place. The class was above the
average. In the next class for bar-frame hives, not
exceeding 10s. in value, the honours were also taken by
the same exhibitors : but in straw hives Mr. William
Dixon, Leeds, comes in second, Messrs. Abbott still re-
taining the premier position. They were also successful
in another class of straw hive, Mr. John Dixon, Ayton,
coming in second. In bar-frame extractors Messrs.
Abbott are first, and Mr. William Dixon second ; but in
extractors for sections on any principle, the honours are
reversed. In the class for samples of honey in pound-
sections, Mr. C. Atkinson, Tockwith, had an easy victory,
securing both first and second prizes.
The following is the list of awards : —
Bar-frame hive, not exceeding 15s.: first, It., Abbott
Bros., Southall, London ; second, 10s., Arthur C. Jemieson,
26 Colliergate, York ; reserve, William Dixon, 5 Beckett
Street, Leeds. Bar-frame hive, not exceeding 10s. : first,
1/., Abbott Bros. ; second, 10s., Arthur C. Jemieson ; reserve,
William Dixon. Straw hive, rlat-topped, with hole not less
than three inches wide : first, 1/., Abbott Bros. ; second,
10s., William Dixon ; reserve, Arthur C. Jemieson. Straw
hive, flat-topped, with hole not less than three inches wide :
first, 1/., Abbott Bros. ; second, 10s., John Dixon, Great
Ayton ; reserve, William Dixon. Exhibit of bee-furniture ;
first, 1/., Abbott Bros.; second, 10s., Arthur C. Jemieson;
reserve; William Dixon. Honcy-extractor, for bar-frames:
first, ]/., Abbott Bros.; second, 10s., William Dixon; re-
serve, John Dixon. Extractor or sling, for sections on any
principle: first, 1/. .William Dixon; second, 10s., At>l>ott
Bros. Sample of honey in six 1-lb. sections : first, 1/., and
August 30, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
425
second, 10s., C. Atkinson, Tockwith, York. Super honey
in other form : second, 10s., William Dixon.
The Rev. J. Lingen Seager, of The Grange, Stevenage,
Herts, acted as judge.
Concspiiuciicc.
TODMORDEN FLORAL AND HORTICULTURAL
SOCIETY.
On Saturday, Aug. 18, the thirteenth exhibition of
this Society was held on the Scaitcliffe estate. There
was a good display in all classes, and the awards of the
judges appeared to give general satisfaction. A new
feature in this year's programme was the bee department.
For this the public are indebted to the exertions of Mr.
G. II. Greenwood, Post Office, Fastwood, and the enter-
prise of the Todmorden committee. Todmorden is situ-
ated partly in Lancashire, ami partly in Yorkshire, but
by mutual arrangement between the Honorary Secre- j
taries of the two County Associations the district has
been assigned to the care of the Yorkshire Bee-keepers'
Association. The tent on this occasion was in charge of
Mr. W. Dixon, Leeds, who displayed specimens of all
the appliances requisite for modern bee-keeping. He
also exhibited a small observatory hive well stocked
with bees, and gave practical illustrations of the man-
ipulation of the bar-frame hive. Lectures on bees and
bee-keeping were given at intervals by Mr. B, A. II.
Grimshaw, Hon. Sec. of the Yorkshire B.K.A., and
Mr. J. Dodgsou, Hon. Sec. of the Craven District B.K.A.
Fach lecture was attended by a large and interested
audience.
BliF AND HONEY SHOW AT WOTTON-
UNDER-EDGE.
A show of bees, hives, and honey, was held iu con-
nexion with the Wotton-under-Edge Horticultural
Society, on Tuesday the 21st August. Although the
weather in the morning assumed a threatening aspect,
it gradually cleared off, and the weather was everything
one could wish for. Owing to the complete failure of
the honey crop in this district, it was thought by some
that the exhibition would be a failure, but bad as the
season was there was staged about two hundredweight
and a half to the surprise of a good many ; but it was
chiefly last season's honey. This was the first bee show
ever held in this town. The honey tent drew crowds of
people through it, the stage being very tastefully
decorated with plants in bloom kindly lent for the
occasion by the Rev. E. M. Farquhar. During the
afiernoon Mr. W. D. Slade, Hon. Secretary to the county,
gave lectures and manipulations with the bees in the
driving tent. About 300 people paid for admission to
witness the mysteries of the hive.
Following is a list of awards, all the classes did not
lid: — For the best twelve 1-lb. bottles of extracted
honey: 1st, Mr. E. ltobin-on; 2nd, -Mrs. Perrett; 3rd,
Itev. N. W. Gresley. For the best twelve 1-lb. sections:
1st, Mr. W. Fowler; 3rd, Mr. Davis. The best 6 lb. of
extracted honey : 2nd, Mr. Davis. For the best bar-
frame hive made by a cottager : 1st, G. Venn ; 2nd,
A. J. Brown; 3rd, \V. Griffin. Dees in observatory hive:
1st, \V. Griffin; 2nd, A. .1. Drown; 3rd, W. Griffin.
Wax: 1st, W. Griffin; 2nd, G. Gunston ; 3rd, A. J.
Brown.
We should like to take this opportunity of thanking
Mr. Slade for his valuable services. — A. J. Bbown,
Local Secretary.
Bees on the Raid. — On Wednesday, the 22nd inst. a
great number of bees made a descent on the confectioner',
stalls in Bishop Auckland market-place and literally
took possession of them. Business was stopped, and the
owners of the stalls took to flight. It is presumed that
the cold ami inclement season had deprived the insects
of their ordinary source of sustenance, and that they
were driven bv mine from the country into the town.
The Editor does not hold himself responsi dsfot I ■ opinion? expressed
hi his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents ore requested to wtite on ons w&o of
the p iper only, and giee their full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Heelings, Echoes, Queries, Boots for Review,
,(•,-.. must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," do tfessrs. Stranystcaya and Sons, IWer Street, Cambridge
CliCUf, IK.CV All business communications relating to Adoertisements,
,i , must be addressed to Mr. J. Hockle, Kings ljangiey, Herts (suo
jjnt ua ;i of .Mi- irtieements.)
%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query preeiouilg in, rted, loili oblige '"/ mentioning the
ii umber of He ' tter, as well a* th pajeon which itappi ire.
THE MINORCAN QUEEN.
[1773.] 1 am glad to be able to say that the one
gentleman of the B. B. Committee who took sufficient
interest in the introduction of ' new bl 1 ' into England
to express a willingness to receive a young Minorcan
queen, has duly received the first that saw daylight in
this country. Fear of the weather we have all been
deploring, caused me to offer princesses only, and,
fortunately, my moderation was well grounded, for had 1
offered fertile queens I should have been in a difficulty,
for out of fourteen other princesses duly hatched in full
hives, 1 can only find one that has proved fertile, aud
many have apparently departed. I was successful in my
efforts to induce the original queen to deposit a large
number of eggs in drone-cells, aud they duly became
larvae, but I could not persuade the worker bees to rear
them, although they were kept well supplied with food
— the cold, wet weather was evidently too much for
them. A second batch of queen-cells has been raised in
the hope of remedying the queen failures, but continuance
of unfavourable weather may spoil this venture, as it
has spoiled so many in this unparalleled season. I must
beg to be excused from attempting to enter upon the
merits or demerits of the Minorcan race, they, in common
with all others, having had no chance of showing of
what they are capable. Then/ is, however, time for.
things to mend, even though they become patchy, and it
may become possible to give assurances of some of
the Minorcan characterstics— C. N. Abbott, Svuthall,
August 25th.
DIVISION BOARDS.
Their Utility and Historic Use in Bee-keeping.
[1774.] Division-boards should have a place in every
well-regulated apiary. In fact, every well-managed
apiary will include "the division-board' as a necessary
adjunct to successful handling of bees. The division-
board fits into a place in the handling of bees which no
system of management can fill without them, hence they
are a necessity.
This necessity in their use has grown out of the
system by which bees are kept, an understanding of
their ways and workings calling into requisition many
things, as moveable frames, the extractor, section-cases,
honey-sections, aud the various appliances which render
bee-keeping profitable, and, among them all, the division-
board ranks as important a feature as either of the
requisites named.
Introduction of Division-boards. — Although the use of
division-hoards in the apiary as a factor of prominence
dates lack but a few years, it may be known to some of the
more advanced apiarists that as long ago as 1652 a patent
was ta en out on division-b lards by Itev. L. L.Langstroth.
This was thirty-six years ago; but the division-board,
we think, did not verj generally come into use till quite
recently. -Mr. Langstroth's board was made as follows,
and will be found described on page 37il of bis book,
The Hire and Honey Bee : —
' One piece 1 8g x 9g x 5, each side of each end made
426
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[August 30, 1888.
made j-inch bevelling, for easy adjustment. One piece
§ x § x 10| nailed on the first piece, like the top-piece of
the moveable comb-frames. By this divider the size of
hive can be determined at will.'
This reveals the use the division-board was first put
to, to contract or enlarge the size of the hive. And this
is an important matter when rightly considered. While
there are various ways in which division-boards are
useful in handling bees, perhaps the two most impor-
tant advantages derived from their use is, in preparing
colonies for winter, and in adapting the size of the
hive to the strength of the colony in spring.
Preparing Bees for Winter. — In preparing for winter,
it is known to be best to allow the bees only space
according to their numbers. That may be to occupy
four, five, or six frames. We all know that it is easier
to heat a small room in winter than a large one, and so
this principle applies to the bee-hive. And again, we do
not want to depart from established rules in building
hives as to size ; were we to do so, we might lumber our
premises with a large number of different - sized bee-
hives, of no use only as occasion called for wintering,
and occasionally for nuclei colonies in summer.
If we use division-boards, the question of making hives
to carry eight or ten frames is easily solved. It is an
advantage to have some hives which will carry ten
frames, as side-storing can then be practised if one like 3
that way, and in working for extracted honey it is an
advantage to use ten frames in the lower storey, as a
prolific queen will occupy that number and leave the
upper storey clear of brood. Then, if such hives are
desired to work for comb honey, and five to six frames
in the brood-chamber are found sufficient, the contrac-
tion is easily made by using division-boards, or the same
contraction made for wintering, and, if deemed necessary,
the spaces between the walls of the hives and division-
boards can be filled with some material which is non-
conducting to cold, as leaves, chaff, &c.
Use of Division-boards in Spring. — In rearing large
nnmbers of bees early in the season, queens are induced
to early breeding from two especial causes, viz., heat and
a supply of proper food. A requisite of spring care is to
reduce the size of the brood-nest to just as small compass
as the bees can comfortably fill. Having done this in
the fall previous, while the bees were more numerous,
crowding them upon six frames, we will say, April may
find the bees only able to cover two frames comfortably.
The division-board upon each side has been the means of
contracting their domicile, enabling the bees to more
easily warm up their house; and the consequence is, the
queen will commence laying earlier by some weeks than
if the whole space of eight or ten frames had been
given the colony in the fall.
Often winter and spring dwindling will be such that
two frames will bj adequate to the requirements of the
colony. It is, then, of the highest importance that
the division-boards be used so that the heat may be
utilised, and by that means a few bees be enabled to do
in small contracted quarters, in the way of rearing
brood, what double the number could not do in three or
four times the space.
Division-boards in Surplus Chambers. — In case of ex-
tracting, division-boards are indispensable to place over
the brood-chamber and grade the number of frames as
they are put in from time to time. It is a fact known
by all practical bee-keepers, that bees, in order to build
combs, must keep a high temperature where they are
working, to keep the wax in a proper consistency to
admit of being manipulated into combs. Hence, if the
surplus room is much larger than the bees can occupy,
because these conditions of necessary heat are waiting,
comb-building will often be delayed for the necessary
amount of bees to engender sufficient heat. By the use
of division-boards, combs or sheets of foundation can be
supplied as the bees require them, and are able to occupy
them.
Construction of Division-boards. — How to properly
construct division-boards is of some importance. Solid
boards answer very well, but such are liable to warp and
make their use not quite so handy as those that are true.
Those made of thin material and the interior filled with
chaff, have advantages. Whatever kind are used, it is
of importance that the ends have some material of a
yielding nature tacked to them, so as to allow this board
slight friction to hold it when crowded into place. —
L. F. Abbott, Lewiston, Maine. (Read at the Maine
Convention.) — American Bee Journal.
WHAT BECOMES OF THE BART LEFT IN THE
FLESH ?
[1775.] I am requested by a subscriber to explain
how the bee-sting is removed from one's skin when
broken off in the act of stinging. He suggests that, if it
does not work out, it must be absorbed by the system ;
in which case be thinks that some bee-keepers must be
largely composed of stings.
The skin consists of two layers — the outer scarf skin,
or cuticle, also called epidermis, and the inner true skin,
or corium, also called cutis vera. The outer skin is made
up of what is known as scaly, or pavement epithelium ;
that is, it consists of innumerable minute overlapping
scales. The inuer scales contain pigment in their sub-
stance, and thus the colour of skin. The albino has no
pigment, and hence his skin is transparent, and looks
pinkish, as we look right through and see minute blood-
vessels filled with blood. The inner skin consists of an
outer part, which, like the cuticle, has no nerves, and so
is not sensitive to pain or touch. This is made up of
white fibrous tissue and small involuntary muscles that
contract if the skin is chilled, and drawing the skin away
from about the hairs forms the well-known 'goose
flesh.' Beneath this layer, which is known as the reti-
culum, because of its intercrossing fibres, is the papillary
layer. This is the very inner part of the skin. It takes
its name from the fact that little teat-like processes —
papillae — push up against the outer part of the skin.
The ridges seen on the inside of our hands are but the
elevations of these papilla:. Into these papiike from
beneath come nerves and blood-vessels. Thus from here
comes all nourishment to the outer skin ; and here is the
sensitive part of the skin. Thus, a bee to hurt us must
push its sting through the cuticle and reticulated part of
the corium till it pierces the papilla;, where the blood
receives the poison, and the nerves twinge with its
venom.
Now, as we understand the anatomy of the skin we
can see bow the sting, if broken off in the skin, is
loosened and liberated. The scaly, or outer skin, is con-
stantly being worn off. When we bathe, the water
often is clouded with these minute scales. The snake
sheds its scales once a-year ; but we are doing it all the
time. As these scales are constantly wearing off, any
minute portion of .sting which is held in them is also
worn off and separated from the body. Even if a small
portion of a sting is caught by the reticulum, tho part
would probably suppurate and loosen the sting, as is
done with slivers that enter and are caught and held in
the skin. We thus see that a bee-keeper is not made up
of stings, by any means.
In case of porcupine quills, which are barbed like a
bee's sting, they are thrust through into the muscle, so
that every move of the muscle pushes them ; and as they
cannot go back, they are pushed on. Thus a porcupine
quill may pass some distance through the unlucky animal
which has caught them in its tissues. — FrtOF. A. J.
Cook, Agricultural College. Mich. (Gleanings in Bee
Culture),
August 30, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
427
ROBBING.
When once Started it is very Difficult to
Control.
[177G.] When the honey-flow is over, and there is
very little to be gathered, there is danger of one colony
of bees robbing another. If, in an unguarded moment,
a pilfering robber is allowed to enter a hive and escape
with a load to its own hive, the bees there will be quick
to detect it, and the robber will go back with a dozen
excited bees determined to have some of that honey or
die, and if the entrance is not strongly guarded they will
be apt to get it.
Then a still larger crowd comes next time ; the excite-
ment runs high ; battle ensues, and the bees of other
hives are drawn into the fuss, and the long and short of
it is, they make a ' run ' oil the unfortunate colony and
clean it up in a few minutes. Like a liou that has tasted
blood, their fury is aroused, and they are ready for
other victims, and woe unto the colony that i> unable to
withstand the first assault.
To guard against such disastrous proceedings, we
must be particular in opening hives during a dearth of
honey-flow, and not let robbing commence. We must
see that there are no cracks whereby a prowling robber-
bee may sneak iu to get the coveted treasure. Then
keep the entrance contracted to correspond with the
strength of the colony, so that they miy be able to
guard it. The man that has one real good case of
wholesale robbing on his hands will never forget it, and
for the time being at least he will wish he never saw a
bee. — J. M. Jenkins, Metumpka, Ala. (American Bee
Journal).
THE SEASON.
[1777.] The long winter of '87r'88, with its ac-
companying east wind that continued far into the
spring (?), militated severely against the progress of
our colonies. Nevertheless, swarming began on May
19th, when three strong lots were hived, and on the
24th three more came forth, and were duly housed, and
after that swarms and casts came in irregular order far
into July, the last issuing on the Oth of the present
month. All our casts were hived among three, four,
or five combs, tilled (?) with syrup, with one frame
of foundation, for the amusement of the bees prior
to the young queen assuming matronly duty. Never-
theless, two lots went wrong at the beginning of
July, deserting their hives and leaving small patches
of sealed brood. In June about 00 lbs. of honey
were extracted from two hives, and twelve sections
taken from another, and at that time it would have
been easy to have taken several hundredweight of ex-
tracted honey, but being busy, and not wanting it at the
time, it was left with the bees, and when it was wanted,
it was gone. During the summer, or rather the summer
months, we have melted '.ih cwts. of loaf-sugar into
syrup, nearly the whole of which the bees have con-
sumed, and it is highly probable that another 5 cwts.
will be required to lit the bees fur wintering, as we have
no autumn yield of honey in the neighbourhood. Our
bees got nothing from our crocuses or arabis in spring,
and nothing from the limes and white clover in summer.
They have been very busy on limnanthes, comfrey, and
blue veronica. These plants cannot be too highly spoken
of, the last two being perennial, and giving no trouble in
cultivation. Feeding in hope lias secured us plenty of
bees, combs, and brood, but honey is not to be tound iu
the apiary. — C. N. Abbott, Southall, August 2~>th.
SEASON IN LINCOLNSHIRE.
[1778.] Judging from those districts in Lincolnshire
which I have visited, and from reports which have reached
me, I fear the present season will have to be recorded as
one of the most disastrous both to bees and bee-keepers
that has been known. Early spring forage was all but
a blank, and where feeding was neglected, stocks were
at a standstill or losing ground, and since there have
only been catch days for what little nectar may have
been secured. At the present time stocks are sorely in
need of the syrup-bottle, and quite rare cases where I
have found supers occupied. With the skeppist swarms
have not been numerous, though plenty of bees. Clover
late, but has been abundant, unfortunately to little
purpose. Sun and warmth being absent, the limes,
usually of short duration, were alike of little help. All
is now over for this season, and where the bee-keeper's
harvest will be the question. — K. R. Godfrey.
P.S. — Not much honey to be had this year at Qd. per
pound, I guess.
SWARMING.
Do Bees Select a Habitation before Swarming?
[1770.] Although the above caption is destitute of
originality, the question is a much-mooted one, judging
from the correspondence, /wo and con, that has appeared
in the bee-periodicals during my acquaintance with the
subject. As I have been much interested in the diversity
of opinion by those who have given their testimony with
reference to bees ' seeking a home before swarming,' I
feel prompted to add my mite*to the general fund of ob-
servation and experience.
Eight years ago I had a powerful colony of black bees
in a box-hive. The colony had wintered excellently, and
as the season was favourable, by the middle of June they
began to 'bang out' in large masses, which the knowing
ones admonished me to be a sure indication that I might
expect a swarm from the colony at any time.
As I had but three colonies at that time, I watched
them closely for about three weeks. The morning of
July 8th, 1880, was cloudy with a heavy fog, and as I
could not work at haying, I took my axe and went to
repair some fence about a hundred rods from the apiary.
Being busy with the fence, the thought of bees had
deserted my mind, until Old Sol from a rent in the clouds
warned me of my forgetfulness. It may I"' truthfully
imagined that I took a bee-line for the apiary, double-
quick and— more.
On my arrival, I found my long-looked-for swarm
clinging to the under-side of a large limb, on an old-
fashioned apple-tree. The cluster was about two feet
long, and must have contained at least ten quarts of
bees — a black, seething mass, presenting to a novice of
my experience a serious job of hiving, with the ex-
perience of the hiving of but one swarm to ' fall back on.'
After ' fixing up ' as per instructions, viz. : — Pants
tucked into my boot-legs, thick coat on and buttoned up,
thick woollen mittens on my hands and a couple of yards
of musquito-netting enveloping my head, I tackled the
swarm with brush and basket. A couple of swoops with
the brush landed about two-thirds of the bees in the
basket ; the remainder went back to their hive.
After emptying my captives on a shirt in front of the
hire that I had prepared for them, and getting them
started iu, I went into the house to ' unharness,' and
cool off. In a short time I returned to the yard, to note
the success of my efforts; and while I stood compla-
cently observing laggards disappear as they entered the
hive — presto! out they all came with a rush, some
returning to the old hive, while the rest, after circling
in the air awhile, clustered on a high limb.
I took them down on the limb and put them into the
hive again ; but they would not stay. On coming out,
they circled around a few minutes, as if to marshal their
forces, and took a bee-line for the woods, some ten rods
distant. After following the rovers twenty rods or
more, and marking their course, I concluded to give up
the pursuit and postpone the concluding act of the
drama to a more favourable opportunity, deciding that
428
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
[August 30, 1888.
the weather was extremely hot, and that two quarts of
bees were not worth further effort.
On the third day after leaving' the. swarms, I took the
line where I left it, and after following- the directions a
short distance, I found my absconders passing in and
out of a knot-hole in the trunk of a decaying hemlock,
twenty-five feet from the ground, not more than forty
rods from the apiary.
Ou reviewing the course afterwards, I was satisfied
that the swarm went in a direct line from where they
were clustered when I attempted to hive them, to the
tree in which I found them, impressing me very strongly
in the belief that they had selected a home in that same
tree prior to leaving the maternal domicile. Had I kept
the swarm in view, from the time they left the bee-yard
until they reached their abiding-place, the proof of pre-
emption— a 'fore-thought ' — would have been very con-
clusive.— J. F. Latham, Cumberland, Maine {American
Bee Journal).
BEE-KEEPING.
That keeping bees should pleasure bring,
May little wonder cause,
For honey is the sweetest thing
Produced by Nature's laws.
And Nature's products far outmatch
A chemist's highest art;
The bees the inspiration catch,
And each fulfils its part.
Without a ruler, yet all rule,
With one design possessed
Each does its duty to the full,
And works as seemeth best. Dunbah.
dBtbaes from tbc $jibcs.
Fairspeir Hawse, Aecott, Oxford, August 24fh. — The
honey season here is completely over. My six stocks
have yielded just thirty-four sections, which was
collected during the first few days of June. On looking
into the hives a short time ago, I found the two heaviest,
or rather strongest, had just one pound each only of winter
stores. I had eight swarms, but I turned them all back
except one, so I have now seven stocks for 1889. I have
just bought 140 pounds of sugar, and have begun to give
them twenty pounds each in tin square feeders. Strange
to say, my worst stock last year was my best this year.
Unless the cottagers feed them up, I imagine there
will be few bees in this district next season. I have
' weighted ' several stocks round here, and the heaviest
has only been sixteen pounds, hive included. I find that
a hive will take down twenty pounds of sugar boiled
into syrup in a week. The reason I was able to get any
sections tilled at all in a season like this was owing to
my having them full of comb left over from last year ;
there was, therefore, nothing to do but to fill them and
seal up. — J.
Wareham, August 24th. — I have taken twenty sections
fairly well filled from one of my hives, which is very
strong, and, I believe, has not swarmed at all this year,
but my other hives have given me nothing except two
swarms from one of them. That hive has, however, still
a few sections in a frame at the back, and I hope I may
get three or four of them filled. — A Novice.
Weston, Leamington, August 27th. — Feeing there did
not appear much chance for honey, on Hank holiday I
took off hundreds of 1-lb. sections, — not full though, but
so empty that there were none worth trying to get any
honey from, so I just took them fifty yards away under
n. tree, and left the bees to leave them of their own
accord, and take away whatever they could, which was
very small indeed. Now the chief thing to do is to get
them in order for winter ; I have laid in heavily of pure
cane granulated sugar, and have commenced feeding
up — no little job for fifty or sixty stocks. When it
is nice and warm, bees are on the alert, everywhere
looking out for anything sweet. I have had no sections
filled at all, and have only taken about forty pounds of
extracted. It appears the Canadians and Americans are
about as bad off for honey as we are. Misery loves
company. — John Walton.
llgthe, Southampton, Aug. 27th. -This has been a
wretched season so far here as elsewhere. My bees are
still working the blackberry blossom, and also, I doubt
not, the heather, of which there is plenty within a couple
of miles ; but I fear I shall not find much increase now
to the contents of my section-boxes. — G. S. Coxwell.
Cumberland. — Our Wigton correspondent sends us the
following : — ' From personal inquiries made from bee-
keepers in Wigton district we find that the yield of
honey is not half of what it was last year; in fact, in
some instances, the yield is not one-fourth. Mr. John
Hall, who has by far the largest apiary in the neigh-
bourhood, secured over 1000 lbs. last season, and this
year he has only got 160 lbs. ; and though he has not
held quite so many stocks this season, the decrease has
been fully what is indicated above. Other bee-keepers
report about the same average diminution. This is
attributed to the cold east winds and wet weather
which have prevailed during the spring and early
summer, wheu the bees make most honey. It was all
the more tantalising to see the abundance of white
clover in this district which the bees are said to utilise
to a great extent, the cold wet preventing the bees from
leaving their hives, and when they did venture out they
succumbed to the inclemency of the weather before they
could return. For a few seasons two or three bee-
keepers have moved stocks to the neighbourhood of
Wedholme Flow, where there is abundance of heather,
but this year one of them assured us that he did not
think it worth the trouble, as the bees made very little
heather honey in the best of seasons. This appears
rather strange, as it is well known that in the mountain
districts bees have filled their sleeps and hives in two or
three weeks when the weather lias been favourable.
Wedholme Flow is of a marshy nature, and whether this
makes the difference is a question that will have to be
settled by the observations of others interested. It-
appears to be of the same variety of heather that we see
on the Cumberland fells, and is a beautiful sight when
in full bloom or approaching it as at present. Perhaps
some of our correspondents and bee-keepers could afford
enlightenment on the point. — West Cumber/and Times.
[The above opens up an interesting question on which
we shall be glad to have the opinions of our readers.
May it not be that in low situations early frosts, or, at
any rate, low night temperatures, may curtail the
secretion of honey ? Again, the breezy hill-side gains
vigour much earlier in the day than the marsh. — Ed.]
Over Stowey. — In ' Echoes' for 16th August I see a
notice of a swarm on 3rd August. Last year I had a
swarm on the 14th of August; it did well, and was
amongst my strongest stocks last spring. — It. \V.
Berlin House, Donegal, August 25th. — Not having
sent you an Echo from my Apiary this year before, I
trust it will not lie out of place to do so now, when the
honey season is nearly over, except with the heather.
There is no doubt it has been a bad season, but I am
happy to state I am a great deal better off for honey
than some accounts I see from different apiaries in other
places. The weather here has been very changeable
throughout the whole honey seas two or three days
line, i hen three or fowr days wet, cold, and stormy, just
August 30, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
429
as bees were beginning to work well; but the only day
that there was a smell of honey about my apiary was
on 20th July, and only lasted the one day, but it has
been pretty favourable since then up to date, with
occasional heavy rain and blowing. I have extracted up
to 400 pounds so far. I have six hives with top storeys
on, that is, with eight frames (Langstroth size) above
and eight below. I selected two of the strongest, that
is with 1 1 j • - whole sixteen frames covered with bees, and
in the last week of July I extracted about .".0 pounds of
honey from them, and in doing so took the queens away,
and allowed them to raise young ones. I extracted on
the 15th inst. 47 pounds, and on the 22nd inst. 1 again
extracted 52 pounds, and all sealed and from the lop
storey; the young queens had just commenced to lay.
It is an astonishing fact, that each of those hives stored
up to five pounds of honey a-day, for the 10th was
showery and blowing hard, ami they did not work much.
I have twelve hives up at the heather and hope to gel
about 200 sections, that is, if the weather keeps fine.
1 have thirty hives altogether, and I shall be nearly
half-a-ton of hone}' short of what I should have had
if it had been as good a season as last year ; but I
must be thankful for what I have taken. — Gkoiige
TuBNJER.
iV. Searsmnnt, Waldo County, Maine, U.S.A. — It has
been a very poor season for bees here so far; unless
'Golden Rod' yields well we shall have to feed heavily. —
II. K. Miller.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
fatten or Queries asking for addresses of manufaci wrers or correal -
dents, or when appliances can be purchased, or rflplta giving, such
information, can only he inserted as advertisements. The space
devnted to letter*, queries, and replies, is meant far the ijeneral aand «>/'
bee-keepen, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondent*
to bear in mind that, ae [I is necessary for us to .]
HOOKER'S WINTER MANAGEMENT.
[1784.] May I venture to ask Mr. Hooker to be good
enough to supplement his remarks on winter manage-
in his Guide to /Successful Bee-keeping, by kindly
stating what his 'quilts ' are composed of, whether of
porous or impervious material, and, if composite, which
material is laid next the top of the frames? I observe
that in the Guide a dry hive and plenty of food are
considered essential ; but in the Bee Journal of last week,
in reply to a query, Mr. Hooker insists on the back of
the hive being raised that the water may run out of it.
I see also that the hive entrance is to be kept open six
inches wide all the winter, yet that it will be necessary
to clear such entrance from dead bees from time to tints
to prevent it becoming choked and the bees dying from
want of ventilation and excitement. These apparent
incongruities are doubtless easily explainable, but at
present I feel puzzled, because I cannot see how water
can run out of a dry hive, nor how, under a proper
system of management the choking of a hive entrance
six inches wide, with dead bees, can be possible. — A. B.,
Hounslow, Sept. 1st.
THE FOREIGN BEES AND THEIR
IMPORTATION.
[1785.] Since the first importation of Italian queens into
Austria, England, and America, bee-keepers have shown
much energy in their search for something still better.
Long voyages have been taken to various parts of Eu-
rope, Asia, and Africa, and the forests of Java and Ceylon,
the home of the Apis dorsata, have been visited in search
of this famous race. A few years after the importation
of Italians, it was learned in Europe that the bees of
the island of Cyprus were a superior yellow race, and
they were soon procured by European bee-keepers who
were loud in their praises. Several Americans procured
some of this stock from these hee-keepers, and in 1880,
when there was such an interest in them, and when
September 6, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
44i
news came of the good qualities of the Syrians, D. A.
Jones of Canada started out in search of the new
varieties, and returned with one hundred colonies of
Cyprian and Syrian bees.
Others have visited Cyprus, Syria, and Egypt, for
queens, and for a few years an American (Frank Benton)
has made this his business, and now has queen-rearing'
apiaries in Syria, Cyprus, and Carniola, from which he
supplies queens to bee-keepers in all parts of the world.
They are packed to take long voyages in safety at the
proper season.
We are now able, for a moderate sum, not only to
obtain queens from Italy, but Cyprians from the island
of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, Syrians from Northern
Syria, Palestines from the Holy Land, Egyptians from
Egypt, and Carniolans from the mountains of Carniola,
a small district in south-western Austria. Each race or
variety has certain qualities not found in the others,
and from this list the modern bee-keeper may select his
breeding stock, and combine whatever qualities he may
require in his location, or for any special branch of the
pursuit he may desire to follow.
For instance, one who runs his colonies entirely for ex-
tracted honey, to do the best needs different stock from
one who makes a speciality of choice comb honey only ;
while one who makes a business of rearing queens for
sale, finds certain varieties far superior for this work.
Others who do not work for honey but simply for in-
crease, may do best with still another strain ; and again,
the one who combines these branches wants the best all-
purpose bee.
Certain varieties do the best in the South ; others are
most desirable in the North. In some locations, very
early and heavy honey-flows are the main reliance, in
others, the fall crop furnishes the only surplus ; while in
another place a moderate flow extends through the whole
season. Therefore, each locality must be studied, not
only to learn the special management required, but the
race or strain of bees most adapted to it. My own bees,
in four different locations, require different management
in each apiary. A few miles may make a great dif-
ference. When there is a failure of the crop in one
apiary, another differently situated may have a full
yield. — Samuel Cushman (American Agriculturist).
STANDARD FRAMES.— HONEY YET.
[1786.] I think it has been overlooked, that the
British standard frame is 8A inches outside measurement,
f inch of this is taken up by the top-bar ; therefore. if
the hive side is only 8^ inches (the height given in
Modern Bee-keepinff), there is a space of £ inch between
frames and floorboard, the frame only banging down
8^ inch. This morning, armed with confidence from the
fact mentioned in the B. B. J., that bees cannot sting a
person holding his breath, I went for the first time with-
out gloves, and was not stung ; but I did not feel in-
clined to nip a bee to try. I looked through one hive
twice to find a Carniolan queen from Simmins', inserted
on Tuesdav night, but could not, though I saw a few
grubs looking only two days old. To this hive I gave a
feeder of syrup over perforated zinc, placing it by means
of a piece of tin pulled away when the feeder is in place.
This made a little mess, so I thought at the next hive to
try without the tin shovel ; placing the perforated zinc
over feeder, I turned it all over, when, lo ! before it was
in position, the whole of the contents, with the exception
of a little in the neck, had emptied themselves into the
hive. ' There, I've done it,' I thought. ' How am I to
prevent the others from robbing ? then I shan't be able
to extract their honey.' As I closed the hive I saw the
syrup running out of the entrance, but bees from other
hives seemed to take no notice. Then to Nos. 3 and 4,
when, lo and behold ! after these cold, wet, and sunless
days, I discovered they had both begun to stow honey in
a box of half frames above the brood-nest. This in spite
of my not having fed an ounce of syrup during the honey
season— nay, this whole year, Mr. Editor. Nevertheless I
am much obliged for your explanation of feeding during
honey-harvest, but it would never do, as reputation
would be gone at once did the skeppists discover that by
the new system they feed their bees in midsummer.
This discovered, I put on twelve sections and began to
repent me that I had commenced feeding the others just
too soon. You will hear if I get the sections tilled. —
F. G. Buzz, near Hull.
RAPIDITY OF BEES IN GATHERING
HONEY.
T1787.] In your issue of August 2.'lrd (letter 17GC)
' East Glamorgan,' alias ' Welsh Novice,' endeavoured to
cast doubts upon the statement of Mr. Sims of Navigation
respecting the amount of honey gathered by one of his
hives. Neither 'East Glamorgan' nor Mr. Sims is
known personally to me, but I would point out that
Mr. Sims is a very well-known and reliable keeper of
minor live slock, and as such is more likely to be correct
than 'E. G.,' who, by not giving his real name to his
fellow bee-keepers, prevents "them from forming a proper
value of his writings.
As a proof that what Mr. Sims states is possible, I
have written you the following: A large bee-keeper in
this district, during a short but excellent honey-flow
some years ago, obtained 40 lbs. from one hive in rather
less than three days. Now ' E. G.' admits Mr. Sims'
bees had six days of fine weather; and if the blackberry
was in flower, I see no reason to question that a strong
hive in first-class order, having very little young brood,
might gather 58 lbs. in six days. As an instance of how
short a distance makes a difference, I may mention that
at the end of July, when my hives had not a pound of
honey per hive, I "removed a dozen very fair sections from
a hive kept by mv brother within four miles of my apiary,
and a dozen" frames were half filled in addition with
sealed honey-. From what I hear I expect we shall all
find Mr. Sims a powerful competitor when he meets us
at the honey shows.— Edward J. Gidbins, Neath,
Glamorgan, August 23rd.
VENTILATION.
While Such is Necessary, it Must Not be Much.
[1788.] A great deal has been said about bees win-
tering without upward ventilation, and quite a number
of bee-keepers claim that they winter better without any
upward ventilation, saying: Bees in their natural state
in the trees of the forest — have no ventilation and
winter well, and seem to do much better than those
having the best of ventilation. We have found many
wild swarms in the last thirty years in many kinds of
trees, and in nearly every instance we found, either above
or on the si. Irs of the -warm, rotten wood which the
perspiration from the bees could pass into, acting the
same as upward ventilation. Some parties claim that
they winter bees safelv without upward ventilation, and
that it is the proper w'av. If they will invert theil hives
and pour water into them, it will run out, therefore they
are not air-tight, for where water will run through air
will escape.
It is true, if bees are kept in a perfectly dry place and
at a temperature of from 45° to 50°, they require much
less ventilation than they would if kept m a damp, cold
place. If bees are kept where it is continually freezing,
and there is no place in the hive for the escapement, of
the perspiration that passes from the bees, it will com-
mence to freeze on the outside of the hive ; and if it
continues cold you will find vour bees dead, and ice
formed all around the cluster of bees. Had there been
442
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 6, 1888.
a small opening at the top, or near the top of the hive,
for the air to escape, nothing of the kind would have
happened.
It only needs a very little upward ventilation for bees ;
a good many bee-keepers give altogether too much.
They need all the heat in the whiter and spring months
that can be obtained. Give only what will be necessary
to let the perspiration out, so that the hive will not be-
come damp on the inside. It is a good plan to leave the
bottom-board off, or raise it up on blocks one inch, when
wintering, especially in cellars; as the foul air always
settles, and if the hive is raised it gives a chance for it
to escape ; and if there is any dampness in the winter
depository it will prevent the combe from moulding.
The heat and circulation of the cluster of bees render
the combs dry for some distance around the cluster, but
there is not enough of this circulation of air, nor force
to drive it to all parts of the brood chamber, and a part
(often a very large part) of the comb that is damp with
moisture extends up at the sides of the cluster to the top
bees. This moisture gets into the honey and causes it to
sour ; and as the foul air is impure, gas rises on top of
the brood-chamber, making the bees uneasy and they
begui to move about, use the sour honey (which causes
the diarrhoea), and the destruction of the colony ensues.
We are safe in saying that a colony of bees never was
known to have the diarrhoea when the honey and combs
were kept perfectly dry.
Those that winter their bees without proper ventila-
tion are often heard to complain that their bees got rest-
less and uneasy from being too warm. My experience
has proven that it is not the warmth, but the fumes of
the sour honey arising below and accumulating in the
upper portions of the brood-chamber that makes them
uneasy, and the removal of the tight cover on top of the
hive at such a time will convince any person that proper
ventilation is necessary to the health of the colony. —
Wm. Ubib, Minneapolis, Minn. (Farm Stock and Home.)
BEES IN SKEP BUILDING COMBS PARALELL
TO ENTRANCE.
[1780.] It is a well-known fact that bees hived in
an ordinary skep without foundation being inserted,
will build comb at right angles to the ' key-hole,' but I
have come across an exception to this rule. I made and
sold a skep and crate to a ' skeppist,' and he put a swarm
in it in the beginning of June, giving the bees liberty to
go up into the sections in five days (he having discon-
tinued feeding after that time), and on making an ex-
amination some time afterwards, I found the combs in
skep were built parallel to the entrance.
It may be of interest to readers of the B.B.J, to know
how I made the hive and crate. It was thus: I cut the
top out of an ordinary skep, and inserted a circular
piece of |-in. board 10 in. in diameter, and bored five
holes in centre of it, each hole being J in. in diameter,
then nailed strips of wood § in. thick round the holes,
forming a square 6 x G in. to give bee-space between
skep and crate when placed on, the crate haviug a hole
in bottom 4 in. in diameter, covered with excluder zinc.
The entrance I cut in floor-board 3 in. wide, with tin
slides to contract it when necessary. I gave the skep
and crate three good coats of blue paint (the roof white,
of course), and there is a strong lot of bees in it with a
touch of foreign blood in them, and how they got it is a
mystery, as foreign bees are unknown here, in Lingfield,
Surrey. — Idiot.
BIRDS AND BEES.
|"1700.] I am surprised that any bee-keepers should
have doubted that martins as well as swallows and
sparrows are most destructive to bees. From my own
observation I should say there is not a pin to choose
between them, though sparrows are far the boldest. The
other day I saw an old cock sparrow catch five bees on
the wing in two minutes; he sat on the top of the hive
and pounced at them as they came home, but I have
never seen them eat drones. When the ground was
covered with the dead and dying the sparrows carefully
picked out live workers, while the swallow's and martins
(chiefly the former) scud after the bees as they come
home before a shower, and catch hundreds on the wing,
and when a swarm has turned out they will fly back-
wards and forwards through the cloud of bees. I have
seen this times out of number. — W. E. Burkitt,
Buttermere Rectory, Aug. 31, 1888.
P.S. — I have not seen a hive with 2 lbs. of honey in
this season, and some cottagers have lost all their swarms
from starvation.
SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1701.] I was very pleased to see your 'Selected
Query ' as to the relative merits of shallow and standard
frames for extracting. The more so that while using
the standard frames exclusively myself, I was wondering
whether the Bhallow would not be an improvement. I
noticed the foremost, reasons, to my thinking, in favour of
the shallow were not mentioned. Thefirst is, that in adopt-
ing the tiering system with standard frames, and when
putting an empty chamber under a nearly filled one, tie'
weight, sometimes 60 lbs., is more than I can well lift, and
I have to adopt other methods to attain the same results,
so the idea of using sets of shallow frames at about half
the weight is certainly attractive. Next, I should think
thinner foundation could be used with safety in shallow
frames: and, lastly, would they not lie less liable to be
bred in? I mean that the frames being shallow, there is
the greater chance of their being filled with either brood
or honey than the standard size, which so often are half
tilled with both. Mr. Abbott has so much experience,
and expresses his opinion in such a decided manner,
that I hardly like to differ from him, but I most
certainly prefer the ten-frame storifying hive to any
lung combination hive, and am discarding the latter
kind in my apiary.
The question as to whether frames parallel or at,
right angles to the entrance are the better, seems to be
quite a matter of taste, but to obtain the same result
tin' hives want a slightly different treatment. Thus, all
other things being equal, the stocks on the parallel
system build up more rapidly in spring, owing to the
extra warmth, but seem to me to be more iiable to
cluster outside during Summer. But if we give the
li glit -anglers a smaller entrance, and perhaps a little
more covering, one is quite as good as the other for
spring use, and the extra ventilation of the right-angle
system an advantage in summer. At least such is the
experience of — Honeysuckle.
STINGING.
A DREAM ABOUT ' HOLDING THE BREATH ' TO
PREVENT STINGS.
[1702.] I had a dream. You know it has been asserted
as a scientific fact that a bee-sting cannot penetrate a
man's cuticle while he holds his breath. I have a pro-
found respect for science. When science says a thing is
so it's got to be so. Science used to say the world was
flat, and that the sun made its daily circuit around it.
Of course it was flat then. Even Galileo openly recanted
the spherical heresy. But now the world is round be-
cause science sa3Ts so. When science says ' thumbs up,'
thumbs must go up. People never suspect science of
joking. When it said several years ago that 'In com-
mercial honey, which is entirely free from bee-mediation,
the comb is made of paraffine and filled with pure glucose
by appropriate machinery,' they believed it, and all the
September 6, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
443
bee-keepers in Christendom have failed to convince them
that it is not a fact. But to my dream.
My mind had been exercised over that scientific dis-
covery, or the revelation of it, rather. I wanted to test
it. I had no doubt it was scientifically true, but you
know the spirit of inquiry that pervades the mind of young
America. For a man to be an agnostic in religious mat-
ters is considered smart in some circles, but to be a know-
nothing in science is to lose caste.
This is a practical age, too, and the Yankee wants to
demonstrate every theory he hears of. The only reason
be does not is because life is too short to devote to
scientific investigation and money-making too.
It was a hot day at the close of the basswood harvest.
But little honey was coming in. Swarming was appa-
rently over. Bees were cross. I bad lain down in the
hammock for a short rest after dinner. I could hear
the sweet hum from forty colonies as the happy young
bees sported in front of their hives. I lay there enjoying
the music when I saw an after-swarm rushing with new-
born zeal from one of my hybrid colonies. The frisky
young queen soared high. After an unusually long frolic
in the air they alighted in a jack oak-tree fully twenty-
five feet from the ground.
As luck would have it, the swarming-pole was broken,
and the boys bad gone to the hay field. The great
twenty-foot ladder was brought into requisition. As I
could reach about eight feet myself, it looked easy enough
to secure them without any assistance. 1 leaned it
against a dead limb, and it did not lack more than five
feet of reaching to where the bees hung. With saw in
one hand I ascended. Beaching next to the top round I
could reach the limb on which the bees were clustered.
1 proceeded to hold the limb with one hand and to saw it
off with the other. Just as it was severed, the added
weight of the limb and bees with my own, broke the
dead limb. The ladder dropped back two or three feet
with a sudden jerk, shaking about half the bees off on
my head, neck, and hands.
Didn't I have a veil on ? Not much. I am no green-
horn in this business. Besides, I was determined to de-
monstrate a great truth in science. I had the oppor-
tunity. They were not amiable. They were bent on
mischief. With a wonderful unanimity of purpose, and
surprising concert of action, they unsheathed their
swords and proceeded to business. Of course I held my
breath. I had been holding it for the major part of a
minute in anticipation of just such a contingency. I
filled my skin so full of resistance there wasn't any room
for even the point of a javelin.
About a thousand bees, more or less, were humping
themselves to get in the first ' lick ' at me. It sounded
like frying fresh fish in salted butter. I held the fort,
i.e., I held my breath. I thought they would get tired
of resisting the inevitable laws of science, but they 'held
the fort ' too.
In my zeal to demonstrate a scientific truth, I forgot
to descend the ladder until I was as red in the face as a
boiled lobster. I then, for the first time, realised the
fact that I could not hold my breath more than several
minutes, even to accommodate science. I must have
some oxygen anyhow, or my lungs would collapse like a
pancake with too little soda in. I was not organized
like a fish, that is sure (unless it was a whale), for I
wanted to blow.
I was all the time standing on next to the top round
of the ladder, holding on nervously by one band to a
small limb, and a severed limb and a part of the bees in
the other. The rest were clutching my naked flesh with
their claws, their backs elevated like a cat on the back
fence at a feline concert. No matter, breathe I must.
Just then the faithful dog appeared on the scene,
under the tree, as interested as if I was capturing a 'coon
for his especial delectation. Although I was the centre
of attraction, enough scouts paid respects to him to give
him a warm reception. After rolling over several times,
he started for the house in haste. You see he had not
been educated to hold his breath. In going be ran
against the foot of the ladder, and down it came, and
'me too.' When I struck the ground, I awoke. It was
only a dream. A couple of robber bees were angrily
buzzing around my head. — Eugene Secor, Forest City,
Iowa (American Bee Journal).
BACILLUS OUR BANE.
0 bogie-like baleful Bacillus,
Untouched by our potions and pills,
You enter to conquer and kill us,
The taint that brings terrible ills.
You lurk in the air and the water,
The presage of peril and pain,
You stride on serene to our slaughter,
Bacillus our bane!
You must have existed for ages,
But ne'er in the past you appear
In mystical medical pages —
When suddenly, lo! you are here.
Though climates be arctic or tropic,
You come with disease in your train:
Seen surely on slide microscopic,
Bacillus our bane!
' De minimis non curat lex' is
A motto we've all heard before;
The tiny Bacdlus that vexes
No medical man can ignore.
The smallest of things in creation
An eminence high may attain;
You pull down the head of a nation,
Bacillus our bane !
Though some folks deny your existence,
Though tierce physiologists fight,
With painful, unpleasing persistence,
Professors bring new ones to light.
Each boasts of the one he detected,
Its beauties will gladly explain;
Is our admiration expected,
Bacillus our baneP
While knowledge is power, recognition
Of such horrid atoms as these,
Each like a malific magician,
Can scarce be expected to pleas.-.
Although we've endeavoured to quiz it,
It smiles vibrionic disdain;
But don't bother us with a visit,
Bacillus our bane !
■ — Punch.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keeperst and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered hi this column.
F. J. — Sugar. — The sample of sugar enclosed is a very
good one. We should certainly use it. Thanks.
A. T. — Your letter has been forwarded to the compiler
of ' Useful Hints.'
* Eureka.' — Feeding. — Cease feeding, and give one comb
to the stock, placing it in the centre for the queen to
breed in if she choose. If the hive is crowded with
bees, you may venture to give two combs.
444
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 6, 1888.
W. F. C. — Heather. — We should consider ourselves
fortunate if we had an abundance of the plant you
enclose growing in the neighbourhood of our apiary.
East Dulwich. — Salicylic Acid. — We should say your
salicylic acid mixture is still serviceable if the bottle
has been kept securely corked.
W. M. B. — Syrup Making. — Make up 14 lbs. of sugar
with 7 pints of water for a start, you will probably
require more if the queen breeds rapidly. Granulated
sugar is preferable to ' good lump at 2d. per lb.'
Mrs. O'B. — Honey. — You will get a fair price for your
honey by applying to Messrs. Abbott, Merchants'
Quay, Dublin.
Nucleus. — Nucleus Hives. — Nucleus, singular ; nuclei,
plural. The literal meaning of nucleus is the kernel
of a nut; but in ordinary usage the central part of any
body about which matter may be collected. In api-
arian language a nucleus is a colony of bees on a small
scale, which may be strengthened and built up into
a stock. Nucleus hives are generally used to enable
the bees placed in them to hatch out queens from cells
which have been raised in strong colonies. A nucleus
may be formed by removing two or three combs from
a populous stock, one of which should contain honey
and pollen, and the others brood. These may be
placed in an ordinary hive, and enclosed by division-
boards, so as to conserve the heat. For further inform-
ation consult Cowan's Guide Book, page \2'i.
R, J. T. Peeks. — To Phenolate Syrup.
No. 1. Pure phenol in crystals .... 12 oz.
Water , 3 oz.
Shake till dissolved.
No. 2. Solution No. 1 1 oz.
Water 16 oz.
Shake till oily appearance is entirely gone.
No. 3. Solution No. 2 1 oz.
Sugar syrup 1G oz.
It. H. — Suspected Comb. — Foul brood decidedly ■
S. Booth. — Floor-boards. — Entrances through the floor-
board have not been extensively tried, but it would
appear advantageous in cases of robbing, it also pro-
vides a sheltered dry alighting place in all weathers
and an easier descent for any dead bees and debris
from the hive. We have not tried this style -ulli-
ciently to detail the disadvantages fairly.
S. W. K.— Plants.— Nos. 1 and 2 are heaths and
generally considered of slight honey value. No. •'! is
the real heather and certainly should, other tilings
being equal, give a good honey-yield. Do you keep
your sections warmly covered up ? If not the bees
will not keep up in them during heather time with
cold nights frequent.
A. B. Tyro. — Old Honey. — Judging by the specimen
sent we should say destroy it. It is not good. The
yellow substance is pollen which is essential. We
should recommend you to prut new foundation in the
frames for the bees you intend removing from the
box hive.
business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn,
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Caruiola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins' Bee Company, Limtd., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTIC E.
The^ British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Go., 23 Paternoster
Row, "and may be obtained of alt local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREC, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WHEN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
Communication* to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbangeways' Peintino Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 325. Vol. XVI.]
SEPTEMBER 13, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
$bxtaxmlt goitas, #r.
KAPID FEEDING— HOW TO MAKE A FAST
FEEDER.
In our article of the issue of the 30th ult. we fully
stated the description and quality of sugar required
for feeding up our bees for the coming winter. In most
cases sugar syrup will be the only stores the bees will
have to consume during this period, as natural (honey)
stores will be found to be non-existent. Since penning
the article in question we have further strengthened our
opinion as to the starving condition of stocks in England.
So numerous are the cases of starving colonies, even at
this exceptionally early date, that we are obliged to confess
being of opinion that the quantity of honey produced
next year will fall short of the average supply on account
of the great loss of colonies that will assuredly take
place during next winter.
Although our efforts to prevent as much as possible
this disastrous condition of things will be appreciated,
and also recognised, by a portion of the bee-keeping
public, all will not benefit by our advice, though the
majority of modern bee-keepers will, as our Journal and
its satellite the Bee-keeper's Adviser are read by most of
the frame-hive bee-keepers in the British Isles ; and
where our advice is fully acted upon, their colonies will
certainly he saved from a premature death. A rough
rapid-feeder was sketched in the same article, but many
bee-keepers would be ill satisfied with so rough and
primitive a method; therefore wo will give a description
of ' How to make a Rapid-feeder,' — an article within
the skill of most, if not all, bee-keepers. The feeder de-
scribed we find answers so admirably that it seems to
leave nothing to be desired as a rapid-feeder. In the
following description the size, or rather capacity, can be
altered according to the desires of the maker, but upon
no consideration ought it to be of less capacity, as it
would then require a greater amount of attention than
is advisable at the present season. We must always
bear in mind that the less syrup is exposed in the apiary
the better will our colonies behave.
Having procured two four cut (f inch) pine boards,
as free irom knots as possible, one five cut (half-inch),
and another of just under one-eighth inch in thickness —
this latter will he cut specially by any respectable timber
merchant (some, but very few, keep them already in
stock), one of the four cut hoards is cut into three strips
of full .'is inches width, thus making them, when planed,
just 3£ inches wide. Two of these strips are cut into
lengths of !>£ inches and 5| inches respectively, the third
strip, being planed a quarter of an inch narrower, is cut
into lengths of 8| inches. The pieces measuring 3± x of
inches are the ends of what, when nailed together
with those measuring Oi x 3J, will form a box, minus
top and bottom. These short pieces are marked with
pencil lines — in the event of the maker not having a cir-
cular saw— across their width, thus, at an inch full from
each end and every half inch between these lines. Now
with a handsaw make a saw-curf of about an eighth of
an inch deep along each line, except the two outermost
ones. Having cleaned out these saw-curfs from the burr,
caused by using so coarse a saw as a hand-saw, two of
these are nailed to two of the longer pieces, measuring 3f
inches in width, and so formed into a bottomless box.
Now take two of the pieces, 8| x 3^, and place them
with their outside edges flush along the outermost pencil
line on inside ends of box, and nail them securely in this
position. You now have a box with three divisions
lengthways, the two outside divisions being just under
half an inch, and the centre one full 3i inches wide.
Then take one of the five cut hoards and cut it down to
7 inches in width and then into lengths of 9i inches.
These pieces are for the bottom, and are to be nailed in
this position on to the pieces already nailed together.
Having thus formed a box, two slots must be cut
along the bottom corresponding with the two narrow
divisions at each side of box ; this can be done with a
sharp penknife, or better with a cutting guage : the
bottom is then securely nailed along the bottom of the
two partitions. We now have a box having double
sides, but with a bottom only covering the inner division.
Now take some ^-inch strips of wood J-inch thick, and
nail these on the bottom around the outside edge ; this
forms a bee-space under the box when placed in position
for feeding. Then take the thin board and cut it into
strips 3J inches wide, and then into lengths of 8| inches
full. The ends of these pieces are thinned down with a
chisel, and slid into the saw-curfs already described in
ends of box, so forming seven divisions lengthways, each
rather under i-inch. Before placing in these thin wood
partitions each of their bottom edges has four or five
notches cut in it. The remaining five cut board is
then cut down to 7 inches wide, and then into lengths
to form lids ; the remaining portion of board (4 inches)
can be used as sides to other feeders. The lids must
then have two 1-inch centre-bit holes bored at each end,
exactly in the centre. Having done this, two cones of
coarsely perforated zinc are made, and placed in each of
these holes, being tacked in securely at their inner edges
to sides of holes and flush with same. Screw to lid two
circular tin covers, which are made to shift over the
mouths of these two cones. The lid is then placed upon
the box, when it will be found that the points of these
cones pass between the thin partitions in centre of box
and close against the ends of this division, thus effec-
tually preventing any lateral or longitudinal movement
of the lid when once' placed in position. You now have
440
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
a fast-feeder from which a thousand bees can, if they
choose, load up at the same time, with plenty of warm
space to pass and repass each other in when carrying the
syrup to be stored below in their combs. The method of
arranging the feeder upon the hive is as follows : —
Having removed quilts the feeder is placed upon the
frames, the space around the feeder and edge of hive on
tops of frames being covered with the quilts folded to
accommodate them to the altered shape required. A
coarse covering, such a Spratt's dog-biscuit bag — these
make excellent, over-quilts when washed and folded — is
provided for tucking down snugly over and around
feeder.
Having everything ready, the two tin covers to cones
are slid on one side, and warm syrup is poured into one
of them — you thus see they form funnels to feeder.
While pouring in syrup the second cone can be watched,
and when the syrup commences to rise in this cone the
feeder is full. The tin covers are then slid back again
over the cone mouths, the feeder wrapped up, and all is
finished for twenty-four hours' feeding. These feeders
will hold from five to six pounds of syrup. In the case
of a weak colony — which, without strengthening, ought
not to be wintered — these feeders do not answer as well
as a bottle-feeder, as the amount of heat from the hive is
scarcely sufficient to keep a nice temperature in the
feeder; but with a tine colony the warmth from the
cluster keeps the syrup al quite a nice, cosy temperature :
this is especially the case when tile syrup is given
warm. At the first feeding, at least, the syrup should
be given at a temperature of blood-heat — that is, if the
finger is immersed in the syrup it feels a comfortable
warmth — and a small quantity of the syrup should be
run down the two outer divisions, allowing it to trickle
down the inner side of partitions; this entices the bees
to the feeder, and also sets up an excitement in the hive,
which materially raises the temperature. Towards
evening, at the present season, the bees are very — as we
often hear bee-keepers express it — ' dummyfied.' While
in this condition they seldom move about the hive, and,
without giving the syrup warm and allowing a ' trail ' of
it to lead them to the supply, would in some cases fail to
f 1: this is the ration d'etre of feeding with warm
syrup.
With a strong colony supplied with warm syrup, the
excitement of the 'trail' causes such a rise in the
temperature that, with the assistance of the heat con-
tained in the syrup, an even temperature, equal to the
internal heat of the hive, is maintained throughout the
night and the following day ; but in order to further
economise the heat, the feeder and tops of frames must
be covered up very snugly with some warm material
that is sufficiently pliable to tuck into all the inequalities
occasioned by placing so large an appliance as a fast
feeder upon the frames. There is another very great
advantage in keeping up such — shall we call it — artificial
heat in the hive ; it is the assistance thus given to the
bees enabling them to evaporate and seal over tho supply
of stores given them. The present month being so cold,
without such a temperature they will frequently be un-
able to manipulate the wax so as to form cell-mappings.
If the stores are not sealed over dysentery will appear, and
weaken, if not entirely destroy, the colony. It has been
frequently recommended to extract, before packing the
bees for winter, all unsealed stores; this advice is good,
but it is an enormous amount of unnecessary work, and
with a largo apiary almost an impossibility. To obviate
this, early (September) feeding is res irted to, that befoie
th) advent of wintir all unsealed syrup may be con-
sumed; a'so by having very strong colonies fed up from
a fast feeder with warm syrup in a hive with frames
whose numbers have bean s > reduced that they will only
accommodate t'ae number of bees contained in a hive,
and by covering up feeders ami frames with good
coverings. Wh>n all these attentions have been be-
stowed upon a colony, and they have twenty-five pounds
weight of stores, the bee-keeper can, after removing the
feeder and packing for winter, rely upon his colonies
turning out strong next spring with plenty of bees ready
to gather in the harvest, which we all earnestly hope will
be as plentif ul as has been gathered each year before the
advent of 1888.
USEFUL HINTS.
The Weaiubb, we are sorry to remark, does not
improve. From one end of the country to the other the
cry is the same. There are still to be seen, especially
throughout the Midlands and the North, large crops of
hay rotting in the fields, whilst the damaged corn
remains in shocks, or stooks, and no opportunity is
afforded of gathering it into the garners. In the autumn
of 79 —a year as disastrous, perhaps, as the present —
we find the B. B. J. full of complaints : e. //., ' Owing to
this most inclement season so many frame-hives are not
half tilled with comb, that hundreds of stocks are likely
to disappear during the winter. A few hints on the best
system of doubling (? uniting), feeding, and preparation
of food, would probably save many valuable lives. I
have been feeding both English and Ligurian bees nearly
all the summer, and certainly, since Kilburn, except
during one week. — J. 1'., Penrith.' The same statement
may again be truly made for all parts of the country.
What, then, is to be done ?
Experts and Associations. — Here is work for our
experts and associations, whose objects, we are told, are
' the encouragement, improvement, and advancement of
bee-keeping, with a view to bettering the condition of
the labouring classes.'
Wheat has already risen something like ten shillings
a quarter, and the poor man has to look forward to a
dearer loaf, a long winter, and, it is much to be feared,
to lack of employment. Can we advise him, with such
prospect, in view, to expend four or live shillings per hive
on feedinghisbees? Hiswifeand children maybe starving
for want of bread ! But his bees, unfed, to a certainty will
perish. Our Associations divide their territories into
districts. One has eighteen of these districts under
District Secretaries, Local Advisers, &c.
Now, is it not possible, with such machinery at work,
to establish a fund in each district, either for advancing
money to the poor members, to enable them to ' feed up'
their bees, or to purchase the bees, feed them, and sell
them to the original owners on easy terms of payment
by instalments when spring arrives ? Surely an effort
of some kind should lie made to prevent t he evil foreseen
— an evil which, otherwise, will result in the utter loss
of the greater part of the cottagers' bees throughout tho
kingdom. We wish to prescribe neither the method nor
the means of procedure. Our object, is not to dictate,
but to suggest, and we earnestly hope that our Associa-
tions will consider the subject before it is too late.
There is no time to be lost.
Rapid Feeding should be commenced at once. Recipes
for syrup-making are given in all modern bee-books —
in Mr. ( 'owan's Guide, in Modern Bee-keeping, and in tifty
others, almost all agreeing in the quantities and prepara-
tion. Experts and local advisers have the matter at
their fingers' ends. With all this knowledge, scattered
broadcast over the land, shall we let the poor mini's bees
die?
Feeders — The lintjnor. — For the rapid feeding of
colonies in skeps many of our authorities consider the
' Raynor Feeder' one of the best. It is a bottle-feeder,
which holds a quart of syrup, and from it, when tho
twelve holes are turned on, a colony strong in bees will
take readily a quart per day. Hence, in about a wee],,
a starving colony may be transformed into a healthy
one, with full store of winter food laid up for the rainy
dav.
September 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
447
The Canadian is, in our opinion, one of the best
rapid feeders for use on a frame-hive. Messrs. Neigh-
bour's Improved Canadian, exactly fitting the top of a
hive containing ten frames, and holding- twenty
pounds of syrup, enables the bee-master, at one
filling, and in a couple of days at most, to entirely
provision a strong colony for the whole winter, so that
one feeder will suffice for supplying an apiary — say of
ten or twelve hives — with winter stores [in about three
weeks.
Mr. Meadows' 'Nottingham' 1st Prize Rapid Feeder
is constructed on the same lines as the ' Canadian,'
and is equally efficient. It is capable of bidding about
an equal quantity of syrup, but, being divided into
three parts, on the plan of the 'ltaynor Divisible Section
Crates,' it is more portable, and capable of being used in
one, two, or three parts, for supplying as many hives, at
a slower rate, of course. Both feeders are constructed
entirely of wood, the only material allowable in our view,
since no danger of poisoning the bees is incurred, which
cannot be said of zinc and other metals. The feeders are
illustrated in our advertising columns.
Melted wax should be applied to the inside of the
syrup receptacles before they leave the makers' bands, in
order to prevent leakage, but if this is not done they
should be filled with water and allowed to stand for
twenty-four hours before being used.
Sugar. — As regards the quality and price of sugar
best adapted for syrup-making we refer our readers to
the article on that subject in our issue of August 30, pp.
417-18). ' Duncan's l'earl Sugar' was the best for the
purpose we ever used, and we were very sorry to learn, some
two or three years ago, that the firm bad ceased refining.
We now get our 'Granulated Pearl' — as we do many
other articles required in the apiaries — from America.
It is far more economical to give 3d. per pound for a
good and suitable sugar than 2d, for an inferior article.
Economy, truly, is necessary in these hard times, but
'Cheap Johnism' never will pay.
'A thoroughly good article, at a fair remunerative
price to the manufacturer,' has always been our motto,
and we have no reason to regret it. Again we say, Let
feeding be commenced without delay. Breeding will be
encouraged thereby, and "by the middle or end of next
month we shall have the pleasure of putting our bees
into winter quarters with every prospect of successfully
wintering them — the keynote of all success in an apiarian
point of view — and shall look forward hopefully to the
honey season of '89, trusting that it may prove as boun-
tiful after the present disastrous one as '80 proved after
the disheartening one of 70. Only let the bee-keeper so
provide that the bees may be forthcoming to gather in
the harvest when it arrives.
Carbolic Acid. — To those who use the acid as a bee-
quieter a word of warning is necessary. Nine cases of
poisoning by this drug have been recorded in the daily
papers during the last seven or eight weeks, chiefly by
mistake or misadventure. Kxtreme care, therefore, is re-
quired in the use of it. We always keep our pure car-
bolic under lock and key. The weak solution, for moist-
ening cloths and feathers, is not so dangerous. It should
never be carelessly left in places where the ignorant or
others may by chance mistake it for other fluids, as the
smallest quantity, when swallowed, will quickly prove
fatal, and there is no antidote.
Queen Introduction should be completed as soon as
possible. Much of course depends upon the weather,
but we do not like to introduce after the present month
as a rule. The thermometer is now standing at 35° Fahr.,
and a bitterly cold north wind is blowing — anything but
agreeable weather for opening hives and introducing
queens.
Before closing up for winter be well assured that
every hive contains a fertile queen. We fear that many
will be found queenless. There seems to have been a
mania amongst the bees for changing their queens, and
in many cases they have been unable to provide a suc-
cessor, owing to the unfavourable season, no doubt.
People who fail in life generally become morose, and dis-
sati-lied with all around them. Just so witli the bees.
When confined to their hives during tie' summer months
by cold and rainy weather, and unable to store food for
the winter's supply ; aware that a screw is loose some-
where ; restless, unhappy, and morose ; the blame is too
often laid at the door of the poor queen, and sentence of
death is passed. The foreign races are said to change
queens oftener than the English bees, but of late English
and foreign races alike have been practising this amuse-
ment to a greater extent than we ever experienced be-
fore, so abnormal has the season of '68 proved.
Stohifving v. Tiering -ui'. — Winch shall it be?
There is a tendency in some minds to apply the former
word to section-crates (for obtaining comb-honey), and
the latter to doubling or piling up shallow hives, con-
taining shallow frames, above the brood-chamber (for
obtaining extracted honey). But, surely, we do not re-
quire two words to express the action of ' piling up.' A
friend sends us the following pertinent remarks on the
subject : — ' I have been looking up the word " storifying,"
and find it in Johnson, but it is used in the sense of
" historical." Webster gives the verb to storify, to make
stories. Storey, or story, a set of rooms on one floor ; a
story comprehends the distance from one floor to another.
Verb, to story, to range under one another, or in stories.
The Imperial Lexicon, by lirag, gives storify, v. t. to
form stories. So Joes Nuttall. They all agree that tier
is a row, a rank. Webster says especially when two or
more rows are placed one above another, as a tier of
seats, in a church or theatre. There is no verb to tier.
1 think, therefore, that storify is the word we should use,
from storia, storium, and facere, to make — to make a
store. I think tier can only be applied to rows of sections,
and not to the space given for storing surplus.'
Our Johnson (the largest edition, in two large volumes,
177-'!) gives 'Story, o. a. (not storify). 1. To tell in
history. 2. To arrange one under another.' Neither in
Skeat nor Chambers, Nuttall nor Walker, can we find
the word ' storify.'
We are, therefore, inclined to the opinion that it is a
modern word, of late coinage ; but that is no reason why
it should not be adopted. The exigencies of modern art
and science are constantly requiring new words, and
these' are almost invariably formed from the ancient lan-
guages of Greece and Rome.
FROM HERTS TO ESSEX.
The story is told of a once very famous Dean (Dr
Buckland, the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford) that when
he met the farmers of the Vale of Taunton at a dinner,
he informed them that the farther he went West, the
more convinced he was that the Wise Men came from the
East ! I ought, then, I suppose, to congratulate myself
that a change of occupation and of residence has brought
me from West Herts into East Anglia. Essex is said by
some to be a very fiat and a very marshy country, but
the district in which I live is neither fiat nor marshy.
My house is on the high ground that separates the rivers
Colne and Stour, so that we have two rivers at no great
distance. The river Colne winds in the valley below us,
and on the other side rise hills with waving woods, very
refreshing to the eye. And what a country for bees !
The deep, rich, fertile soil produces trees equal to any I
have ever seen in England, and the lime-trees in full
bloom are far more beautiful than those I have ever
noticed in Herts. And what a profusion of white
clover! The life of a bee in my neighbourhood, during
an ordinary summer, must be a perpetual feast. Early
in the season acres; of turnip seed supply their golden
treasure ; the charlock (• carlock,' the Essex labourer
448
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
calls it), or wild mustard, is far too abundant from May
to September ; while masses of mignonette are in reserve
for those who forage in August.
The best English honey that I have ever tasted came
from Essex. When living in Herts I purchased a large
quantity of honey from the neighbourhood of Braintree,
as the demands of my household, numbering nearly a
hundred, were necessarily large. My friend, and now
my neighbour, the Rev. W. Marsh of Wethersfleld, near
Braintree, tells me that his bees in the early part of
the season feed on trefoil, winter beans, and mustard.
Mr. Cowan has suggested to me that a combination of
honey from various sources may perhaps produce the
best results. Unless I am much mistaken, two of the
prize-winners at the recent show at the Crystal Palace
came from the neighbourhood of Braintree, and four or
live came from Essex.
A few months after my arrival in East Anglia I learnt
that I was more rich in bees than I supposed, for did not
three stocks show themselves in the sunny days of
spring, issuing from the eaves of my house ? A friend,
whose ' hints ' are always interesting as well as ' use-
fid,' warned me that I must drive out the intruders at
any cost. ' For twelve years,' said my friend, ' I was
curate to the parish of . Bees had settled in the
roof of my house. The scent of the wax or of the
honey, or some other attraction, drew all the bees to-
wards that quarter. I lost swarm after swarm. One
swarm at length settled in the church-porch. The boys
of the village used to take long sticks and poke up the
bees shortly before the service, so as to sting the would-
be worshippers ! The nuisance had become intolerable.
So we got rid of the bees from the church-porch, and
from my bouse. I advise you to do the same.' This
excellent advice I could not but take. So I sent for an
expert (not certificated !) who was not afraid (as I am)
to mount a high ladder. He came, he saw, he mounted
the ladder, and came down again ! I was, unfortunately,
not at home when he came. But I was informed, sub-
sequently, that I must put up a scaffold and be prepared
to pull down part of the main wall in order to eject these
intruders. 'Of the greater of two evils choose the
lesser,' says the proverb — so the bees are still in posses-
sion. Perhaps, nay, probably, this winter will save me
any further trouble. Hunger and poverty will probably
prove more powerful than any efforts of mine in pulling
down a wall or putting up a scaffold.
The ' sulphur-pit ' still nourishes, I regret to say, even
in enlightened East Anglia ! One of my near neighbours
is supposed to be clever at bees, but he hitherto has
always destroyed some of his stocks each year. So I
bought his condemned stocks and drove the bees. In
three skeps we did not find three pounds of honey. A
good swarm (so described) had not half filled the skep.
A few days since I drove five or six lots of bees and did
not find five pounds of honey. The destruction of bees
this winter in the skeps of the cottagers will be terrible.
An incident that occurred on one of these occasions
may furnish a useful hint to others. All went well,
apparently, with the driving. Half-a-dozen spectators
were present, but no one was stung. An unhappy dog,
however, was chained up at no great distance. The bees
determined to wreak their vengeance upon him. They
stung him to such a degree that the cry of ' mad dog '
was raised, and a gunshot concluded his career. Com-
pensation, of course, was claimed, and, as a matter of
prudence, paid. A wag has suggested that the well-
known warning on the Roman houses, ' Cave canem,'
should henceforth be changed, wherever bees are kept,
into ' Cam's, cape.'
Although the sulphur-pit is not altogether out of
fashion, bee-keeping in Essex — thanks to Mr. Raynor,
Mr. Meggy, and others — has evidently advanced ' by
leaps and bounds.' Not long since, when attending
a Committee formed for holding a horticultural show in
my neighbourhood, I found that a circular had been sent
to the Secretary by the Secretary of the Essex Bee
Association offering the use of the tent and other ad-
vantages. In fact, in whatever part of the county I
have been, I have come upon traces of the Essex Associ-
ation. That very valuable and most important person-
age, the village policeman of my neighbourhood, is a
bar-framist. He lives four or five miles away, so that I
have not yet seen his hives, but I know that he has
had some honey this j'ear, and the fact that we are both
bee-keepers has made us excellent friends.
The year 1888 has, no doubt, been a very disastrous
one, but honey has been obtained in some cases. During
the spell of fine weather early in the season, one of my
hives gave me from twenty to thirty good sections, and
the fact that there are bees in abundance close to your
fruit trees has a marked effect on the fruit crop. The
bees in my roof may hereafter prove a nuisance, but I
am assured that I have more apples in my garden than
the great majority of my neighbours; and a friend,
whose bees I drove recently, pointed with pride to his
apple-trees, loaded with fruit, because (as I showed him)
he had seven or eight hives close at hand.
The influence of bees on the fertilisation of fruit
is scarcely credited as yet as it should be. Two or
three years ago I told a friend who has a large garden
that the continuance of wet weather while the apple-
trees were in bloom would seriously affect his crop.
After the lapse of some weeks my friend (a well-known
rose exhibitor and meteorologist, but no great lover of
bees) pointed with triumph to his trees, which appeared
to be loaded with fruit and full of promise. ' Finis
coronat opus,' was my reply. ' Wait until the crop is
ripe, and then see how many you will gather.' Before
long most of the apples had fallen, and my incredulous
friend is now beginning to be a believer in the fertilisation
of fruit. Mr. Cheshire puts the point very plainly iu the
first volume of his Bees and Bee-keeping , page 323 : —
' The apple is strictly a fusion of five fruits into one,
and demands for its production in perfection no less than
five independent fertilisations. If none are effected, the
calyx, which really forms the flesh of the fruit, instead
of swelling, dries, and soon drops. An apple often de-
velopes, though imperfectly, if four only of the stigmas
have been pollen-dusted, but it rarely hangs long enough
to ripen. I examined 200 apples that had dropped in
a gale, and the cause of falling in every case but eight
was traceable to imperfect fertilisation.'
It is, I believe, a matter of practical importance that
the bees should be in immediate proximity to a fruit
garden. Even if the weather has been as bad as has
been the case this year, there are gleams of sunshine and
short intervals which the bees will utilise, to the great
advantage of the gardener.
My experience in removing from Herts to Essex may
be of some service to those who shall hereafter have
occasion to change their residence. I am inclined to
think that it is almost better to begin de novo than to
send your hives and bees by rail. If you tan attend to
every detail yourself, you may not suffer very seriously ;
but if, in addition to heavy railway charges, you find
your extractor damaged, your combs broken, the legs of
half your hives smashed, screws and nails driven in so
that they refuse to come out, you will be disposed to
regret that you did not begin life again as a bee-keeper,
with new stocks and improved appliances in 'fresh fields
and pastures new.' — E. Bartrum, D.B., Wakes Colne,
IX.
Puzzling tub Expert.— Bystander. Why is the
bee an aristocratic insect ?
Expert (busy). Eh I Don't know. Give it up.
Bystander. Because its chief property is strictly in-
tailed (slight pause and then picking one out hastily).
By Jove — it's landed too.— Reported by Honeysuckle.
September 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
44:9
Sfelftteb (§Hcxm
[24.] What is the best cover for frames (1) in winter
(2) in summer f Do you recommend unbleached calico.'
If not, what do you prefer ?
(1), A wooden frame (at least 4 in. deep), with a
loose canvas bottom, fill this with cork-dust from grape
barrels, and place it over one layer of hemp carpet.
(2), Unbleached calico next the frames, and as many
layers of felt as may be necessary to regulate the
necessary warmth. — W. M. Ghaham.
1. Winter covering for hives: — (1), A carefully fitted
cover of ticking ; (2), a double layer of soft flannel
(scouring flannel will do, and so will old blanket) ; (3),
quilt made of three sheets of brown paper and three of
druggeting,or thin carpet, or worn-out floor-cloth, or close
sacking (the paper and other material are placed alter-
nately and stitched) ; (4), a piece of Bristol mill-board
over the feed-hole ; (5), a large bag of sawdust, or cork-
dust, or chaff. 2. Summer covering: — Remove the
chaff bag. Prefer ' ticking' to anything. — Edwin Ball.
I find hemp stair carpet as good and cheap as anything
for both summer and winter covers for frames. I cannot
recommend calico, the bees gnaw it so much. After the
carpet is propolised by the bees they do not make many
holes in it. Squares of old Brussels carpet answer well,
and last for years as quilts. I always use cushions over
the carpet quilts, except when the crates of sections are
on the hives. — W. Woodley.
(1), I use as a cover on top of frames green blind stuff
next to the frames, then two or three thicknesses of
scouring flannel, and a couple of folded rice or sugar
bags. (2), The same as before, only minus the bags.
I sometimes use unbleached calico, but do not like it, as
the bees gnaw it very much. I prefer the green blind
stuff.— John Walton.
I like calico that has had the dressing washed out of
it next the frames in winter, with several thicknesses of
house-flannel, pieces of old blanket, or carpets above
it. In early spring, when breeding commences in earnest,
a piece of American cloth may be used next above the
calico. In summer the hives should have supers on all
the time. — John M. Hooker.
(1), Enamel cloth, glazed side downwards. (2), The
same ; I use nothing else, but cover the enamel cloth
with several felt or carpet quilts, giving plenty of venti-
lation below. I neither use nor recommend calico, which
the bees cover with propolis. — George Raynor.
The best cover for frames in winter and summer is a
piece of bed ticking, covered with two or more pieces of
carpet or flannel. Unbleached calico is soon eaten
through by the bees, and therefore not sufficiently
durable. — H. Wood, Lichfield.
(1), Thin American cloth, shiny side down, and warm
quilt upon it. (2), Thin American cloth, oilcloth, or
kamptulicon. We thus better imitate the natural con-
ditions under which the bees live. I do not recommend
unbleached calico. Should prefer instead canvas, but
before all I prefer, as stated, impervious cloth. —
R. A. H. Grimshaw.
In winter a stout unbleached calico known as ' duck.'
In summer a non-porous cover of some kind. Nothing
beats an old calico quilt well propolised, and rendered
smooth by passing a hot iron over the back of it. —
Amateur Expert.
I find for my strong colonies enamel cloth answers the
best, both winter and summer. In winter I like to
have an empty b'-in. storey underneath the hive. For
weak colonies in the cold months I use porous material,
such as well-woven sugar bags or hop bags, two or three
thicknesses, and generally chaff-cushion above. This
answers very well, and comes in much less expensive
than new material. — C, Atkinson, Tockiritk,
Jump.
FRANCE.
According to the Apiculteur of Paris, just received,
the month of August has been more favourable to
apiculture than July, but the improvement upon its
predecessor was not so great as to make up for the
ground lost in the earlier part of the season. Bee-
keepers are, therefore, strongly advised to feed up their
stocks without a moment's delay, wherever this may be
considered necessary, in order to ensure safe wintering.
With the death of M. Carcenac, which took place in
the early part of last month, the bae community generally,
but the Central Bee Association of France in particular,
have lost a most sincere and valuable friend. The de-
ceased gentleman was a familiar face at the monthly
meetings of the Association, and was noted for his liberal
contributions to the prize and other funds which the
Association raised from time to time. M. Carcenac was
also well known in France for his remarkable rustic
apiary, after a Swiss fashion, established in a beautiful
estate of his at Bougival, near Paris.
According to the same contemporary, Paris is not now
using so much wax as it did some thirty years ago, when
its requirements amounted to 100,000 or 150,000 kilos
annually. But, adds the said Journal, vegetable wax
was unknown in those days. It appears that the old
fashion of waxing the floors of palaces and of other
buildings was a great advantage to the wax trade,
which, upon this score, is bound to regret the introduction
of carpets. In a few instances the old practice is kept
up in a small degree, but then the wax is not used pure.
CANADA.
Cool nights and long evenings remind us that winter
is approaching, and, sad to say, we have secured but
little honey. There has been no clover, but little linden,
some thistle honey, and now in localities where buck-
wheat is cultivated some buckwheat honey is being
gathered by the bees. Some apiaries may secure an
average yield of fifty pounds to the colony, and enough
for winter, but the majority will be less favoured; in
fact, I know of parts of Canada where the bee-keeper
has to feed not only for winter, but all that the bees
will consume until that time, and have had to feed
through the height of the honey harvest. Localities,
too, where the average yield per colony for the last four
years is over one hundred pounds ! Such a season cannot
be remembered by the oldest bee-keeper, and gives new
patent hives the quietus, as no one has the heart to
spend any money in unnecessary directions. We in
Canada make more of a specialty of bee-keeping, and
many an one who has just had sufficient means to stock
an apiary, and has been dependent upon honey for his
living, will find himself in straitened circumstances.
I know of those who have not enough food for their
bees for winter, even who offered half their bees for
$2.50 per colony in order to secure enough money to
buy sugar for the balance, but could not readily find a
purchaser. Of course we all know that a good season
will make us forget — perhaps too readily — the bad years
for bee-keepers, and every one will be smiling and
happy.
•Sugar Feeding. — I see by the British Bee Journal and
standard works that there is one very marked difference
between bee-keeping in Canada and Britain that I have
not touched upon, and that is, feeding with sugar. It
appears to be advocated that bee-keepers shall feed far
more than we do here. For winter and very early
spring we sometimes feed, but not otherwise, and the
majority of bee-keepers are discountenancing even this,
as it throws more honey upon the market, wears out the
bees as in a honey flow to a certain extent, and at least
450
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
gives the occasion to outsiders to say honey is adul-
terated.
Echinops Sphterocephalus, — The Chapman honey plant,
as the above is commonly called, is receiving a more
extensive trial this season in America. About one third
of an acre is in blossom near the apiary. It appeared to
find favour with the bees when other blossoms yielded
nectar, and I rather think it may prove a good honey
plant. Of course so small a quantity can give no results
of practical value. — R. F. Holtermann, Brantford,
Canada, August 22.
EUROPE.
The Weather, and Chops.
Old Earth seems to be crazy. While we in America
and those in Central and Southern Europe have been
experiencing such cold and wet weather, in Norway the
heat has been very uncomfortable. At Nyborg it has
been as high as 9o° Fahr., and at Christiana it has re-
peatedly been from 8G° to 8U° in the shade.
In Great Britain this month has been characterised by
cold rains, which have not done so much damage as
might naturally have been expected. Everything turns
upon the continuance of the good weather to the close
of the month.
In France, July has proved an exceedingly unfortu-
nate month. Rain and cold, with very little sun, have
damaged the crop prospect in every direction. The
critical periods of the blooming and earing were passed
under the most favourable conditions; and the com-
plaints, which are increasing on all sides, make a late
and deficient harvest certain.
In Germany the weather has been generally cold and
rainy, with an occasional day or two of warmth.
The month has not particularly advanced the pros-
pect of the Austro-IIungarian crops.
Up to the 10th of the month the general Russian
prospects have seldom, if ever, been so brilliant. Later
in the month dangerously persistent rains, accompanied
by hail, were common in Southern Russia.
The wheat crop in Sicily has proved very deficient,
but an average was obtained in Apulia and the Neapoli-
tan districts. Sardinia has almost lost her entire crop.
In Upper Italy the harvest is expected to prove fairly
good in quality, but will not reach an average in
quantity.
For thirty years the rainfall in Spain has not] been so
great, or the mean temperature so low all over the
kingdom, as in June and July of this year. There was
snow at Valladolid on the 10th, and from every direc-
tioil came news of damage to crops from the unseason-
able temperature and the raging gales.
Telegrams from Greece about the middle of the
month report that the currant crop was in imminent
danger of being lost ; the vines being dried up with the
scorching wind.
The harvest anticipations in Prussia are quite dis-
couraging. The rye-fields, from which the great masses
of Germany derive their chief bread supply, have suf-
fered to a great extent, and the continued inclemency of
the weather has likewise done severe damage to the
fields. — American Bee Journal.
AUSTRALIA.
Eucalyptus Honey.
At a meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society in
Loudon a sample of eucalyptus honey was shown, and
created much interest from the fact of its containing all
the essential properties of those invaluable trees. The
existence of this peculiar honey was made known in 1884
by a French traveller, M. Guilmuth, who, while exploring
the island of Tasmania, noticed at the summit of one of
the eucalypts a peculiar formation, which appeared to
him to be a gigantic gall. Having for some time ex-
amined it through his glass, he was much surprised to
notice that it was frequented by a legion of small black
bees, which swarmed around the 'gall,' or hive as it was
now revealed to him. A strong desire to possess this
hive led him to order his native followers to cut down
the tree, which had a girth of seven metres and a height
of eighty metres. The men before beginning their work
were well protected over the face and hands, while M.
Gudmeth retired to a safe distance to watch the pro-
ceedings of the bees during the time the men were at
their laborious work of sawing through this large tree.
At first no notice was taken of them, but as progress
was made the explorer was much interested and amused
by the sight which met his gaze. A swarm of the bees
Hew down to within a few yards of the toilers, and
after flying around for a time, rapidly returned to the
hive, their places being filled by others. This curious
behaviour of the bees continued until the tree was
sufficiently cut through to be pulled to the ground by
ropes. When the tree was finally laid low, the men
were instructed to drive away the queen, and this they
did after a deal of shouting and beating of utensils.
They would have fared very badly had they not been
well protected, for the bees greatly resented this inter-
ference with their home. The hive and several bees
which had lingered were captured, and the honey
collected. Upon tasting the honey, M. Guilmeth, much
to his surprise, found that it possessed the characteristic
odour and flavour of the eucalyptus essences. This he
thought so important a discovery as to lead him to
forward a shipment of it to a French doctor in Nor-
mandy for examination.
Upon carefully inspecting the bees that had been
captured, they were found to be of a species not known
in Europe, and accordingly the name of A/iis nigra
mellijica was provisionally given to them. They were
of a smaller size than the common bee of Europe, and
quite black, with a far more developed proboscis. Ex-
periments failed to acclimatise it in Algeria and in
France. It is curious to note that in Algeria, where
the eucalypts have been acclimatised, it was sought to
obtain this honey by means of the Algerian bee. All
flowering crops were cut down, and the bees forced to
turn their attention to the eucalypts, with the result
that the bees gradually died. To prevent a disaster,
fresh flowering plants had to be imported. The euca-
lypts being biennial, this honey is only obtainable every
two years ; but it does not during that period lose any
of its important constituents. It is of a deep orange
colour, of a transparent syrupy consistence in warm
weather ; but in this country it is usually partly solidi-
fied. It has the characteristic odour of the eucalyptus
essences, and also their flavour. It is said to contain
about sixty-two per cent of the purest sugar, and over
seventeen per cent of the essential constituents of the
eucalyptus, consisting of eucalyptol, eucalyptene, cymol,
and terpene, all of which play an important part in the
therapeutics of the present day. It was thought that a
similar honey could be obtained by mixing these ingre-
dients ; and experiments were tried in Paris, but without
success, as it was found that the ingredients gradually
separated and volatilised off.
Eucalyptus honey is designed to take an important
place as a therapeutical agent and as an article of food,
on account of the unusually large percentage of sugar it
contains and of the presence of the eucalyptus essences,
the properties of which as antiseptics and deodorisers
are well known. It is usually given in warm milk or
warm water. One or two teaspoonfuls twice or thrice
daily have produced beneficial effects on bronchitis,
asthma, and diseases of the lungs and respiratory organs,
producing elasticity of the lungs and a decided increase
of the vocal powers. The breath is said to be perfumed,
and a sense of warmth and well-being to pervade the
body.
September 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
451
The field for such an important honey would almost
appear unlimited, owing to its antiseptic properties; and
already cases have been recorded of its use in typhoid
gastric infection, whooping-cough, and catarrhs. As a
substitute for cod-liver oil, the advent of eucalyptus honey
will be hailed with delight by all who have to undergo
the nauseous experience of a course of this oil, while its
nutrient powers are not thought to be inferior. Much
interest was created a short time since by the chemical
analysis of the famous Trebizond honey, which produces
narcotic effects upon all who take it, followed by strong
excitement and toxic effects. It was carefully analysed
in this country, and its ingredients, when separated,
were tried physiologically upon animals with a two-fold
object; firstly, to ascertain the nature of the poison;
and secondly, to determine, if possible, by this means,
the species of plant the bees producing this honey
frequented. The result thus obtained led the experi-
mentalists to suspect a certain plant ; and communica-
tions were made to friends residing in the districts
whence this honey was sent as to the names of the
plants mostly abounding in the neighbourhood. It was
thus ascertained that the bees relied upon a poisonous
plant for their honey.
There are now many honeys containing either toxic
properties or peculiar odours, which have been traced to
the bees frequenting a certain plant ; for instance, the
Narbonne honey owes its peculiar flavour to the rose-
mary, which grows so profusely in the neighbourhood.
Another instance is that of the Mount Ilymettus honey,
which derives its flower and odour from the labiates.
With such facts before us, wo should not be surprised
to see our Australian brethren's example followed in
this country, and apiaries started for the production of
huuey of a distinct flavour, odour, and effect. — C/mmbers's
Journal, Aug. 1.
ASSOCIATIONS.
LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
This Association held its chief Show of the year in
conjunction with the Royal Manchester, Liverpool, and
North Lancashire Agricultural Society, at Lancaster, on
the 5th, 6th, and 7th of September, 1888. The Agri-
cultural Society made excellent arrangements as regards
location for this section of the Show and, in addition to
a grant of 20/., provided shedding fifty yards in length,
in the centre of which a small platform was fitted, pro-
tected on all sides with netting, the canvas roof being
thrown open, thus enabling manipulations to be carried
on at intervals.
The D. B. Journal has during the season drawn atten-
tion to what was intended to be the feature of the
Show, viz. the County Competition. Unfortunately for
all bee-keepers any exhibit in this class was out of the
question, seeing that very little honey has been collected
in any county throughout the country. Even witli this
drawback the Lancashire and Cheshire Bee-keepers'
Association have to congratulate themselves on having
succeeded in getting together a grand display of ap-
pliances. The manipulations being carried out by the
ablest bee-masters, attracted large and enthusiastic
audiences. Mr. W. Broughton Carr took the work the
first two days, Mr. Baldwin and Mr. Blow occupying it
on the last day.
Class A. Collection of Appliances. — Of six
entries, five were staged by those who have attended
most of the bee-shows in the country. The collection
which took the first prize is stated to be the largest that
has ever been exhibited, and though so large there was
nothing trashy on the stand ; the other prize collections
were fully up to the usual standard.
Classes B and C. Hives. — There were fifteen
entries and fourteen hives staged in the former, and
fourteen entries with thirteen staged in the latter. It
was the general remark, when the prize hives were
examined by the visitors, ' How are these produced at
the prices marked on them?'
Class D. Observatory Hives stocked with
Bees. — There were seven entries and fixe staged. These
were quite au attraction, and in placing them at future
shows we woidd suggest that they are given more space,
that visitors can see the bees to better advantage.
Classes E, F, and G. Honey. — Taking into account
the season, these exhibits were creditable both as to
quantity and quality.
Class II. Granulated Honey. — This is a new class.
Ten entered and eight were staged; but, taking into ac-
count that granulated honey of any year may be shown, we
hope to see a larger number of entries in the future, and
we would suggest that there be a similar class in the next
schedule for sections of any previous year, whether
granulated or otherwise. A small award was given for
the only lot of sections staged in this class.
Class I. Wax. — The three prize lot s were attractively
got up.
Class K. Novelties. — The only exhibits calling for
mention are No. 079, a hive for the moors, and Nos.
07.'i and 074, extractors.
Judges. — The Rev. George Raynor and Mr. Cowan
took all the Classes except A and f ' ; these were judged
by the Rev. J. L. Seager and Mr. liaitt. The arduous
work these four gentlemen had can be imagined when it
is stated that the former two were kept busy the whole
of the first day, and the latter two did not give in the
awards for Class 0 till Wednesday morning, and the
result of their labours gave general satisfaction, and the
Lancashire and Cheshire Liee-keepers' Association are to
be congratulated in having had these four gentlemen —
with Mi'. W. Broughton Carr — at one time at one of
their shows.
Below we give full details of the prizes awarded : —
Class A. — Collection of hives, bee-furniture, and appli-
ances: 1, Abbott Brothers, Southall, London; 2, 8. J.
Baldwiu, Bromley, Kent ; 3, George Neighbour aud Son,
London.
Class B. — Complete frame-bive for general use in an
apiary, with arrangements for summer and winter use,
capable of being used for tiering to obtain extracted honey,
or of being storified with one or two crates filled with
sections to obtain comb-honey : 1, T. B. Blow, Welwyn,
Herts ; 2, Charles Kedshaw, South Wigston, Leicester ;
3, Abbott Brothers, Southall.
Class C. — For the best and most complete storifying
frame-hive with arrangements for summer and winter use,
price not to exceed 12s. 6d., unpainted : 1, C. Kedshaw,
South Wigston, Leicestershire; 2, Abbott Brothers, Southall;
3, W. P. Meadows, Syston, Leicester.
Class D. — Observatory hive, to be exhibited stocked with
bees (English or foreign) and their queens, all combs to be
visible on both sides : 1, George Neighbour and Son, Regent
Street, London ; 2, E. C. Walton, Preston ; 3, T. B. Blow,
Welwyn.
Class E.— Exhibition of honey from one apiary, in
quantity not less than 1 cwt. : 1, S. J. Baldwin, Bromley,
Kent ; 2, W. Drinkall, Bank House, Scotfoith, Lancaster ;
3, B. Alty, Pilling, Lancaster.
Class F. — Comb honey in sections, from 12 lbs. to 20 lbs.
in weight, the produce of exhibitor's own bees : 1, S. J.
Baldwin ; 2, William Woodley, World's End, Newbury ;
3, Henry Beswick, Tibenham, Norfolk.
Class G. — Extracted honey in glass jars, from 12 lbs. to
20 lbs. in weight, the produce of exhibitor's own bees :
1, Henry Beswick, Tibenliam, Norfolk; 2, S. J. Baldwin;
3, Henry Corlett, Kamsay, Isle of Man ; i, C. Atkinson,
Toekwith, York ; 5, A. Simpson, Mansfield, Woodhouse,
Notts.
Class H. — 12 lbs. to 20 lbs. granulated honey: 1, S. J.
Baldwin ; 2, E. C Kerr, Dumbells Bank, Kamsey ; o, Miss
Bawlinsou, Temple Sowerby ; extra, C Atkinson, Toekwith.
Class I. — For the best sample of bees-wax (the produce
of the exhibitor's own bees) in cakes, the aggregate weight
452
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
not to be less than 3 lbs. : 1, Abbott Brothers, Southall;
2, T. B. Blow, Welwyn, Herts ; 3, E. Clowes, Hole House
Farm, Milton, Stoke-on-Trent.
Class K. — Novelties and useful inventions connected with
bee appliances or the products of an apiary : for model hive
and pocket smoker, Abbott Brothers, Southall ; for two
new extractors and a rapid feeder, W. P. Meadows, Svston,
Leicester ; for Lee's frames with block and Lee's crates with
hanging frames, George Neighbour and Son, Begent Street,
London.
In Class G the bronze medal of the B. B. K. A. was
awarded to B. L. Garnett, Esq., being the best exhibit by
any member of the Lancashire and Cheshire Bee-keepers'
Association residing in the county.
THE EAST LOTHIAN BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
The show of bees, hives, honey, &c, of this Associa-
tion, was held in the Side Room, Corn Exchange,
Haddington, on Tuesday, 4th September, at the same
time that the County Flower Show was going on.
Owing to the backwardness of the season, which is
said to be the worst experienced for thirty years, the
exhibition of honey was not large. Indeed there were
only about 100 pounds to be bad, and that was sup-
plied by Mr. G. D. Clark, Kirklandhill. Despite this
the exhibition was very interesting, and attracted a great
deal of attention. The designs in comb honey were
particularly good, and greatly admired by those who
understood the difficulties. The initials G. 1). C. and
the word ' Bee,' were very nicely worked out by Mr.
Clark. A glass hive shown by Mr. T. S. Robertson,
Westbarns, was specially interesting for the ingenuity
displayed, and its fine finish. Frame-hives were a large
show and represented the various ideas. There was a
varied collection of extra articles, almost all from Mr.
G. D. Clark, whose flowers from which honey is col-
lected attracted considerable attention.
There was no competition in Classes 3 and 4 owing to
the bad weather spoiling the heather harvest, for which
these classes were allotted. This was very unfortunate
as this county is noted for its heather honey, and strong
competition is usually shown. The judges, Mr. Mason,
Dalkeith, for hives and appliances, and Mr. Pringle,
Cockburnspath, for honey, awarded the following
prizes : —
Class 1 — Twelve sections of comb honey (not heather),
lib. size.— G. D. Clark, Kirklandhill. Class 2— Twelve
glass jars of liquid honey, lib. size. — 1 and 2 — G. D. Clark,
Class 3 — Single super of comb honey, any size (not
heather) — G. D. Clark. Class 6 — Best design in comb
honey — 1 and 2 — G. D. Clark. Class 7— Observatory hive
stocked with bees and queen. — 1, T. S. Robertson, West-
barns ; 2, G. D. Clark. Class 8 — Best frame-hive and
super, cheapness and quality considered. — 1, Alex. Pater-
son, Peffers' Place, Haddington ; 2, D. B. Taylor, Hadding-
ton ; 3, T. S. Robertson. Class 9 — Anything of extra
interest to bee-keepers. — 1, 2, and 3, G. D. Clark. Class 10
— Collection of bee-furniture, no two articles to be alike. —
T. S. Robertson. Class 11 — Specimens (cut) of best honey
producing flowers and plants. — G. D. Clark.
DERBYSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
At the show on August 29th and 30th, although it
lias been a bad season for honey, the Derbyshire Bee-
keepers' Association must be congratulated upon the
very successful show of honey, appliances, and frame-
hives, &c. The judges, Messrs. Walton, of Preston,
and Fisher, of Farasfield, Notts, must have bad no easy
task to perform in awarding the prizes, as the compe-
tition was very keen, but, nevertheless, their decisions
gave general satisfaction. In the hive department it is
a wonder to all how the hives could be produced at the
money asked for them. The principal makers who had
exhibits were Messrs. W. Coxon, of Ambaston; A.
Cooper, of Normanton ; C. Redsluiw, of South Wigston ;
S. Skermer, of Swanwick ; and Messrs. Turner & Son, of
Radeliffe-on-Trent. The bee-driving competition was of
the usual attractive character, and was as well patron-
ised as on former occasions. Mr. A. G. Pugh, of Amber-
gate, succeeded in finding the queen-bee in the short
space of two and a half minutes. The competition was
continued to the close of the second day. The show
itself was a great success, and excellent arrangements
were made for the comfort of all, which, to a great
degree, are due to the services of the Secretary, Mr.
W. T. Atkins. The price of honey this year is Is. 6d. a
pound, which is 6rf. a pound more than in previous years.
The awards were as follows : —
Class 2. — Foreign bees. —1, B. Skermer, Swanwick ;
2, B. S. Rawson, Selston. Class 3. — English bees. —
1, J. W. Rawson, Selston; 2, T. W. Jones, Etwall ; 3,
W. Handby, Hasland. Class 4. — Best, twelve sections. —
1, and silver medal of the British Bee-keepers' Association,
T. W. Jones, Etwell ; 2, Joseph Rowland, Holbrook ; 3,
John Stone, Little Cubley. Class 5. — Run honey (twelve
pounds). — 1, and certificate of the British Bee-keepers'
Association, J. Stone, Little Cubley ; 2, W. Haudbv,
Hasland ; 3, B. S. Rawson, Selston ; 4, W. Atkins ; 5,
H. Glover, Rodsley. Class 6.— Beeswax (one pound). —
1, W. Handby ; 2, J. Stone. Class 7.— Run honey (six
pounds). — 1, and bronze medal of the British Bee-keepers'
Association, T. Wilson, Ashover ; 2 and 3, R. Bridges
and J. R. Bridges, Harstoft, equal; 4, S. Hadfield,
Higham. Class 8. — Comb honey, open to all members,
1, and silver medal of the Derbyshire Bee-keepers'
Association, J. Stone, Little Cubley ; 2, T. Wilson,
Ashover ; 3, Joseph Rowland ; 4, S. Hadfield, Higham.
Class 9. — Beeswax (half a pound). — 1, J. W. Rawson;
2, S. Hadfield. Class 10. — Hive by amateurs. —
1, W. T. Atkins, North Street, Derby'. Class 11.—
Fifteen shilling frame-hive. — 1, W. Handby; 2, C.
Redshaw, South Wigston; 3, W. Coxon, Ambaston.
Class 12.— Frame-hive at 10s. 6<£— 1, W. Handby ; 2, C.
Redshaw; 3, W. Coxon. Class 13.— Supers.— 1, C.
Redshaw, South Wigston ; 2, Turner & Son, Radcliffe-
on-Trent. Class 14.— Extractors.— 1, W. Coxon; 2,
W. Handby. Class 15. — Collection of appliances. — 1,
W. Handby ; 2, A. Cooper, Normanton ; 3, W. Coxon.
Class 16. — Selling class. — 1, A. Cooper.
EAST STIRLINGSHIRE BEE AND HONEY
SHOW.
The annual show of above Sociery was held in the
Public Hall, Falkirk, on the 30th and 31st ult., in con-
nexion whli the Falkirk Flower Show. The entries for
honey in all the various classes were well contested.
The chief honours, as will be seen from prize-list, fell to
Mr. Wilson, Jun., Grahamstou, and also his father. Mr.
Wm. Sword exhibited the design 'Let Glasgow Flourish,'
which was much admired, and had it been sealed and
finished would have taken first place, the first-prize
design, of Mr. Wilson, Jun., being a wheel, well sealed
and finished throughout. The class for display of honey
was well represented. The judges were Mr. William
McNally, Glenluce, and Mr. D. Gordon, Tollcross, near
Glasgow, whose awards gave every satisfaction. Ap-
pended is prize-list, viz. : —
Observatory or unicomb-hive, stocked with bees and
their queen : 1, Wm. Wilson, Campfield Street ; 2, Wm.
Wilson, Gordon Terrace. Single super of flower-honey
in wood or straw, not less than 1(> lbs. : 1, W. Wilson,
Campfield Street; 2, W. Wilson, Gordon Terrace; 3,
Wm. B.Watson, Falkirk. Single super of flower-honey
in wood or straw, not less than 10 lbs. : 1, W.Wilson,
Campfield Street ; 2, W. Wilson, Gordon Terrace. Run
or extracted clover or flower-honey ; 1, W. Wilson,
September 13, 1888.]
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
453
Campfield Street ; 2, W. Wilson, Gordon Terrace ; 3,
W. Sword, Bonneyview. Display of honey: 1, W.
Wilson, Campfield Street (Silver Medal) ; 2, W. Wilson,
Gordon Terrace ; 3, Wm. Sword. Be3t super-honey,
above 20 lbs. ; 1, 2, and 3, Wm. Wilson, Grahamston.
Best super-honey, under 20 lbs. : 1 and 2, W. Wilson,
Grahamston; 3, Wm. Baird, Carron Lodge. Best
design in honeycomb : W. Wilson, Grahamston. Kun
honey, not less than 7 lbs. : 1, W. Wilson, Campfield
Street; 2, W. Wilson, Grahamston; 3, Wm. Sword,
Bonneyview. Best six sections : 1, W.Wilson, Campfield
Street; 2, W. Wilson, Grahamston; 3, Wm. Baird.
Wax, not less than 2 lbs.: 1, Wm. Sword; 2. W.
Wilson, Grahamston.
FLOWER SHOW AT STRATHPEFFEH,
ROSS-SHIRE, N.B.
The most northernly bee-show in Scotland came off in
the Large Pavilion of the now fashionable health-resort-
ing district of Strathpeffer. The flower show was also
held in the same hall. The place had been illuminated
at night, and a conversazione, promenade, and vocal
concert, took place in the evening. The show of flowers
and fruit, was very good, and considering the backward
season the honey staged for competition and sale was
very good, and found a ready sale at 1*. 6d., 2s., and
2s. 3d., in 1-lb. sections. The first prize for bees in an
observatory hive was awarded to Mr. J. II. Bisset, the
Sehoolhouse. It proved a great attraction during the
whole day, hundreds of young and old crowded around
it from morn till night, each as eager as at Glasgow to
get a glimpse of the queen. No extracted or run honey
was shown. The exhibition of section honey was an in-
teresting one. The entries were not numerous, but the
quality of the honey forwarded was considered to be
very satisfactory. The arrangements of the Hon. Secre-
tary (Mr. Baiu, Stafford Villa, Strathpeffer), who was
assisted by Mr. J. F. Macaulay, Castle Leod, as acting
Secretary, were efficiently carried out. The judges of
honey and bee-keeping were Mr. Ross, Stranraer, and
Mr. Reid, Balloan.
The prize list is as follows : — Best display of honey in
sections of 1 lb., 1£ lbs., 2 lbs., or all combined, total
weight to be under 20 lbs. — 1, Mr. David Morrison,
Leckmelm ; 2, Mr. W. Ross, Kinnahaird ; 3, Mr. John
Matheson, Contin. Best straw super, any weight. — 1,
Mr. A. Simpson, nurseryman, Dingwall ; 2, Mr. Kenneth
Mackenzie, Parkhill Cottage ; 3, Sir. Matheson, Contin.
Best straw super, heather honey. — Mr. Matheson. Best
glass super (special). — Mr. Morrison, Leckmelm. Best
2 lbs. of wax. — Mr. J. H. Bisset, Fodderty. Best
observatory or unicomb hive. — ,Mr. Bisset. Best col-
lection of bee-keeping appliances. — Mr. Hugh Fraser.
Best bar-frame hive of local (Koss-shire) make, to con-
sist of one-storey hive, with roof, floor-board, and section
crate, price not to exceed 10s. (Sd., and to be supplied to
members of society at that price. Special prize by Mr.
Raitt, Blairgowrie, of 5 lbs. brood comb foundation, with
1/. added by Society. — 1, Mr. Hugh Maclean, Marybank,
Muir of Ord ; 2, Mr. Hugh Fraser, Coul Wood Cottage,
Strathpeffer. Hive of last year's honey. — Mr. Hugh
Maclean, Marybank.
Mr. Grant, carpenter, showed a well-made double-
walled bar-frame hive of local make, and Messrs. Ross
& Co., ironmongers, Dingwall, exhibited a complete bar-
frame hive, with sections and feeders, and samples of
wax comb foundation. Samples of this hive can be
seen now on view in the Glasgow International Exhi-
bition, court 18, stall 5, viz., Steam Factory for Bee-
appliances, J. Ross, manager, Stranraer.
We are informed by experts that Strathpeffer, and
the surrounding district, on account of its salubrity and
other natural advantages, forms one of the best places
possible for the rearing of bees and the production of
honey. This is an industry much neglected in the
Highlands, but one which, capably managed, should
result in both pleasure and profit to those who engage in
it. A lecture, delivered in the Pavilion in July last
year, on ' The Humane Treatment of the Honey Bee,'
with illustrations and appliances, by Mr. James Ross,
Stranraer, and which had been favourably reported and
commented on by the local press, helped much to popu-
larise the subject of bee-culture, and create a demand for
bee-literature, which is now bearing fruit.
Corrcspanuciifx
The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to wiite on one side of
the paper only, and givo their full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
.dssociatt'ons, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
&c, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. Strangcicays and Sons, Toicer Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Hdckle, Kings Langlcy, Herts (sea
2nd page of Advertisement*. )
%,* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking oj
any letter or nuery previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
HONEY IMPORTS.
The value of honey imported into the United Kingdom
during the month of August, 1888, was 1305/. — G. Met-
calfe, Statistical Office, Sept. 5.
THE JEWS' APPRECIATION OF HONEY AT
THEIR FEASTS.
[1793.] I have often noticed at this season of the year
that there has beeu rather an unusual demand for honey
in the combs, the customers for the most part bearing
evidence of belonging to the Jewish persuasion. This
year there has been no diminution in this respect, and
our supplies (being rather limited, owing to the un-
favourable weather) have been largely drawn upon —
which lias led me to make inquiries into the cause of
this consumption of honey by the Jewish people, and I
find that it is on the occasion of the first day of their
new year. This occurred last Thursday, the 6th inst.,
beiug the first of the month — ' Tishri, 5049 ' — and as it
is a festival day, also the harvest season when most kinds
of produce have been gathered, the new fruit, &c, are
partaken of at mealtimes, because the opportunity admits
of the additional blessing being said before eating the new
ripe fruit. New honey with new apples makes an excellent
bon bouche, and is greatly appreciated on the occasion.
My informant tells me that observant Jews whenever
partaking of food always repeat a certain short blessing
of thankfulness, and an additional one when the fruit or
produce is the first of the season. Moreover, their
festivals are days of gladness as well as of prayer ; and
in what better way can people display their pleasure and
gratitude than by the sober enjoyment of the good things
in season, more especially by a community who are the
descendants of the inhabitants of ' a land flowing with
milk aud honey?' — Alfred Neighbour, Regent Street,
Se-i tember \0tli.
IN THE HUT.
' Oh, try no more those tedious fields,
Come taste the Bweets my feeder yields 1 '
[1794.] Thus do I apostrophise the only remaining
tenants of my bee-garden, the observation bees housed
within the hut. The view through the window is
somewhat like that from the Speaker's Gallery — it is a
question of empty benches, the other members are off to
454
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
the moors. Even there our ill-luck has accompanied us
the weather being what we term ' six to one.' Our poor
bees can only get food from hand to mouth; we are
consequently having to feed (the bees) at the heather — a
rather humiliating fact, I must admit ; and I can assure
you that the carrying a stone or so of sugar behind one
on a cycle for eight miles to a thousand feet elevation is
such a labour of love that we would be delighted to
change it for the more congenial task of bringing a box
of heather sections home downhill.
Dr. McPherson (Scottish Nights) is quoted by you,
page ;)U3, as stating that eucalyptus honey will not do
for Athol brose, as it will not dissolve in alcohol, and he
proceeds to give you the Scotch recipe for this true
Olympian nectar, a cure for a cold, thus : Equal quantities
of honey and whisky mixed together till the honey is
dissolved. I think if the Doctor had used the formula I
gave you some time ago, obtained at Blair Athol, i.e.,
equal parts of honey, cream, and whisky, he would find
the cream an excellent flux or emulsifierfor his obdurate
honey. Don't try eucalyptus honey, by the way, unless
you like to lick paint-brushes.
It is pleasant for the mind to wander hack to swarm-
ing time, so let me, although thus late, ' bang Banagker '
by assuring you that one of my neighbours hived a swarm
weighing 24j lbs. nett weight. Of course it was a mass
of bees formed by five or six swarms which had taken
it into their heads to throw in their lot together. My
friend assisted them by filling three large skeps, and
tiering three empty hives. lie threw in the lot together.
Speaking of tiering hives reminds me of a saying of
Fuller's, that, ' Often the cockloft is empty in those
whom Nature hath built many storeys high.' I only
apply this to the hives, bear in mind, so 1 hope the
Jerkes of that ilk won't come down with their thunder-
bolts about X-Tractor's head.
I am amongst those who believe the Combination
principle (not Oo-operative, ' A. E.!') is the best, and I
have been somewhat disgusted to find it condemned on
the ground that one cannot, when using frames parallel
with the entrance, tilt the hive up at the hack, so as to
allow moisture to run out of the hive door. This is not
correct, for when there is danger of comb being built
einoked, thai is, in the height of the season, the floor-
board may be tilted up a bit behind and the hire similarly
treated in front to the same degree, two bits of chip do
the lot and the frames are true. We thus get the
required ventilation, and I really don't see what moisture
is to run out at that time. As for winter and spring
work, the inclination may he given at the back only, for
the combs are then built and set.
With regard to martins and swallows feeding on bees,
the recent correspondence on this point seems to have
convinced two or three sceptical readers that if ' one
swallow does not make a summer' it often makes a
pretty successful spring.
In 'Jottings' by 'Amateur Expert,' Mr. Alley says,
' Only one kind of honey is stored in any otie cell.' This
is quite contrary to my experience. The honey I prefer
is heather mixed with fruit-blossom honey, and to obtain
this I keep partly filled sections, capped and uncapped,
in all stages, the cells are filled up the following
summer, and the trace of the heather can be distinctly
seen by its darker golden colour on being held up to the
light; besides the mixture can he seen and tasted. My
friend ' A. E.V microscopic test would not, I think, be a
sure one, foreign pollen-grains wander about all over the
place. Let me finish by giving you the latest reading
of Mill on's: —
' Linked sweetness, long drawn out.'
Mr. Cheshire tells us on page 96, ' the bee can sip a
Stream of nectar so fine that COO miles of it will, when
evaporated, store hut a 1-lb. section box.' It would also
fill the — X-Tractob.
THE COMBINATION PRINCIPLE.
[179o.] Perhaps some of your able correspondents will
kindly explain what is the Combination principle which
' C. N. A.' champions so strongly p Is it simply the
placing of frames parallel to the hive entrance, or is it
this in combination with a certain length of hive from
front to back, and without space or arrangements for a
second row of frames above p We were promised an
explanation in a pamphlet, hut though I have written
for it several times, it is not yet out. In the answers to
the query on this subject lately, it is quite plain that, the
Combination principle did not convey the same meaning
to all minds. It is quite true that storifying (or tiering)
is very old (as the hills p), and it has been long and
successfully used in Scotland, and is so yet, whatever
' C. N. A.' may say. It would be interesting to waken
out the 'Renfrewshire Bee-keeper' on this subject, as I
well remember how he praised tiering (?) in my hearing
years ago. The Americans coined the name, it is true,
but what of that ? It is not of much consequence what
name is used if the results are satisfactory. My own
hives are made with frames parallel to the entrance, but
all are capable of tiering, or storifying, or whatever
name it may go under. Are such hives Combination, or
are they not ? I must say the results are good anyhow.
There are a few more than Mr. Raitt who think that
the tiering system is being pushed to the front in the
south, hut it is a long time since it came first in use
hereabout. Speaking to an old bee-keeper near me a
few days ago, he pointed out an old hive in his stock
and said, ' The first queen which led a swarm into it
was an Italian, in the days when each cost about 10/.
That is some time ago, and yet the hive was a tiering
frame-hive, very simple, square, with short frame-
ends set in nicks in hive sides. Without plinths, or
other elaborate means to keep out the wet, it had suc-
cessfully been used year after year.' Is it not ' C. N. A.'
who has the new thing, and is trying to push it into
favour? Though ho has no interest in it, except that he
believes it to be a good thing, yet this is enough to make
him use strong language in its support ! Each likes his
own child best. Through all 'C. N. A.'s' writings there
runs the sentiment that tiering is a had system, and I
would respectfully ask him, How is it bad p It has been
found good in Scotland before his system of long hives
was in existence, and it is still largely supported here.
True, some use frames parallel and some at right angles
to hive entrance, but does that alter the tiering principle
at all ? The hives of the old bee-keeper mentioned had
been used both ways, and he was surprised when I
asked if it made any difference. He said 'No.' The
above has been penned in the hope that it will be clearly
explained wherein the two systems differ and diverge.
— Dunbar.
THE COMBINATION PRINCIPLE. (1780.)
[1790.] 1 am sorry not to be able to agree with Mr.
Abbott as to the advantage of having the frames in
hives parallel to the entrance. In advocating their use
I have no 'axe to grind,' or ' any friend to serve,' and I
should indeed be sorry to injure any one intentionally
by so doing. I, like Mr. Abbott, formerly designed
several hives for which I received medals. These hives
all had the frames at right angles to the entrance, and I
claim an equal right with Mr. Abbott to advocate the
principle I then adopted, and have since proved to my
own satisfaction to be the best, and therefore recommend
this system to others. 1 do not claim any originality
for this plan. ' The Stewarton hive," Major Munris hive,'
' Tlv! Langstroth hive,' ' 'J'/te Woodbury hive,' all had the
entrance at the end of the frames. In nearly all skeps
the combs are end on to the entrance, if the floor-hoard
is anything like level, or highest at the point opposite to
the entrance. I have taken up a good number of skeps
September 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
55
in my time, and have found when this rule- is departed
from by the bees, the floor-board slants from one side to
the other across the entrance, and the combs are built
longitudinally with the fall, and this is one additional
reason for raising the hive at the back that the combs
may hang in the manner the bees prefer. In a hive
without frames they will always commence to build
from the highest point.
It would be interesting if those who are about to take
up skeps of condemned bees would carefully notice the
position of combs to entrance and see if they cannot
account for any variation from the general rule and
report to the Bee Journal.
Does Mr. Abbott claim to be the originator of the
parallel-frames principled It would, I think, be in-
teresting to many of your readers if he will explain both
the combination system and the way he works his hive
also.
Mr. Abbott says, ' I beg leave to thank you for the
honour you have done me(?) in your recognition of the
principles involved by inviting opinions on the relative
value of frames parallel with and at right angles to hive
entrances, and to express deep satisfaction with the con-
sensus of opinion set forth thereon. Out of eleven
prominent bee-keepers replying to Query No. 22 on the
subject, only a very small minority favour the right-
angled system.'
I cannot allow this statement as to the small minority
in favour of the right-angled frames to pass without
comment. There are live who express a decided opinion
in favour of right-angled frames, namely, Mr. Haynor,
Mr. Howard, Mr. Edey, Mr. Tom Sells, and myself. For
the parallel frames, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Beswick, and Air.
Wood, making three who express an unqualified prefer-
ence for the latter. Mr. Woodley says he has hives
with frames both ways, and tinds no difference as to the
well-being of the bees, but prefers the latter for working.
Mr. E. Ball and Mr. John Walton think it does not
matter one way or the other. I may mention two well-
known bee-keepers who have also expressed their
opinion in print in favour of the right-angled frame,
namely, Mr. Broughton-Oarr and Mr. liaitt.
Mr. Abbott goes on to quote what I say: — 'The
majority of most advanced bee-keepers, both here and
in America, use hives with frames at right angles to the
entrance.' I am still of this opinion, which is confirmed,
I think, by the answers to the following question in
'Gleanings:' — 'Do you prefer the entrance at the end
of the frame f Why?' There are eighteen answers.
Twelve prefer the entrance at the end of the frames, and
six think it makes no difference, and some of these use
as many frames one way as the other. I copy some of
the answers : —
' This is much debated in Europe, because the Berlepsch
Hive has the entrance on the side. We prefer the Lang-
stroth way, because it gives the bees and the air access to
all the combs readily. Besides, we can slant the hive for-
ward, for the escape of moisture, debris, &c, without caus-
ing the frames to hang out of the perpendicular line. —
Dabant & Sons.'
' I do. To assist the bees in getting out with a worm,
when they get one by the collar, the hive should be tilted
forward ; and this will not do when the combs ruu cross-
wise, or is it because I'm a Yankee, and the " stupid
Britiihers" all use side entrances? — E. E. Hasty.'
' We like to have the bottom-board slope slightly towards
the entrance, then rain or melting snow will run out in-
stead of in. If a hive does not stand level, then it ought
to slant lengthways of the frames, otherwise they do not
hang square with the hive. — W. Z. Hutchinson.'
' Yes; because I can tip the hive, making the entrance
lowest, aiding the bees in keeping the hive clean. Besides,
it is more natural for them to climb up than down or on a
level. Ifthe frames run c.csswise, you can't tip the hive
toward the entrance without throwing the frame out of the
desirable vertical position. — James HenDON.'
' The Dzierzon method favours the so-called " warm-
frame arrangement" i.e., the brood-frames hanging cross-
wise of the entrance. I prefer the so-called " cold-frame
arrangement," that is, the entrance at the ends of the
brood-frames, because any part of the brood chamber is of
easier access to the bees. Besides, practical results have
proved Langstroth's arrangement superior to Dzierzon's. —
Chab. P. Mute.'
' Yes. The bees have more ready access to all tin- combs
as they enter. The brood-nest can be more desirably con-
tracted with combs in this position. Ventilation, witli :i
proper entrance, can be made more thorough. It is also
often very desirable to have the hive stand so that the front
is lowest, without throwing the combs out of their perpen-
dicular position. — L. C. Root.'
' Yes. Well, perhaps because it is the fashion, and I never
tried any other way. At least, that's the principal reason.
I suppose it allows a better chance for ventilation, and for
ready access to all parts of the hive. — C. C. Miller.'
' Yes, for one particular reason. The hive should always
be tipped towards the entrance, to allow water to run out
of, and not into the hive, as well as for other reasons, and
the combs will not be built true in the frames if they are
tipped sidewise. — 0. A. Poppleton.'
' Well, friends, this is pretty good. We can rest satisfied
that it does not make any difference about the amount of
honey stored, whether bees go into the hive sidewise or
endwise; but so far as aiding the bees in house-cleaning,
expelling intruders, Ac. , is concerned, the endwise doorway
offers best facilities. It seems, also, as if an entrance, full
width of the hive, with combs running endwise, must oiler
the bees better facilities for perfect ventilation. — A. I.
Boot.'
I should not have presumed to have occupied so much
of your valuable space, but my name was referred to
in such a way I felt bound to reply, at tin- same time I
can assure Mr. Abbott I have not the least unfriendly
feeling towards him or his Combination hive, but I much
prefer the more modern production of the Southall estab-
lishment, ' Tho Gayton Hive.' — John M. Hooker.
LESSONS AND EXPERIENCES.
[1797.] I notice with pleasure the opportunities you
continually afford to novices for expressing their opinions,
ami for seeking advice from yourself and your experienced
correspondents. I therefor.' take the opportunity of
giving my small experience, and I intend in future, with
your permission, to become a contributor to your
columns whenever anything comes under my observa-
tion likely to be of interest to those renders of my own
limited knowledge in bee matters. For my own part, I
read with great int. rest, and learn much practical know-
ledge, from the communications of your inexperienced
correspondents. 1 takeit, that this is a very general feeling
among the uninitiated for the reason that those elemen-
tary difficulties are brought under observation which are
apt to be overlooked by more advanced masters of tho
art. But to the subject ! My experience only begins as
from the year before last, when I bought a stock in a
straw hive at some little distance from my residence,
making my first mistake by doing this in the middle of
the summer. The hive was brought by rail, and when
it .arrived (late at night) I found that, after it had been
standing in my garden a little while (upside down), there
was something wrong. There was a great buzzing, and
on making our examination I found that the cloth over
tlie opening had somehow got disarranged and that the
bees were out, and, I feared, •on the war-path.' The
hoe iy 1 also found was flowing freely from the hive.
However, we got the hive on a. stand in the garden the
right way up, and left them till morning.
The next day I obtained the assistance of a local ex-
pert, and on arriving at the scene of operation., we found
matters in a dreadful state, the combs all broken down,
and the bees, as the expert described it, 'all over the
456
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
shop.' Much to my dismay he took his coat off, rolled
up his sleeves, and, lighting his smoker, went to work.
I viewed his operations from a safe distance in wonder. I
had provided a bar-frame hive, and after much trouble
the combs were got in something like order, and tied
into four of the frames with tape, and the hive adjusted.
The smoker was again brought into requisition, and most
of the bees seemed eventually to settle down in their
new quarters, not, however, without giving the ' expert '
something for his trouble. He said the reason of this
was that there were bees from other hives present
sharing the spoil of spilt honey. He did not succeed in
finding the queen, and had grave doubts as to her
majesty having survived the general wreck. We took
a nice lot of comb-honey from the old hive, left the
remnants for the bees to clean out, and departed.
On going to view the scene of operations next" day,
matters appeared to my uninitiated view to be pro-
gressing satisfactorily. Being advised to leave things
in statu quo for some time, I did so for a week or two,
till I became convinced that everything was not going on
as satisfactorily as I at first thought — very few bees
going in and out at the entrance. An examination was
then determined on, with the result that not a vestige of
brood was visible, and the suspicion as to her majesty's
non-existence became a certainty.
A friend of mine who had just superseded a three-
year-old queen offered her to me, and I gladly accepted
his offer. We introduced her under the quilt late one
night, and again waited on events. I did not see the hive
again for a week or two. Here, however, I had made
mistake number two. I had left the. entrance wide
open, with the result that when the next examination
took place ruin and desolation were disclosed. It was,
indeed, a city of the dead. Deserted combs ; not a drop
of honey ; dead brood, sealed and in all stages : robbing,
murder, and pillage, had evidently been rampant, and
your humble servant was beeless. The only thing I had
for my money and trouble was experience.
The morals learnt were: — 1. Never buy a straw skep
after the early spring months. 2. Examine a hive
shortly after a transfer to ascertain if the queen is
safe. 3. In the autumn never leave the door of a
weak stock wide open.
I purpose, in future numbers, to give some of my
further experiences and lessons learnt if you, Mr. Editor,
consider them sufficiently interesting for the general
body of your readers. — H. P.D.
[We shall be pleased to hear of your further ex-
periences.— Ed.]
BEES IN MALTA.
[1708.] A passing good season. It is my first, and all
my stocks are very weak and in bad condition; irre-
gular combs, &c, which had to be replaced, and the time
almost all taken up in getting them right. However, I
have learnt a thing or two.
First of all, as regards the position of frames. I don't
think the bees care which way they rest, but I do. My
hives are double where the shoulders rest, and single
on the other two sides. If the entrance is through the
double side, there is, of course, a kind of tunnel, whereas,
if cut on the single side, there is only the thickness of
the wood. And wherever this is the case, the bees have
built a barricade across, beautifully loopholed, and gene-
rally secured to the first frame. So no more single
fronted hives for me, unless made with a tunnel.
The native bees are frightful robbers, and this is pro-
bably a precaution against the enemy.
I have been much puzzled over one hive, fairly strong,
aud yet without a scrap of stores, while the rest are
pretty well off. But the B. B. J. of the 30th August
opened my eyes by letter (1770) on Robbing, and on
searching I found two large cracks in floor-board. Robbing
made easy.
Hornets are a trouble, and as they build in the loose
rubble walls, and not underground, are difficult to dis-
lodge. I found a nest just outside my garden, and morn-
ing and evening I pay them a visit, armed with a butterfly
net, and catch them as they come in and out. The first
evening my bag was 63 ; next morning, 20 ; evening, 38 ;
and yesterday only 16. Now I shall plaster up.
QUEEN INTRODUCTION.
CARNIOLANS v. ITALIANS.
[1799.] I was pleased to note the letter from Mr.
Pond in a late issue, giving particulars of his method
of queen-introduction. During the last five weeks I
have introduced no less than twenty-six queens in my
own apiary. And all except one on the direct method.
In this way : — Some time during the day examine hive
for queen and cells, all of which must be removed ; then,
in the evening, when all is quiet, either let the alien
queen run in at entrance, or raise the dummy-board a
little and let her run in there ; close all up again quietly
and leave them at least three days. I have even done
this in the middle of the day in a few instances, and
have had only one failure.
All through this year I have had Carniolans, Italians,
and Blacks running side by side, and, without exception,
the Carniolans have done the best, both for breeding and
activity (among the workers). I believe Italians — when
pure — are very gentle, but do not equal the Carniolans.
They are not so hardy, and do not keep combs so white
and clean as Carniolans. A cross between a Carniolan
drone and Italian queen is very good, also between Car-
niolan drone and black queen ; but of the two I prefer
the latter. If 'Sherborne' will try this he will have
no difficulty — under good management — in having forty
frames covered with bees at the beginning of June.
The season here, like in other places, is a complete
failure. In transferring several stocks from straw hives
to bar-frames, I have found the great majority entirely
without food, and some of the bees fall off the combs
quite exhausted.
I will ask opinions on a freak these have done. A
friend of mine here (an old bee-keeper) made up a
nucleus for the purpose of giving an Italian queen-cell.
After giving three or four frames of hatching-brood,
with adhering bees from other hives, he inserted queen-
cell. All went on all right for a week, when, on opening,
he found them short of food ; so taking a frame two
inches wide containing food from the back of another
hive, he placed it at back of this one. Two or three
days later he opened the hive, and found four queen-cells
started on this frame. Now where did the eggs come
from, as they were not in the frame when putting it in,
and the young queen had got lost? — Chas. Howes,
Cottingham.
REPLY TO EAST GLAMORGAN (1766).
[1800.] I did not intend troubling you with the
explanation 'East Glamorgan,' alias 'Welsh Novice,'
asked for in your issue of August 23rd, 1888, because I
felt that anything I could say would not be of sufficient
interest to your numerous readers to warrant my asking
you for room in your very instructive Journal, but as
Mr. E. J. Gibbins, of Neath, has been kind enough to
show ' East Glamorgan ' that it is possible for fifty-eight
pounds of honey to be gathered in six days, where there
is a good honey flow, and that from blackberries.
Although ' E. G.' says Navigation is a poor place for bees
to get honey, Mr. William Gay, the Glamorganshire bee
expert, says he never saw a better place, or bees do better
than mine have, taking all things into consideration
September 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
457
' E. G.' cannot know much about Navigation, or he would
be aware that we have, close to our apiary, one wood
about two miles long, and half a mile wide, where tons of
blackberries and wild raspberries are collected most years.
There is also a good supply of other honey-producing
flowers coming on in rotation, from 'the blue-bells to
heather.' The atmospheric conditions of late have quite
puzzled me, so I will say no more on that point, but
leave it to 'E. G.'s' fertile brain to solve. Now about
feeding ; I have not had occasion to feed at all since the
spring, and then not very much ; some of my sections are,
and have been on sale at Pontypridd : and if ' E. G,' would
purchase a few, he would, perhaps, be able to tell whether
pure or not, but then I don't think he would — I have
just thought about the way be hefted or lifted the frame
without first removing the quilt. Well, I hope ' East
Glamorgan ' will not try to discourage a young beginner
again, and that he will, in future, give his name, we shall
then, perhaps, be able to judge whether he knows any-
thing about bee-keeping or not. He may be a very clever
man, and have a large well-managed apiary, or he may
be a ' duffer,' who can tell ? I forgot to say before that
it was honey and not brood that my frames contained.
I know the difference (dear) 'E. G.,' if only by the taste.
I have sent you a section per parcels post, Mr. Editor,
perhaps jou will kindly say whether it is pure or not ;
and if such rare quality is a treat to you, you have only
to say so, and I shall be pleased to send you a dozen or
so. — A. H. Sims, Navigation, Treharris, R.S.O., Glamor-
ganshire.
[We have received the section, for which thanks. There
can be no doubt as to the purity of the honey. It is of
good quality and exquisite flavour ; it is the best we have
tasted this season. We are much obliged by our corres-
pondent's generous intentions, but would respectfully
prefer not to avail ourselves of his kind favour. — Ed.]
PERCENTAGES.
[1801.] Percentages, if rightly considered, play a
most important part in practical bee-keeping, for we
have it almost generally agreed that a very small
percentage of sections is spoilt by the queen when no
excluder is used above the brood nest, and that the
hindrance to the bees is far in excess of any advantage
gained by the use of the excluder.
Another interesting question is, What percentage of
hives swarm under any non-swarming system ? My ex-
perience is, that by tiering up, and giving plenty of
room, not more than three per cent will swarm. Con-
sequently, in an apiary of six hives we shall probably
have only one swarm in five years ; and, therefore, it is
not worth watching during the swarming season for five
years ; or reckoning for each year thirty days of six
hours each, making an average of 900 hours watching for
a single swarm. Truly the game is not worth the candle.
Now, I should like to ask some of your correspondents
what their own and knowledge of others' experience, Is
the average percentage of stocks lost during winter to be
attributed solely to the absence of winter passages through
the combs ? I am strongly inclined to believe we should
find in that case also the trouble in excess of results. I
have watched the Journal tor years, and read most of our
' leading lights,' and yet not seen an explanation of the
' reason why ' able to convince me that it has any actual
advantage over the Hill's device, or any similar arrange-
ment giving a passage over the frames and under the
quilts. — Honeysuckle.
The Bee and the Honeymoon. — The wedding dress
of the Princess Letitia, who is shortly to be married to
her uncle, the Duke of Aosta, is to be embroidered with
bees, the emblem of the house of Bonaparte. No doubt
the ' going away ' costume of this young lady, who has
made so singular a choice in the selection of a husband,
will also include n bee— in her bonnet.— Punch,
(JfoJKtcs fnmt % jjtbxs,
Cottingham, September 3rd. — Season here an entire
failure. Everybody feeding. What honey has been
gathered was all consumed long ago. Many cottagers
will doubtless lose all their bees during the next winter
either through ignorance or carelessness.— Oh as. Howes.
North Siding, Yorkshire. — The heather season now is
a complete failure. From the time the hives went to
the moors, three weeks ago, there has never been a single
day fit for honey gathering. Numbers of bees have
already succumbed to the weather. Considering the
terrible summer the bees have had to contend with, and
having been transferred to the moorland without the
least particle of honey in the hives, and not having been
able to be fed, the prospect is that bees in this part of
the country must, ere next spring, be all but extinct.
There is yet the forlorn hope of what is termed the
' gleanings,' should the weather hold fine for five or six
days longer, and with good feeding after their return
from the moors, a few hives may still be pulled through
the winter. Mr. Charles Trueman, a large bee-keeper,
who recently took thirty hives to the moors in fair con-
dition, and fed up to the time of going, informs our
correspondent that during the first seven days they were
located on the uplands some two or three hives died off,
and that it is with the greatest difficulty that the others
can eke out a bare existence. The present season has
been exceptionally unfavourable, as the bees, so far, have
not succeeded in making honey during the summer, and
there is now little or no prospect of any autumn
gathering. — Yorkshire Post, September 7th.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and r.jWies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot ahcays be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt of ttieir communication.
W. Goodall. — Sugars. — No. 3 sample is the best quality
sugar, and would be the most suitable for making
syrup. The other sugars would also be serviceable
for this purpose.
A. Tubkington.— 1. The 'Improved Ray nor Pipe Cover
Queen Cage' is always kept in stock by Messrs.
Neighbour. We believe Mr. Meadows, Syston,
Leicester, also supplies it. 2. Introducing Queen. —
Yes, but the earlier done the better. The ' direct '
method might be tried. 3. Queenless Stock. — Give
them a queen.
J.J. B. — Queen-piping. — It is generally known that
young queens pipe whilst yet in the cell, in answer, it
is supposed, to a young queen hatched out and about
to lead off a second swarm, but your experience of a
young queen piping in the broad daylight is novel.
You say, ' she was traversing the comb like a mature
bee.' We think she ran about challenging any prob-
able unhatched queen, and had she received a response
would have made for the queen-cell to tear it open.
Young queens seem ready for business much sooner
than workers. This summer we assisted several young
queens out of their cells and put them together at once
under a tumbler, one queen killing two rivals in less
than ten minutes from their first appearance into day-
light. ' Had there been a mature queen in the hive '
it is probable she would have prevented the young
queen you speak of coming forth. As to the produc-
tion of the sound of piping, you are in error in saying
Mr. Cheshire does not allude to it in his book, see
p. 166, Vol. H. ; and if you read a paper on the ' Vocal
Organs of Bees,' p. 34, Vol. XV., B.B.J., and the
Editorial remarks, p. 561, Vol. XV., you will, perhaps,
agree with Mr. Landois and ourselvs, that such toneg
458
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 13, 1888.
are produced by the vocal apparatus (spiracles and
wings) the natural complement of the auditory organs
bees are known to possess'.
M. Gbeen. — Doubtful Queen. — If the eggs you saw
eventually hatch and are capped over on a level with
the surrounding comb then the queen is fertile, if on
the other hand the capping? project like domes then
she is a drone-breeder.
H. W. Hotvland. — Foul Brood. — The largest piece of
comb is very badly infected. Can you put the bees on
to fresh comb at once ; if not you will lose them ?
Burn old combs and feed on phenolated syrup quickly.
The smaller piece is not quite so bad.
J. T. T. — 1. Sugar. — Both No. 1 and No. 2 appear good
sugars, but impress on your grocer you must have
pure cane sugar only. 2. Salicylic Acid. — No. 2 has
the better appearance.
W.— Suspicious Comb. — This is chilled brood only.
J. H. P. — Foul Brood. — Feed with phenolated syrup as
detailed in last B. B. J.
E. C. Pressland. — Queenless Colonies. — Such a strange
disappearance of every queen from your seven stocks
would be inexplicable. We should very much doubt
the correctness of the conclusions you have arrived at
as to condition (queenless) of your colonies. At this
season of the year, and having so little stores, queens
have ceased breeding, but where colonies have been
fed breeding is still going on. No doubt you over-
looked the queens ; they more easily escaping your
notice from the fact of your being under the impression
at time of examination that they were not present.
E. BoGNon. — 1. Transferring. — The season being now far
advanced, and the weather unpropitious, it would be
desirable to defer the transferring to the spring; then
let the stock swarm, and twenty-one days after the
the operation of transferring and straightening the
combs may take place. 2. Sugar. — Crushed sugar
does not resemble granulated in appearance. Granu-
lated is that which is indicated by the word, being in
the form of granules. Crashed sugar is, however,
suitable for making syrup.
Inexperienced. — Missing (}ueens. — It is very possible
that all the queens of the condemned bees have been
killed ; but it is desirable that you should have ocular
demonstration of this. If such should be the case, a
new queen should lie provided, or unite.
C. II. — In a fair season, with good surroundings, with
tin' best hives and advanced management, with the
experience of a practical bee-keeper, and with the
requisite time to devote to the superintendence of your
bees, we eon.-ider that the average of each of your
hives should reach 100 lbs. But with the high position
you occupy in the bee-keeping world — as the hon.
secretary of an important district, and as the promoter
of a Bee Company — we submit, without any affecta-
tion of humility, that your ability to reply to your
own question is far superior to ours, the more
especially as we admit but little knowledge of your
locality.
Capt. ('.- The report of the BiiiTty B.K.A. has not come
to hand. A few replies ore postponed to vert issue.
business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Eoad, Bristol.
Bakek, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Eoad, Gloucester.
Edey * Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hotchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins' Bee Company, Limtd., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTIOE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Oo., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may bo obtained of all loral Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDRED, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M.. 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER. W. B., Muskham, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley. Kent.
BLOW. T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY. W.,Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. JN, Wensum Street, Norwich.
RDDKLN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
J
^4£
^k^k.
the:
British
^±5^^=
Communications to the Editor to be addretied • Stranoeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 326. Vol. XVI.]
SEPTEMBER 20, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Stohorial, flolitts, #t.
REV. L L. LANGSTROTH.
It was not our intention to recur to the Langs-
troth Fund, or to the circumstances which originated
it, except in due time to report on the amount of
subscriptions received, and their transference to
the promoters of the Fund in America ; but having
just received from Mr. Thomas B. Reynolds, of
Dayton, 0., a photograph of the Rev. L. L. Langs-
troth, we have a sincere pleasure in directing to it
the attention, not only of those who have subscribed
to the Fund, but also of those who have made the
acquaintance of the reverend gentleman through
his most fascinating and instructive book, The J lire
ant! the Honey Bee. The photograph is a full-
length, cabinet size, and gives a good idea of the
general appearance and intelligent countenance of
one who still retains so many admirers and friends
in both hemispheres. It gives us much pleasure to
note that, though long past the allotted threescore
years and ten, and though for many years he has
passed through much physical suffering, ho con-
tinues to look so hearty and well, and it would
appear as if many years were still iu prospect before
' the grand old man ' is called away from our midst.
The name of the Rev. L. L. Langstroth has for so
many years been ' a household word ' with bee-
keepers, that we feel assured that many will feel
inclined to indulge in the enjoyment of being able
to look into that calm, intelligent, and benevolent
face which is now presented to them.
We feel a spirit of gratitude pervading our hearts
that we have been permitted to look, as it were,
upon his living presence. Our memory passes
back to that sentence which well-nigh thirty years
ago he penned: 'Debarred to a great extent by
ill-health from the appropriate duties of my pro-
fession, and compelled to seek an employment
calling me as much as possible into the open air,
I cherish the hope that my labours in an im-
portant department of Rural Economy may prove
serviceable to the community.' Truly, whatever
loss there may have been to his fellow-men in his
inability to follow his high and holy calling, there
has been a clear, and a great, and an abiding
gain to the bee-keeping world ; and we are ready
to subscribe to that which his friend, the Rev.
Dr. Robert Baird, said of him : ' He well deserves
the name of Benefactor ; — infinitely more so than
many who in all countries and in all ages have
received that honourable title.' And how feel-
ingly Mr. Langstroth directs the attention of those
of his own profession to the study of the economy
of the honey bee : ' The attention of Ministers of
the Gospel is particularly invited to this branch of
Natural History. An intimate acquaintance with
the Bee-Hive, while beneficial to them in many
ways, might lead them in their preaching to imitate
more closely the example of Him who illustrated
His teachmgs by " the birds of the air, and the
lilies of the field," as well as the common walks of
life and the busy pursuits of men.'
The 'old man eloquent ' is still with us, and his
voice is ever and anon heard in the exercise of his
sacred calling. It was but a very short time since
— only a few months ago — that this good man
visited Mr. James Heddon, of Dowagiac, Mich.
Mr. Heddon says : ' Nearing eighty years of age,
and not iu the enjoymeut of very robust physical
health, I was astonished to find his mental powers
as young and vigorous as those of a man of middle
age.' On this occasion he preached in the Congre-
gational Church, and Mr. Heddon proceeds to say :
' I think I may safely say that many years have
passed away since our city has been honoured with
such beneficent and well-delivered sermons. His
voice is round, full, and melodious, fully equal to
four times the capacity of any church iu the city.'
We can only breathe a hope that one whom bee-
keepers have learned to love and reverence may
long lie spared to us.
Our advertisement columns will inform our
readers how they may become possessors of the
photograph of this friend of bee-keepers. Half of
the cost of the photograph will go to increase the
Langstroth Fund — a fund which we trust will be
found sufficient to assist in providing for the neces-
sities of the declining years of one whom all bee-
keepers will long continue to hold in loving memory,
not only as an apicultural inventor, or the author
of the Hive and the Honey Bee, but also as one who
has furnished us with a living and pleasant link
with our American brethren.
460
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
VISIT OF MR. T. B. BLOW TO AMERICA.
Mr. T. B. Blow, of Welwyn, Herts, has long since de-
sired to visit the bee-men of America. He lias taken
passage in the S. S. ' City of Rome,' which left
Liverpool on the 19th. He will proceed direct through
to Watertown, Wisconsin, where he has some business
to transact with Messrs. Lewis & Co. Afterwards he
proposes visiting Mr. D. A. Jones at Toronto, Canada,
and as many of the principal bee-men of the United
States as express a desire to be visited by him. His
knowledge of the bees of Europe and the East, gained by
personal visits to the habitats of these races, should
make a visit from him desirable by most of our enter-
prising friends of America.
USEFUL HINT.
Robbing. — With the greatest possible emphasis we
say, Beware of robbing. Filling up feeders should be
done in the evening, and the feeders should be carefully
covered. Sacks, or any old material, will do. Where
large feeders and rapid feeding are used, it is most
necessary to prevent the scent of the food escaping,
and in this time of starvation bees are especially prone
to robbing. Wasps also are getting very troublesome,
and worry the bees. Entrances must be contracted, and
great care must be taken that not a drop of syrup is
spilled about the hives, and let there be no leakage from
th>' feeders. If we get a month's fine, bright weather
(as we all hope we may) robbing during rapid feeding
will be a source of great danger.
A HINT FROM RUSSIA.
A new departure in girls' schools is being tried in
Russia, countenanced and aided by the State. A lady
has opened in a village near Kief a school where girls of
the lower classes will be instructed in such branches of
petite culture as women can profitably attend to, from
market-gardening to bee-keeping. The school is to re-
ceive a yearly grant in aid of 1500 roubles. ' Rural
School Boards in England,' says the St. James's Gazette,
' might perhaps take tho idea into serious consideration.
The wives and mothers of a future generation of British
husbandmen would probably find a practical knowledge
of dairy-farming and poultry-keeping even more useful
than the arts and sciences they are now encouraged, if
not required, to study.' — The Schoolmaster, August Wth.
[To this we would add bee-keeping. — Ed.]
X
BOKHARA CLOVER.
My friend and neighbour, Mr. Hatherley Wood,
as called my attention to a bee plant, which has
not been noticed, I believe, in the columns of the
Bee Journal for many years — I mean, Bokhara Clover.
The seeds of this particular kind of clover were given
him by a friend who brought them from America — he
thinks they came from the United States. The plant is,
in his opinion, particularly valuable as a cover (or
covert ?) for game of all kinds if care is taken not to sow
the seeds too closely. It provides good covert in winter
with its dry stalks as well as in summer, for it is well
known that some kind of game are very partial to dry
stalks when seeking concealment.
Sown in March or April, the plant rises the first
year to the height of five or six feet, but does not bloom
to any extent until the second year, when it grows, in
good ground, to ten feet and upwards. The bloom this
year did not appear until August, but July is the usual
month, and the bloom is said to last for several weeks.
The flowers of the clover grown by my friend are white,
but, curiously enough, there is one plant at some dis-
tance from the others which has spikes of yellow
'flowers. The seeds, Mr. Wood tells me, have ripened
from below rather than from above. One very valu-
able feature about this clover is that rabbits will not
attack it.
Mr. William Carr gives an interesting account of this
plant in the Bee Journal of May 1st, 1877. He calls it
the yellow and white Bokhara clover (Melilotus Leucan-
tha and M. albus a/tisonus) ; but in Miller's Dictio?iarg
of English Names of Plants (Murray, 1884) we have as
follows : ' Melilotus alba, Bokhara clover, Cabul clover,
while Melilot ; Melilotus leucantlia, Bokhara clover.'
Mr. Carr adds the following details : ' Bees collect honey
from this plant of a beautiful light colour and fine
flavour. The tap roots of this plant go to a great depth
in the earth, so it is well adapted for barren hills, steep
hill-sides, and broken ground generally, as they can well
withstand a drought. The plant, after flowering, seeds
and dies. There are about 1800 seeds in one ounce.'
Mr. Cowan informs me that the seed could easily be
obtained from Denmark, but, no doubt there is a good
supply already in England. I may add that, to my
mind, it hardly seems worth while to plant Bokhara (or
Cabul) clover, where the space is limited; but when
there is ample room, and cover for game is an object, as
well as food of the finest quality for bees, then this
very handsome plant shoutd not be forgotten. — E.
Baiitrum, D.D., IVakes Coble Mectorg, Essex:
A REPORT OF SOME EXPERIMENTS IN
APICULTURE.
To the Commission Ens of Agriculture.
By N. W. M'Lain.
The study of some forms of disease to which bees are
subject, including an inquiry into the cause* of disease
and the discovery and application of suitable remedies,
has occupied much time, and the results from this line
of investigation have been, in a good degree, successful
and satisfactory.
The excellent classification and complete history which
have been given of the micro-parasitical forms which
affect the life and health of bees simplify diagnosis and
facilitate the discovery and application of preventives
and cures. Modern science has shown that it is often
necessary to unlearn much of what was supposed to
have passed beyond the region of doubt. The subject
in hand furnishes no exception. It is not strange that
there should be confusion and errror in dealing with the
origin and habits of these micro-organisms which baffle
the skill of the investigator. We are now collecting
and tabulating data, and testing theories in the crucible
of experience ; and while our investigations are incom-
plete, and many seemingly determined facts lack full
confirmation, and while significant manifestations await
interpretation, we must be slow in reaching conclusions.
We may indeed be in the region of the knowledge we
seek after, but we must hold the evidence under survey
until many-sided experience fully determines its value.
Bacillus Altei (Cheshire).
This disease, commonly, but inappropriately, called
foul brood, is indigenous in all parts of the United
States, and is infectious and virulent to the last degree.
Concerning the origin of Bacillus and other allied or-
September 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
461
ganisms, but little is certainly known, but that the
orgauism classified as Bacillus alvei is the active agent
in the destruction of both bees and brood is certain, for
this agent is always present, and although its action in
the living organism is exceeding complicated it is also
well defined.
The symptoms of this disease may be more clearly
described by contrasting the appearance of bees, brood,
and combs in a healthy colony with the diagnostic
symptoms attending Bacillus alvei. The bees act as if
discontented and discouraged ; the combs commonly
present a dingy, neglected, and untidy appearance, and
a characteristic odour is present, sometimes not notice-
able until the hive-cover is removed, at other times
offensive at some distance from the hive. This odour is
very like that emitted from glue which has been pre-
pared for use, then put aside and allowed to ferment.
Instead of the plump, white, smooth appearance common
to healthy uncapped larvoe, the membranes, more or less
wrinkled and shrunken, are streaked with yellow, which,
with the succeeding stages of the disease, changes into a
dingy, grey brown; then, as putrefaction follows, the
colour becomes a dirty red brown. As evaporation
progresses the mass Bettlea to the lower side of the cell,
and if the head of a pin be drawn through the mass,
that which adheres appears quite stringy and elastic, the
trachea} and tougher tissues resisting decay adhering to
the cell. Later, nothing remains but a black, Hat scale
on the lower side near the bottom of the cell, if the
disease does not assume the acute form before the pupa
stage the brood is capped over, but the cell cap, c m-
monly of a darker colour than that covering a healthy
brood, settles, leaving the cover concave instead of flat
or convex ; and shortly small holes appear, as if inquiry
had been instituted to learn the condition of the occu-
pant, or to liberate the gases and odour and facilitate
evaporation. Torn and ragged cell-caps are frequent,
and some cells may be empty and cleansed; and in the
midst of ragged and sunken caps a live bee may
occasionally emerge.
The means by which these deadly agents are com-
monly introduced into the hive and into tin' bodies of
their victims has not bet n certainly determined. Prof.
Frank R. Cheshire, F.L.S., F.R.M.S., to whom we are
indebted for the classification of this species of Bacillus,
and also for much that is valuable concerning its life,
history, and pathogenic character, speaking of the means
of propagating this disease, says (see Bees and Bee-keep-
ing, vol. ii. pp. \?>7 , lfi8. London, 1888): —
' My strong opinion is, that, commonly, neither honey
nor pollen carry the disease, but that the feet and
antennae of the bees usually do. It is also extremely
likely that spores are carried in the air and taken in by
the indraft set up by the fanners. There will be no
difficulty in this supposition when it is remembered that
the organisms are so minute that a cubic inch of material
would form a quadruple line of them from London to
New York.'
My own experience and observation is in agreement
with this last proposition, as witness the following para-
graph from my report of last year (see Report of U. S.
Entomologist, 1886, p. 587) : —
' That the contagion may sometimes be borne from
hive to hive by the wind appears to be true, as it was
observed in one of the apiaries which I treated for this
disease during the past summer, that of a large number
of diseased colonies in the apiary, with the exception of
two colonies, all were located to the north-east of the
colony in which the disease first appeared. The pre-
vailing wind had been from the south-west.'
Mr. Cheshire says further (page as above):— 'The bee-
keeper is, unfortunately, almost compelled to become
himself a probable cause of infection. His hands, made
adhesive by propolis, carry the spores of bacilli, and so
may transfer them even hours later, to healthy hives.
The clothes should be kept, a9 far as practicable, from
contact with suffering colonies, and the hands, after
manipulating them, should be disinfected by washing
with a weak solution of mercuric chloride (corrosive sub-
limate), one-eighth of an ounce hi one gallon of water
being quite strong enough.'
The concluding paragraph under this heading in my
report for 1886 is as follows : —
' That the disease germs may be carried upon the
clothing and hands appears probable, from the fact that
in one neighbourhood this disease appeared in only two
apiaries, the owners of which had spent some time
working' among diseased colonies at some distance from
home ; while other apiarists in that locality, who had
kept away from the contagion, had no trouble from foul
brood.'
It has been the common belief that honey is the
medium through which the disease is most frequently
introduced, from both near at hand and remote sources
of infection. That undue importance has been attached
to honey as the common source of infection appears
certain, for I have proved by repeated trials that if
frames containing combs of capped honey, and having no
cells containing pollen, be removed from infected hives
and thoroughly sprayed or immersed, using' an acid and
alkaline solution of suitable strength to destroy the
germs exposed to its action, the honey in such combs did
not communicate disease when placed in healthy colonies
and consumed by the bees as food for both summer
and winter uses. I have, found it altogether practicable
to feed honey which had been extracted from the
infested combe without boiling, always adding, however,
as a precaution, a disinfectant suitable to destroy any
infection possibly lurking in such food.
In speaking of honey as a means of carrying this
contagion, Mr. Cheshire says: — 'I have searched most
carefully in honey in contiguity with cells holding dead
larva1; have examined samples from stocks dying out
with rottenness; inspected extiaeted honey from ter-
ribly diseased colonies; and yet in no instance have I
found an active bacillus, and never have been able to be
are of discovering one in the spore condition, although
it must be admitted that the problem has its microscopic
difficulties, because the stains u»ed to make the bacilli
apparent attach themselves very strongly to all pollen
grains and parts thereof, and somewhat interfere with
examination. I have now discovered that it is impos-
sible for bacilli to multiply in honey, because they
cannot grow in any fluid having an acid reaction.'
As to pollen being the medium by which this con-
tagion is commonly introduced into the hive, not wishing
to appear as speaking ex cathedra, I venture to say that
further experiments in the line indicated in my report of
last year leave little room to doubt the accuracy of the
opinion then formed, namely, that pollen is the medium
by which this contagion is most commonly introduced,
and most rapidly spread and persistently perpetuated.
Continued observation showed that in those colonies where
the largest quantity of pollen was being gathered the
disease quickly assumed the malignant form, even when
the quantity of brood was not greater than that being
reared in other colonies where but little pollen was
being gathered, and in which the disease was far less
virulent ; and in this latter kind, when little pollen was
being gathered, the contagion yielded most readily to
treatment. But what seemed more ready to the point
was, that from those, colonies from which the combs
containing pollen were removed, and a suitable substitute
furnished in the hive, thus avoiding the necessity for
bringing supplies from the fields, the disorder was cured,
and the colony speedily regained their normal condition.
The fact that queen larva? seldom die from this con-
tagion, taken in connexion with what we know to be
true concerning the character of their food, is significant
namely, that it is wholly composed of digested material
462
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
pollen grains being rarely found therein, and then as if
present by accident and not by design, .seems to justify
the conclusion that the absence of pollen accounts for
the absence of bacilli ; while, on the contrary, the food
of worker larvse, secreted in excessive quantity and
deposited in haste, occasional grains of pollen being
dropped, and no reason for their removal existing, the
bacilli, finding congenial cultures, multiply apace ; and
if, perchance, the larvae escape infection, as is commonly
the case until near the time of weaning, then live pollen
being supplied, speedy andcomplete ruin results. Moreover,
few, if any bacilli, are to be found in the chyle stomach of
an adult queen at the head of a stricken colony, subsisted
as she must be, almost entirely upon secreted food pro-
duced by the worker bees ; while in the chyle stomach
of the worker, which partakes freely of pollen, they are
present in quantity, and, in fact, line the whole intes-
tinal tract.
The evidence presented in support of this pollen
theory of the means of introducing and spreading this
contagion is circumstantial, still it is component ; and if
it fails to reveal the true source of infection, the fact
that the consumption of such live pollen as is obtained
from the fields during the prevalence of this disease, or
such old pollen as is stored in cells in which it may have
moulded or rotted, and become a possible source of
infection, aggravates the disease and makes it more
persistent ; and the fact that if the old pollen be re-
moved from the hive, and artificial pollen be substituted,
the malignant and persistent characteristics disappear,
and that the contagion then readily yields to suitable
treatment, is settled beyond question.
While it is true that queen-bees have less to fear from
infection in the larval stage, it is also true that queens
reared in infested colonies are commonly worthless. Of
twenty-five queens so reared in one apiary, and success-
fully established at the head of as many colonies, not
one survived the period of hibernation. In case the
contagion does not assume the acute form in the larvae,
it may localise and become chronic, and so, the bacillus
of disease being as unnatural as disease itself, both
worker and queen may live on for weeks and months,
and the queen, with both life and death within her,
transmitting the possibilities of both. Mr. Cheshire has
counted as many as nine bacilli in a single egg, a dis-
covery full of significance when striving to account for
the spread of the disease. It is but natural that this
contagion, being a disease of the blood, should find con-
genial and luxuriant feeding-ground among the most
delicate and highly-organized glands and tubes of the
ovaries.
We reason thus : — The bee-pap furnished to the queen
larvie, the protoplastic egg-food, copiously furnished to
the queen during the breeding season, is continuous, and
passes from cell to cell. The germ cell of bacillus con-
tributed to the organisms of the queen in larval or in
egg-food, borne along through the digestive and circula-
tory system, passes within the ovarian tubes, and from
thence into the nascent egg-cell; and once within the
yolk is ready to contend for supremacy against the
epermatozoid soon to be introduced. But the strife is
unequal, and instead of the differentiating principle
determining the form, function, and instinct of a new
creature appointed to long life and service, the bacillus,
finding the environment suited to multiplication, steri-
lises the blood and riddles the tissues and viscera.
The remedy which I have found to be a specific — by
the. use of which I have cured hundreds of cases, many
of which seemed hopelessly incurable, without failure,
and without a return of the contagion, except in the
case of two colonies of black bees, where the disease
reappeared in a form so mild that each colony was
speedily cured, each one casting a swarm, and storing a
fair amount of surplus honey — is prepared aud applied
substantially as directed in iny last annual report.
In three pints of warm soft water dissolve one pint o
dairy salt. Add one pint of water, boiling hot, in which
have been dissolved four tablespoonfuls of bi-carbonate
of soda. Dissolve quarter of an ounce of pure salicylic
acid (the crystal) in one ounce of alcohol. Add this to
the salt and soda mixture, theu raise the temperature
near to the boiling point, and stir thoroughly while
adding honey or syrup sufficient to make the mixture
quite sweet, but not enough to perceptibly thicken, and
leave standing for two or three hours, when it is ready
for use. An earthen vessel is best. I have tried other
acids and alkalies in other forms, but the remedy pre-
pared as directed and applied warmth is that which I
prefer.
Treatment of Bacillus Alvbi.
Upon removing the cover from the hive, thoroughly
dampen the tops of the frames, and as many bees as are
exposed by blowing a copious spray of the mixture from
a large atomiser. Beginning with the outside, lift a
frame from the hive and throw a copious spray over the
adhering bees on both sides of the comb, shake off part
of the bees into the hive, and spray those remaining ;
then shake and brush these into the hive ; then blow a
copious spray of the warm mixture over and into the
cells on both sides of the combs sufficient to perceptibly
dampen both comb and frame. In like manner treat all
the frames, seriatim, returning them to the hive in
order. From combs containing very much pollen, the
honey should be extracted and the combs melted into
wax. This extracted honey may be fed with safety,
two and a half ounces of the remedy being added aud
well stirred into each quart of water.
All the colonies in the apiary should be given a thorough
spraying the first time the treatment is applied, but combs
containing pollen need not be removed from healthy
colonies. After the first thorough treatment the comb
and bees should be thoroughly sprayed with the remedy
at intervals of two or three days until cured. Three
treatments after the first thorough application are com-
monly sufficient ; first one frame being lifted from the
hive and sprayed, and the others simply set apart, so
that the spray may be well directed over and copiously
applied to both bees and combs. An essential feature
in my method of treatment, which I failed to make duly
significant and prominent in my last annual report, is
that medicated honey or sugar syrup should be con-
tinuously fed to all infected colonies while they _ are
convalescing, for not only must the contagion be driven
from the organism of tho adult bee, and suitable food
and tonic given to aid in repairing the ravages of disease,
but a constant and even supply of the remedy serves as
a preventive and cure for the diseased larvaj.
The honey or syrup should be fed warm, and two
ounces of the remedy should be well mixed in each
quart of food, which may be given in feeders, or by
pouring over and into empty combs, and placing these
in the hive.
To prevent the bees from going abroad for supplies,
make a thin paste of rye flour aud bone flour, three parts
of the former to one of the latter, adding the medicated
honey or syrup. Spread this over a small area of old
comb and 'honey in the hive, or feed in shallow pans or
wooden butter dishes in the top of the hive or outside in
the apiary, under shelter from rain. I prepare the bone
flour by buriniug dry bones to a white ash. The softest
and whitest pieces I grind to dust in a mortar, and sift
through a very fine sieve made of fine wire-strainer
cloth. The coarser pieces of burned bone I put in open
vessels with lumps of rock salt, which 1 keep half
covered with sweetened water, and sheltered from the
rain, at all times accessible to the bees. The rapidity
with which depleted colonies recuperate and become
populous is surprising. I have tried supplying the
saline, alkaline, aud phosphate elements in bee-food by
using boracic acid, phosphoric acid, &c, but I find that
September 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
463
the bees take kindly to the supplies prepared as I have
directed, and the amount consumed shows their apprecia-
tion and need. Such supplies of food and drink should
he kept at all times in the apiary, easy of access. I have
not found disinfecting of the hives necessary further
than to simply dampen the inside with a copious spray
of the remedy, and sometimes no care wag taken to do
even this. — American Bee Journal.
ASSOCIATIONS.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Meeting- of Committee held at 105 Jermyn Street on
Thursday, the 13th inst. Present, T. \Y. Cowan (in the
chair), Rev. G. Raynor, Rev. Dr. Bartrnm, Captain
Campbell, Captain Bush, Rev. R. Errington, Rev. .). L.
Seager, and the Secretary. Letters were read from the
Rev. F. T. Scott, the Hon. and Rev. H. Bligh, and the
Rev. F. S. Sclater, regretting their inability to be
present.
The minutes of the last committee meeting were read
and confirmed. The report of the Finance Committee
having been considered, the Chairman reported thai a
meeting of the Exhibitions Sub-coi ittee had been held
that day. The accounts relating i" the Nottingham
Exhibition had been approved and passed, and the prize
list for the exhibition to be held at Windsor next \ lar
had been considered but not completed. Resolved "That
the sub-committee be requested to further consider the
Windsor schedule in time for consideration at the next
llleet ill u .'
The Secretary reported that after conferring with the
Chairman he had communicated with the Royal Agri-
cultural Society, soliciting their CO-opeiation in the
proposal to extend the bee department al Windsor next
.year, to which the R. A. S. had replied to the effect that
they would be glad to consider the proposals of the
British Bee-keepers' Association at their Council Meeting
in November next .
A letter was read requesting that the Association now
being formed for South Gloucestershire and North
Somerset might be taken into affiliation with the Central
Association. After some discussion it was resolved that
the County Associations Sub-committee be requested to
ci insider and report upon the whole question of athliution
of local societies.
SURREY BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
This Association held its tenth annual show on the
5th and 0th of September, in conjunction with the
Frimley, York Town, and Carnberley Horticultural
Society's Show, in the grounds of the Governor of the
Royal Military College. The weather was most fortu-
nately fine and pleasant, and a good attendance made
the show a success, though the exhibition of honey was
necessarily very small on account of the unfavourable
season ; but as the Committee took this into considera-
tion, and invited small exhibits with a view to encourage
cottagers to compete for the prizes, there were some fair-
samples of extracted honey, as well as a few really
excellent 1-lb. sections, which were much admired and
found a ready sale.
Mr. Webster of Binfield had a well-selected exhibit in
the large tent of hives and appliances, including his
improved new 'swarm-catching cage,' which attracted
much notice. In this class a novel hive was exhibited
by Mr. George Smith, of Bexley Heath, Kent, being a
modification of the 'Eastern Cylinder Hive,' with cir-
cular frames and provision for supering above, and in
which, the inventor stated, the bees worked well for the
last three years. This hive excited much curiosity, but
did not appear to be regarded as an improvement on the
standard bar-frame hive, and did not obtain favourable
notice by the judge (the Rev. F. S. Sclater, of Dropmore
Vicarage, Maidenhead ).
The exhibition tent was thronged by the public, es-
pecially on the second day of the show, as also was the
bee tent of the Association, in which lectures were fre-
quently given during the afternoons by the Honorary
Secretary (Captain Campbell), and also by Mr. Webster,
the former gentleman acting as expert.
A good exhibit of stocks of bees in bar-frame and
other hives, including an observatory hive well stocked
with bees and line white comb, which attracted much
attention. The public thronged round the bee tent till
the last moment of closing and showed the greatest
interest in the manipulations and descriptions of mode
of extracting honey and natural history of the honey
bee, illustrated by the Association diagrams.
An examination fur third-grade experts was also held
bj the Rev. F. S. Sclater during the show.
The following is a list of the prize takers: —
Class A. — For best observatory hive with stock of bees :
S. W. Goodall, 1/.
Class 11. — Best stock of bees in bar-frame hive: 1, A. H.
Miller, ISs. [cottager); '_', S. W. Goodall (cottager).
Class C. — Lest stock of bees in skep : 1, A. Osborne
(cottager) ; 2, H. Wilt (cottager).
Class H. — Best honey in comb, 1-lb. sections: 1, Levi
Inwood, silver medal ; 2, M. V. H. Lemare, 10s. G. 6(2. and Cowan's Bee-keepers' Guide; 3, S. T. Denver,
S. B. K. certificate and smoker.
Class V. — Best honey in sections (cottagers only, not
members) : 1, H. Wilt, 7s. 6d.j 2, F. K. Spalding, 5s.
Class G. — Lest run or extracted honey (cottagers only) :
1, T. Chater, 7s. 6d.; 2, A. Miller, 5s. ; 3, C. Rose, Surrey
li. K. A. certificate.
Class H. — Lest honey in glass bottles (cottagers, not
members) : 1, 1°. .Spalding, 5s.
Class I. — Lest honey in 1-lb. bottles (not cottagers) ; 1,
W. Woodley, 12s. C,d. ; 2, Levi Inwood, 7s. 6d.
Class K.— Lest show of appliances : Mr. W. E. Webster,
1/. ; 2, (not awarded).
IRISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
A huge number of sections and bottles of honey are
now exhibited by the above Association at the Irish
Exhibition in London. Prizes were awarded on the
12th inst. for the best contributions to this exhibit as
follows: —
< 'lass I. For the best 12 1-lb. sections, 1st and 2nd
prizes, 15s. and 10*., Miss M. Daly. Special prize, 10*.,
Miss E. E. Rutherfoord. Highly commended, Mr.
( Iswald 1 lardy.
Class II. For the best 12 1-lb. bottles, 1st and 2nd
prizes, los. and 10s-., Miss M. Daly. 3rd prize, 7s. Gd.,
Miss F. W. Currey. Highly commended (for each of
two entries), Mr. Thomas Elderkin.
Mr. Cowan, Chairman of the British Bee-keepers'
Association, and Mr. W. Raitt, of Blairgowrie, kindly
gave their services as judges.
An unfortunate accident prevented the honey of Mr.
George Turner, Revlin House, Donegal, from being
placed before the judges.
NORTH-EAST OF IRELAND BEE-KEEPERS'
SHOW.
As no report of the N. E. I. Bee-keepers' Show at
which I was asked to judge in Belfast on the 17th
August, has appeared in the B. B. J., I think it may
interest some of your readers if I send you a short
account of it, though it may be considered scarcely
within my province to do so.
Of necessity the amount of honey staged was not
464
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
large, but I may sav that the quality of nearly all that I
appeared was excellent. There was more than one
exhibit of sections which would have merited a prize at
the Royal, while in the classes for extracted honey there
were many samples which it would be difficult to sur-
pass either in delicacy of flavour or aroma or in the
condition and manner in which they were prepared for
exhibition.
Amongst the hives, there were many good ones, but
none to my mind first-rate. In those shown by Mr.
Abbott it appeared that utility had been somewhat
sacrificed to cheapness — a fault due rather to the demand
for cheap hives than to any fault on the part of the
maker. Those, shown by the local makers were excel-
lent of their kind, but somewhat behind the standard of
the best English manufacturers, from whom I think our
Irish friends might with advantage take some hints.
Unfortunately as I was not asked to judge in this
department, I did not feel myself at liberty to make
any criticisms, or, as I should much have liked to have
done, point out to the makers what I considered their
defects.
There were some excellent collections of appliances
(for which no prize was offered) in which I observed the
visitors to the Show took the keenest interest, asking
about the merits and uses of each article in a manner
which showed the value of such exhibitions, in gaining
the attention of the general public, as well as the instruc-
tion of bee-keepers. There were some very strong stocks
of bees exhibited in observatory hives of various patterns,
but none of them of any foreign breed.
The arrangements of the Show were in every way
very good and reflected the greatest credit upon Mr.
Paul Mcllenry, the Hon. Sec, Mr. Sam Cunningham,
the Hon. Treasurer, and other gentlemen, who threw
themselves most heartily into the work. The cordial
reception and friendly hospitality shown me by the bee-
keepers and their friends in Ireland, is to me but one
more proof how 'one touch of nature makes the whole
world kin,' and raises a hope that even bee-keeping, in
its humble way, may do something towards removing
the misunderstandings that exist, and strengthening the
sympathy that ought to exist, between the good prop].'
of the Emerald Isle and those of our own country.— J.
Linuen Seager.
The judges were as follows: — Hives and appliances —
Rev. J. Balfour Robertson, Leswalt, Stranraer ; Archi-
bald Morris, Rosetta Avenue, Ballynafeigh. Bees and
honey — Rev. J. L. Seager, The Grange, Stevenage.
The following is the prize list: —
For the best stock or specimen of any variety of bees,
with their queen — 1, Rev. James Hunt; 2, William Lons-
dale ; 3, J. Gdlilaml, juu. For the best super of comb
honey, not being sectional, the super to be of wood, straw,
or of wood in combination with glass or straw — 1, J. M'Cabe;
2, William Lonsdale. For the best twelve 1-lb. sections of
comb honey, confined to tbe members of the Association —
1, J. J. M'Cabe; 2, E. W. Lockhart; 3, George Porter.
For the best twelve 1-lb. or six 2 lb. glass jars of uncon-
gealed or liquid extracted or run honey — 1, E. W. Lockhart;
2, Alex. Turkington ; 3, S. Kevan. For the best twelve lib.
or six 2-lb. glass jars of congealed, extracted, or run honey —
1, E. W. Lockhart. For the best twelve 1-lb. or six 2-lb.
glass jars for extracted or run honey — I, E. W. Lockhart ;
2, W. Morrow ; 3, E. Morgan. For the best ornamental
design in comb honey — 1, W. Lonsdale. For the best exhi-
bit of beeswax, being produce of exhibitor's own bees (con-
fined to members of the Association) — 1, E. W. Lockhart ;
2, W. Lonsdale. For tbe best bar-frame hive, with facili-
ties for harvesting honey and wintering bees, complete
with cover and stand — 1, W. Lonsdale ; 2, W. Henry. For
the best and most complete bar-frame hive, with facilities
for harvesting honey and wintering bees, price not to exceed
10s.— 1, W. Henry; 2, E. Morgan; 3, Abbott Bros. For
the best and cheapest straw hive, with most simple and
efficient adaptation for crate of sections complete, with
floor and cover — 1, W. Lonsdale ; 2, A. Cross Bryce & Co.
For the best two crates of sections capable of being tiered,
complete, with foundation, separators, &c, price not to
exceed 3s. 6d. each — 1 and 2, Abbott Bros. ; 3, W. Morrow.
For the best six 2-lb. glass jars of extracted or run honey,
with honey labels affixed with name of apiary — George
Turner.
HORTICULTURAL SHOW AT YARNTON.
August 28th.
One of the chief features of this show was the bee
department. Mr. H. Cobb, of Dorchester, gave lectures
on the modern system of bee-keeping in connexion with
the Oxfordshire Bee-keepers' Association. Mr. Cobb
(who judged tbe honey) gave his audience some useful
and valuable information in regard to the management
of skeps, and also showed some specimens of the modern
bar-frame hives. The present season is a very bad one,
and rather discouraging for beginners in the keeping of
bees, although the honey, considering the season, has
been rather good. Messrs. Turner and Sons, of Wood-
stock Road, had a small tent in the grounds, and showed
a selection of improved bar-frame hives and other bee-
keepers' appliances generally. Messrs. Gill and Co.,
ironmongers, of this city, also exhibited one or two
appliances of a similar kind.
The bee-driving competition was watched with much
interest. The first prize was given by George Herbert
Morrell, Esq., and the second by the Oxfordshire Bee-
keepers' Association. There were three competitors,
namely, Mr. Henry Edgington, of Cassington, Mr.
Axtell, of Yarnton, and Lizzie Anstey, aged eleven
years, of Oxford. The first prize was taken by Lizzie
Anstey, who drove the bees out in twelve minutes and
found the queen a minute later ; Edgington was second,
driving the bees in thirteen minutes and detecting the
queen three aud a half minutes later ; Axtell took fifteen
minutes to drive the bees, and did not succeed in finding
the queen. There was a bad light, and neither of the
competitors succeeded in finding the queen whilst the
bees were travelling from the skep, so that the bees had
to be shaken on a table and the queen picked out as they
were running in the hive.
Mr. Henry Edgington received the prize, a bar-frame
hive, offered by the Oxfordshire B. K. A., and Mrs. Pitt
a super-crate for skep.
A Young Man residing near Ettrick, Wis., while
hunting early this month, saw a swarm of passing bees,
and fired his gun at them. At once they settled on him,
stinging him so badly that he died within an hour.
Hunters should not attempt to interfere with a passing
swarm of bees. If numbers count, especially when all
are armed, it is an unequal contest, especially when the
hunter was not posted as to the means of defending
himself 1)3' creating a smoke. As hunters have no mercy
on harmless aud inuocent birds and animals, they cannot
complain when their merciless attacks meet with a
vigorous response. — American Bee Journal.
How to Destroy Wasps. — About four or five feet
from the wasps' nest rear a brush pile by gathering up
all the old brush lying around, which ought to be con-
sumed by fire anyhow. Select a dark night. In the
first place ignite your brush pile and let it get a good
start before you excite the inmates. Interim, procure
a brace of base-ball bats or clubs, and beat the terra
firma where the nest is. This racket on the outside
will soon bring up the. inquisitive little fellows, which,
peering into the terrible darkness, will discern the light-
giving fire, and without more ado into it will dart and
be cremated — yes, stinger and all, for the whole includes '
the part. Keep on pounding until you trow they are
nearly all out, when the nest should (if convenient) be
dug up and twirled into the fire so as to avoid any ripe-
capped, yellow-jacket brood from espying the glowing
eye of day. — American Bee Journal.
September 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
4C5
Carrespfttijeitcc.
Tlte Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
ky his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not neces&a ril y
for publication, but as a guarantee ofgoodfaith. Illustrations should,
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jtc, must be addressed only to *The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c(o Messrs. Sfraugeuiays and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to -riduertisem.'it's,
Ac, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
WANTED: SOME ONE TO BEAR THE BLAME
OF YELLOW BANDS IN CARNIOLA.
[1802.] I had intended replying to the editorial
remarks on the existence of yellow bands among Carni-
olans, but having been very busy, the matter was post-
poned. Meanwhile an extract from a private letter,
written by me bearing somewhat on this point, was
published in the American Bee Journal, and from that
copied by the British Bee Journal. But as Mr. 'Amateur
Expert ' could not let the matter rest there after in v
plain statements regarding the existence of yellow-banded
bees in Carniola, but must needs exhibit his ignorance
of the whole subject in the Journal for September Oth,
it may be well to tell him what he might long ago have
easily learned had he taken the matter seriously in hand
— what, had he known when penning his last ' Jottings,'
he would probably not have had the effrontery to heap
upon me the blame, if such it be, for the existence of
yellow-banded ( 'arniolans.
Upon the occasion of my first visit to Carniola, which
occurred in 1880, yellow-banded 1 s were in existence
here quite as plentiful, for aught I could see, as now. I
had just come from America, and left all my yellow-
bees (Italians) behind me in my native Stat". I had
never then had Cyprians in my possession. In the spring
of 1883 I made my second visit to Carniola. The yellow
bees I brought from the Orient, then to Europe, were
not brought into the Province of Carniola at all, but
were left in Trieste to tly while I secured a quantity of
Carniolan queens and stocks. The same yellow bauds
were visible occasionally in both Upper and Lower
Carniola. During this year £1883) I sold an imported
Cyprian queen and an imported Syrian to Mr. M.
Ambrozic, which I have been told he kept apart from
his other bees, and this week he told me himself he did
not keep these races any more.
In 1882, while in Cyprus, I received from one F. J.
Dokoupil, then living in Northern Austria, an order for
a Cyprian queen. The latter was sent, but was reported
dead upon arrival, and as I guaranteed safe arrival, no
payment was made for this queen, and a second qu ■■> n
was not sent. I have since received accurate and trust-
worthy information to the effect that when, a year or
two after the date last mentioned, Mr. Dokoupil" moved
from Moravia to Carniola, he brought with him a hive
of bees which he represented as the progeny of an im-
ported Cyprian queen obtained from me. I am, there-
fore, in doubt as to whether the honour (?), if Mr.
'Amateur Expert' would call it such, of having first,
brought Cyprian bees to Carniola belongs to Mr. F. J.
Dokoupil or Mr. M. Ambrozic. The latter, however,
brought the first Syrians into the province. In 1885 I
sent fifteen Cyprians and Syrians direct from the Orient
to Mr. Dokoupil. Three of these were reported dead ;
and the plan of reporting queens dead upon arrival
worked so well that when 1886 came round, out of
twenty-nine Eastern queens sent direct to this party in
Carniola, some twenty-four were reported dead. But
the report was sent monthsafter the queens were received,
and trustworthy information obtained here this year
placed the number of dead queens at but one or two !
The reader will kindly bear in mind that, up to the
date mentioned, I had never resided in Carniola, nor had
I brought any yellow bees to the Province ; but I had
obtained Carniolan queens from all the dealers in bees
here who were known as such. These dealers were
widely separated, and except the two above mentioned
none had introduced any yellow blood. Only in the spring
of 1*37 did I locate here in Carniola, and in announcing
this change from Munich to Laibach I made the following
statement in the circulars then issued: — 'I have established
an apiary at Laibach, near the centre of the Province of
Carniola, for the production principally of choice Carni-
olan queens. Only pure Carniolan bees exist in Laibach
and the region about, and none but choice Carniolan
drones will be allowed in my own apiary.' During this
season and last season some foreign queens (yellow)
have been brought here and introduced to rest up until
they might be packed for journeys to distant countries,
but the production of any drones but Carniolans has
been closely prevented. None of these queens have been
lost here by swarming out, or any similar mishap ; and
when any of their daughters have been reared, it has
been only to secure their fertilisation by Carniolan drones
for purposes of experiment, or to fill special orders.
Only a limited number of such queens have been handled,
and the utmost pains have been taken to keep track of
each and every one and her doings until she left Carniola ;
and / positively assert, and with a clear conscience, too,
that not one drop of yellow (Cyprian, Syrian, Palestine,
or Italian) blood has gotten into any Carniolans bred here,
or about here, from my apiary or through me, nor have I
any knowledge of the introduction of foreign races by
others about me. ' Hoom for bungling work,' perhaps
• A . 10.' would say. This I would readily admit if
certain of the so-called experts ('first-class,' too) that
hold forth in England were at the helm down this way !
A- it is, I do not believe the old boat will luff up on me,
nor do I fear that Mr. •Amateur Expert' will take the
wind out of my sails.
Hi' it then well understood that 3'ellow bauds existed
among Carniolan bees in Carniola before I ever crossed the
Atlantic; audit previous to my coming here Mr. 'Amateur
Expert' never >a,w them, it is very likely because mere
chance had not thrown such a stock among the tinker's
half-dozen upon which 'Amateur Expert ' had made his
extensive observations. And bearing this in mind, the
reader will readily see that it is as absurd as unjust for
'Amateur Expert,' Mr. Kaitt, or any one else to heap
upon me the opprobrium of the introduction of yellow
bands into Carniola. There is in my mind no doiibt but
that this peculiarity has existed for many decades, and
I venture even to say for centuries. I have visited
many apiaries here in Carniola, and talked with bee-
raisers from all parts of the Province, and they agree
that yellow bands exist, and have existed, here as far
back as they can remember. Mr. Ambrozic told me
personally but three days since that yellow-banded
Carniolans exist in his portion of the Province, and but
recently a bee-keeper said to me, ' his father, who died
many years since, recommended yellow-banded bees as
the best strain.' I did not come here to make over the
Carniolan race, nor to improve it by crossing, nor have I
ever even remotely hinted that such was my plan. On
the other hand, 1 did distinctly state that it was my
intention to rear pure Carniolans, and to this I have
adhered strictly.
I have never knowingly concealed or misrepresented
the qualities or peculiarities of any race of bees about
which I have written ; indeed, this very matter of
yellow bands was mentioned by me more than a year
before I came here to engage in queen-rearing, as can be
seen by reference to the leaflet, Bees, for January 20th,
1886, where the following was printed : — ' In all parts
466
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
of Carniola some queens are found which produce bees
having the first segment of the abdomen somewhat
rusty-red in colour, and they are as often seen among'
the linest, most prolific queens as among those of any
other grade.' The article referred to was copied by
many periodicals, including both the British Bee Journal
and the Record, while the Canadian Bee Journal did nie
the honour, I believe, of printing it twice! so that if
'Amateur Expert' has not read the above quotation
before, he shows himself lamentably ignorant of what
has been said on a subject concerning which he takes the
liberty of criticising.
The readers of the British Bee Journal can see by
looking back a few numbers that when an editorial
brought up this matter of yellow bands among Carni-
lans, Mr. Thus. B. Blow immediately feels a loud upon
his shoulders, and tries to dump it off at once by in-
forming the Editor that he (Mr.Blow) 'has had a hundred
stocks of bees from Carniola, none of which showed
bees with yellow bands.' Now be it known that this
same Mr. Blow, wdio condemns all Eastern bees roundly
(never having learned how to manipulate them), and who
expostulates in L886 with Dokoupil for introducing and
keeping Cyprian, Syrian, and Italian races, has, according
to trustworthy information in my possession, been pur-
chasing largely Carniolans from Dokoupil himself, so
that the hope recently expressed by the Editor of the
B.B.J, that Dokoupil had not sent his queens to England
is vain. The truth is Mr. Bokoupil has sent \>\\\ few
queens to American, not. having been able to land there
alive more than a very small percentage of those sent,
lie has exported largely to England, and states in his
printed circular (upon which I do not rely) for 1888 that
he furnished Mr. Blow 100 Carniolan queens in the
autumn of 1887, and Mr. Blow is claimed to have ex-
pressed his satisfaction with these queens. Furthermore,
I do know to a certainty that the said T. 13. Blow has
introduced into England more second tjtia/iti/ Carniolans
than any other English dealer.
Another slash at ' Amateur Expert,' and I will wipe
my — pen, and calmly lay it away. This gentleman be-
comes absurd again wlnn he -ays, 'The Italians were
not ruined in temper till Cyprians were taken to Italy to
improve the colour of the gentlest bee then known.'
Without troubling to look up the exact date when
Carniolans became known, I can assure Mr. 'A. E.' that
it was previous to 1878, so that ' Italians were not the
gentlest bee then known.' It was, 1 believe, in 1878
that Sartori brought Cyprians (doubtful if pure) from
Austria to Milan. In 1881 I supplied him with Syrian
stock to use in breeding. Fiorini went to Cyprus and
got eight stocks of bees in December 187!'. and since
then I have twice filled orders from him for Cyprians.
During repeated journeys in Italy I have failed to dis-
cover, outside of these two apiaries, any traces of
Cyprian blood. I do not think the sales of these two
parties have been large; in fact, I don't believe their
sales of bees have been anything at. home, and so it is
safe to say that, unfortunate as it may be, Italian bees
are practically the same as they were ten years ago
throughout the peninsula, and Mr. 'Amateur Experts'
Cvprian bugbear in Italy is chiefly in bis own imagina-
tion.— Frank Benton, Laibach, Carniola, Austria,
Septembt r \-)th.
[Mr. Blow is by this time on his way to America.
We doubt not that when he has the opportunity, he
will be able to maintain the quality of the queens im-
ported by him. — Ed.]
MEMS BiT ' WOODLEIGII.'
[1803.] The past season is, without, doubt, the most
disastrous bee-keepers working on the modern frame-
hive system have known, and those who have embarked
in the ' cult ' largely will have to do a lot of feeding to
carry their bees through the coming winter, entailing
expense besides a great deal of extra labour from which
no return can be looked for for the next nine months.
Yet, even taking things in their worst, aspect, we have
something to lie thankful for, and that is, the low
price of feeding stuffs. I am buying a good, clean,
light-coloured Demerara, crystallised and warranted pure
cane sugar, at 20s. per cwt. delivered, and it makes an
excellent syrup with half a pint of rain-water to the
pound. I am also adding a little salicylic acid in homoeo-
pathic proportions, but no vinegar. I have not used any
vinegar in my syrups for several years, either for spring
or autumn feeding, and have never had a case of re-
crystallisation of food in the combs.
In going through my rather extensive apiaiw, I found
many of the hives honey less, while others (the minority)
had a fair supply, and in a very few instances sufficient
Stores to carry them through the winter, notably two
stocks, one that has worked most sections for the season
(twenty), and another that worked two small bell-glasses
(supers) side by side, weighing seven and five pounds
respectively. One is on the angular and the other the
parallel system. Now, the colon}' that worked the
section-, and has food enough for the winter, was some
driven bees I had offered me late last season, and rather
than they should be destroyed, I drove them the last
week in October, or first week in November, I forget
which. There were four lots, and I made two colonies of
them, putting them in a makeshift hive on three frames
each, with six sections of honey tied into another frame
for each compartment, making four frames for each
colony, dividing them with a thin division-board, so that
each colony contributed to the mutual warmth and
well-being of its neighbours on the other side of the
thin septum. I gave them a dozen sections of honey
(none of the best, of course) between them, so that they
should not have to do syrup-storing so late in the season.
Both came through the winter well, and as soon as
practicable in the spring I transferred both lots into
Mime new hives, giving extra combs as required, and
both stocks now form Al colonies, and likely to give a
good account of themselves in the good time coming.
Price of Honey. — I hope soon to see quotations of
the price current of honey in our weekly organ. If a
supply of the ' new ' farthing post-cards are sent to the
principal honey producers, salesmen, and honey merchants,
asking them individually to fill up with their pricescurrent
for the week up till Saturday — not necessarily for indi-
vidual names or even initials to appear — but to give 'The
Sage' a consensus of the general price, so that he may
evolve a record of the price of our commodity in each
issue. Then in a year or two's time we could get two or
more columns giving the prices in the corresponding-
seasons in 1889 or 1890. If the idea can be carried
into effect, and I do not see any insuperable difficulties
in the way, I feel sure it would be a great boon and
help generally to bee-keepers to be able to refer to their
Journal as an authority in the matter.
Butting up Honey for Market. — It may seem a
repetition to refer to this subject, but I feel that the
manner in which honey is prepared for the market has
a great influence on the purchaser, either wdiolesale or
retail, and consequently an enhanced price is obtained
for a saleable article by the producer, and that is the
reason I refer to the subject again. Cleanliness is of the
first importance in all edible productions, especially in
honey. Thus, in the first place, carefully remove all
propolis and little odd pieces of wax, with which bees
are apt to till up all interstices. For this purpose I find
a strong table-knife the handiest tool, supplemented with
a pen-knife for the interior corners of the sections to be
used, where the broad blade of the strong knife would
damage the combs.
< i lazing Sections. — After sections are nicely scraped
they will require some protection before they reach the
September 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
4G7
table of the consumer, and during' the past few years
many devices (vide the advertising' pages of B. B. J.)
have been brought out for protecting sections of comb
honey. Some, I admit, are very neat and well adapted
for the purpose. The only fault one can find in them
has been the price, which ranges from \\il. to 2JA
each, including railway carriage. Now this extra cost
has to be borne either by the producer of honey, or else
by the consumer of it, and anything that enhances th"
price of a commodity must act as a deterrent to the sale
of the same ; that is an axiom in trade which no one can
gainsay, and, acting on that proposition, I have always
endeavoured to go the cheapest way to work in placing
my honey on the market, though at the same time 1
infer from the many encomiums I have received from
large purchasers of section honey that my style of pre-
paring it for the market is one of the best, if it is not
the ne plus ultra, in the matter. Now, for the system
that is at once cheap, neat, and effective. Get your
squares of glass cut 4,:',.. x A,\,, and strips of white paper
J inch wide, to attach the square each side of the
section, using thin glue or size for the job. Why glue
instead of paste ? Because the glue fills the pores in
the paper and forms an impervious .sealing, in fact, if
well done, the sections are for all practical purposes
hermetically sealed. The paper should only cover the
front edges of the sections about a quarter of an inch,
and should be put on square, that is, showing th.' same
width edge all round. Now if you go to the best market
and buy your glass in large quantities, and I he ' gude
wife,' as in my case, does the glazing, it will not cosl
more than a halfpenny each section. I may add, my
wife is an adept at the job, having glazed ten to twelve
dozen in a day, when large orders have come in, — but not
this season, I am sorry to say. — Woodleicih.
[The price of honey is regulated by the law of supply
and demand, and differs much in different localities. Up
to the present time we have not found it possible to
furnish reliable quotations. — Ed.]
THE BATTLE OF THE 13EES.
[1804.] Doubtless there are many thousands of your
ordinary readers who would be keenly interested in
watching the progress of a real bee-battle— an attack by
some, or all, the bees of one hive on the occupants of
another hive, with the wicked intention of pilfering the
honey which the industry of the hive attacked has
gathered. Such an attack actually took place yesterday
in my garden, and for the space of quite an hour I had
an opportunity of observing the savageness and deter-
mination with which these intensely interesting creatures
tight. The first intimation [ had of the disturbance was
a very loud buzzing and humming in the neighbourhood
of my smallest and weakest hive. On going near the
hive 1 at once saw what was the real state of affairs. A
detachment of bees from a neighbour's hive were storming
my own with very great determination. Some were
fighting in the air, and others were endeavouring 1 1 1 effect
an entrance into the hive itself, but, so far as I could
judge, were being gallantly repulsed, for many bees
dropped dead at the entrance. Meanwhile I had thought
of a plan to render the position of the defenders more
secure. At the entrance to the hive I placed a piece of
perforated zinc, with holes sufficiently large to admit of
only one bee at a time to pass through. This doubtless
relieved them, and those that had effected an entrance
would have the warmest possible time of it. But rein-
forcements were continually arriving for the attacking
army, and the position of my bees outside the hive was
becoming more and more desperate. Eventually they
were^all killed or driven away; perhaps some regained
the hive, but very many were dead and dying on the
ground. Many of the enemy of course were amongst the
number, and the remainder took to their wings and dis-
appeared. On going to the hive this morning I counted
twenty-four dead bees being carried out by the survivors.
These were either my own bees who had died of their
wounds, or, which is very probable, they were those of
the enemy who had gamed an entrance. S >me time must
elapse before they will settle down to work again, for
they are greatly excited, and do n .1 leai e t lie immediate
vicinity of the hive, Doubtless these splendid creatures
are apprehensive of another attack on their storehouse,
and act accordingly. Their wonderful sagacity in select-
ing for attack the weakest hive, aul the unerring instinct
which enables them to discriminate between friend and
foe, place these insects amongst the most wonderful of
t 1 id 9 creatures, whether we consider their industry, their
forethought, or their oba irvance of the laws which regu-
late and govern the working of each individual hive. —
II. J., Carlton, Worksop, Notts., Sept. 13 (' Daily News').
LATE SWARMS.
[1805.] To-day (Sept. loth) I hived o swarm weighing
al> nit I ' lbs. that cum i from a skepoa the previous day,
and hung on i he branch of a plum-tree high up in a
thick hedge all night, and being a Eairly warm night
they (the bees) did not. appear to suffer from the ex-
posure. I'll.' man to whom they belonged is one of the
old-fashioned skeppists; and as he thought they would
be of no use to him, he came round to me just as I was
having breakfast, and 1 went with him as soon as 1 had
finished and had them ill th" skep by 7.45 a.m. They
are the ordinary blacks, and were not in the best of
skin through shaking the tree with the ladder. There
was also a swarm from a skep. belonging to a farmer
wil Inn about half a mil.' of th" above, on the 6th inst. ;
and within three miles of lOdenbridge Station (S.E.K.) I
think these two natural swarms are the' latest on record.
Out of seventeen stocks in shops that 1 lifted round
about here, only one had more than half a pound of
honey, and that particular one had •'! lbs. bare, it looks
verj hi I for next year, and feeding is out of the ques-
tion with the 'ancients.' They Bay ii don't pay, and
they cannot be convinced otherwise; but grumble and
feed is the advice given by — Ihiot.
| Could not our correspondent select a more appropriate
nom de plume. ■! — En.]
BEE FLOW liltS.
1806.] Perhaps 'Amateur Expert' would kindly
gi\ e, through your columns where the seed of 'Echinops
Globosa,' ' Canada Thistle,' or ' Chapman's Honey Plant,'
may be had, also as to cultivation, time to sow, &c.P
' Nepeta Musseni ' has also been spoken of as a good honey-
producing plant. Some readers of the B. II. J. will,
perhaps, kindly say where it is to be had and how
cultivated.
I enclose a few spikes of flowers aud foliage from
what was sold me as ' ISokhara Clover' when I asked
for the 'Melilotus Leucantha ; ' it is a stalwart grower,
eight to ten feet, prof use bloomer (but not till second
year), and greatly beloved of the bees. Some seedling-
plants of ' Milotus Alibi,' American clover, greatly
resemble it in foliage ; but the inflorescence of the
' Bokhara ' is not like our ideas of a clover, as it is more
in racemes or spikes. There would seem to be a yellow
as well as a white variety, of both of which I send you
a specimen.
Though this has been a bard year on bee-keepers'
generally, there have been exceptions. I have got from
one hive, 'storified,' fifty-seven complete sections and no
swarm ; but on May 25th, the bees were crowded on ten
frames. A lady bee-keeper, a neighbour of mine, has had
160 complete sections from three hives ; but the forage
here is good — sycamore, fruit blossom, lime, white
clover, and blackbeiry. — Apis Hibernicus.
468
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
PERCENTAGES, SWARMS, AND WINTER
PASSAGES.
[1807.] I have had a long experience in bee-keeping.
For the last three years I have had the management^ of
thirteen hives (ten bar-frames, three skeps), and during
that time I have not had a single swarm from any
of the bar-frame hives. I gave them plenty of room
and whole sheets of foundation in doubling boxes, but
on no occasion did the bees ever seem inclined to swarm.
Of course it would be possible for them to have swarmed
unknown to me, but I had a man regularly at work in
the garden near the hives all through the season, and he
would certainly have noticed the swarming had it taken
place.
As to -winter passages, I think the bees do quite as
well without as with them. I have four hives in which
no winter passages were made, and these four hives have
wintered quite safely during the last two years. In
fact, I have but lost one frame-hive out of ten since
1885, and in that case the bees died from want of food,
and not from the absence of winter passages. _
I have also come to the conclusion that if the bees
have a sufficient store of food in single-walled hives of
one-inch wood, they will winter quite as well as in hives
with double walls and winter packing. — R. S., Tarn-
worth Agricultural Cutteye.
HOOKER'S WINTER MANAGEMENT (1784).
[1808.] It is always more pleasant to answer any ques-
tion from a person who gives his name in full than one
bearing initials, as one is then better able to judge the
object of the same. I have, however, endeavoured to do
as asked. The quilts or coverings I use consist of a piece
of unbleached calico, wasted free from dressing, then on
this several thicknesses of house-flannel, pieces of old
blankets, carpets, or felt. I do not use an impervious
material in winter.
A dry hive containing plenty of food is essential to
successful wintering. To keep the hive dry it is desirable
to raise the back of it for the purpose of letting out con-
densation, if any, to allow any water from driving rain
or melted snow to run out, and not in.
' A. B.' no doubt keeps his bees ' under a proper system
of management,' and does not require any caution about
keeping'his hive dry or bis floor-board and entrance clear
of dead and stinking bees from me. My advice was in-
tended for less experienced bee-keepers, and, I think if
followed, will be found useful. To my mind the en-
trance should be as wide open as possible, and the top of
the hive covered up very warm with quilts and aerate of
chaff, so that the ventilation through the top of the hive
will be very gentle, and not likely to lower the tempera-
ture, although not absolutely impervious, and if frames
of comb are end on to the entrance we need not fear
mouldy combs. — John M. Hooker.
THREE WAYS OF WORKING FOR
COMB HONEY.
[1809.] The usual mode of working for comb honey is
what is known as the ' tiering-up system,' and without
doubt there are more who use this system than there
arc of those who use all other systems combined ; yet this
does not certainly make it true that this plan is the
best one there is, by any means. It often happens that
the majority are net in the right, and so, after I hail
proven to my entire satisfaction that there was a better
plan to work on in raising comb honey than the tiering-
up system, I forsook the same and turned my attention
to other plans. My chief objection to the tiejing-up
plan was, that not so much honey could he obtained by
using it, and, worse than all the rest, if the utmost care
was not used, the result would be lots of unfinished
sections iu the fall. These unfinished sections have been
an 'eye-sore' to all the users of this plan, as the im-
mediate past will testify, for many are so disgusted with
them that they recommend that they be burnt up, while
a whole issue of one of our bee-periodicals is used in
telling how to save theiu by way of feeding back ex-
tracted honey in order to get them filled.
The next system most iu use is what is termed the
'side and top storing plan combined,' which I adopted
upon leaving the tiering-up plan. By the use of this
plan more honey can be obtained than by any other plan
I know of, except by using the lateral plan, of which
I shall soon speak. The trouble with the side and top
storing plan was, that it required much work ; yet, as I
go over the results of the past while using it, I am con-
vinced that the extra amount of honey obtained by the
use of it more than paid me for all the extra work the
plan required over the tiering-up plan. An average
yield of over 80 lbs. of comb honey per colony for a
period of fifteen years is a record never attained by any
of the advocates'of that plan. A few years ago D. A.
Jones came out with a wholly side-storing plan, the
young brood to be kept in the centre of the hive by
means of perforated zinc, while the sections were to be
placed between that and the older brood, which was to
he kept on the outside. One trial of this proved, so far
as I was concerned, that the plan was fallacious; and
although he told us be would explain, some years ago,
I have never seen a word from him on the subject since,
hence I have not enumerated this in the above three
plans at all. While working with the side and top
sturing plan, I left a passage-way under the side-boxes,
so that any bees which might be scattered around over
the top and sides of the hive after any manipulation
could get back to the cluster instead of dying there, as
is the ease where no means of outlet is provided. This
caused many to write me, asking if 1 meant to have
this so ; ' for,' said they, ' the bees will go around under
these side-boxes up into the cap over them, anil build
comb there, which they fill with honey.' I told them
that this was as I wanted it, giving the reasons for so
lea\ ing it, and telling them if any colony so persisted in
doing, to give more room by adding sections at the side.
Well, I often g,,t caught in this same fix myself when I
would he a little tardy in keeping up with the bees, so
that 1 have often had from five to fifteen pounds of
honey built in the cap of the hive, the bees having
to travel from twenty-five to thirty inches entirely away
from the brood to get there. This leaving the brood
and storing honey in such amounts in the cap led me
t lopt what I term the 'lateral plan' of obtaining
section honey, which plan gives me fully as much honey
as could be obtained by the side and top box plan, with
as little work as is required when using the tiering-up
plan. The larger part of my hives are of the kind known
as the ' chaff hive,' tfhich gives plenty of room on top
for all the room required by the largest colony without
tiering up. Over the top of these hives 1 have placed
a queen-excluding honey-board, the queen-excluding part
going over only the brood-apartment to the hive, the
rest being a thin board to cover up the chaff. When
the honey season arrives, this is put on (quilts being
used, together with sawdust cushions, up to this time),
and from three to five wide frames, holding four l£-lb.
sections each, are placed directly over the brood. As
soon as these are well occupied with bees at work, I
add one or two wide frames at each side ; and when
these are occupied, I add enough more to cover the top
of the hive if so much room is needed. In this way I
accommodate the size of the colony with the needed
room, neither giving too much nor too little, as must of
necessity occur where the T super, and others of a set
capacity, are used. As soon as the first that were put
on are filled, they are taken off (handling by the wide
frame only, so five pounds are handled instead of single
September 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
4G9
boxes), when the partly filled sections at each side are slid
along on the honey-board till they come together in the
centre, when the empty ones are placed at the sides.
As the honey season draws to a close, no more empty
sections are put on, so that, when the season is over, I
often have but one or two wide frames of sections on
the hive, thus doing away with more partly filled
sections than 1 really need for bait sections the following
season.
In the above, all will see that I have all the advan-
tages of both the former plans combined, and that so as
to work to the very best possible advantage. ,\ ell,
just as I had this all wrought out, and have worked it
to my entire satisfaction (often using the wbole comple-
ment of wide frames over but five Gallup frames below),
for the past two seasons, what should friends Root and
Miller do but upset the whole thing ? Now, gentle-
men, in all candour I ask, Did either one of you ever
fully test the matter you are there talking about, or
have you reasoned it out in theory, and told us that
such and such would lie the facts? If you have fully
tested the matter, please tell me how it came about
that my bees will thus work to advantage, and would
go even two feet or more entirely away from tin1 brood,
and there work apparently as well as anywhere. —
G. M. Doolittle, Borodino, N.Y. (Gleanings.)
NOTES FROM CUMBERLAND.
[1810.] Iu order to report myself to the many friends
whom I recently met in the International Exhibition,
Glasgow, I have much pleasure in stating that on the
5th of September I visited (he grounds of the Ennerdale
Bee Farm, where 166 hives were located from different
parts of Cumberland, and at a little further distance
about 140 were also laid out amongst the beautiful
patches of heather growing luxuriantly on the rugged
cliffs and tall, towering hills which surround this
beautiful lake.
Around the district of Harrington there are only a few
bee-keepers, and some of their hives are in fair keeping
condition ; others I have advised to attend to feeding at
once: as a rule surplus honey is not to be expected. I
have never had the misfortune of seeing so many bees
destroying themselves amongst the jam-pots and barrels
at the back of our stores; it is evident some hives are
being seriously injured, as no doubt other places will be
also visited. Altogether, from what I have seen, both
at Ennerdale and here, it is evident honey will be very
scarce this season. And some of the hives will require
the greatest attention, as there seems a tendency to leave
the old skeps to fight it out for themselves ; the little
favourable is far from sufficient to warrant one trusting
too much this season to abundant keeping stores.
I noticed several of the hives were for sale at Enner-
dale. I hope this is not the result of anyone 1'sing
heart. Bee-keeping has difficulties to contend with like
other hobbies, and patience and care now will undoubt-
edly be well repaid in the future. — Eisenezkr McNally,
Co-operative Society, Harrington.
A VOICE FROM KILLARNEY.
[1811.] In this locality we have three seasons in
which surplus honey is stored, viz., from the maples,
from 7th to 20th May; from white clover (one great
source of supply, generally speaking), from 10th to 25th
July ; and from the limes, which commence about 20th
July and end about 1st August. Last season I secured
on an average about 15 lbs. of honey per colony from the
maples on sections from the previous year partly filled
out. This year the bees stored 6 lbs. per hive under
similar conditions. On looking back, however, for a
few years, I find the average from the same source to
be 10 lbs. each hive, and this with stocks ou which
stimulation had scarcely been begun. Now, 1 want to
know whether it would not be more advantageous to
begin to stimulate iu time to get a larger surplus from
this first honey flow? and, especially, whether having
got tlie queen to lay so early, she would be able to keep
the colony sufficiently strong until the 1st August to
meet the other two honey flows?
I may add that I have got only 8 lbs. per hive this
year, the lowest during my experience, and the greater
part of the sections so badly filled that I could not offer
them for sale, while a great many were only about half
tilled, it is the weather, anil not the poor bees, that is
at fault, as the following figures will show: —
Mean t>
mpera-
Rain-fall
No. of days
Mouth.
tare at 9 a.m.
(inches).
iu which
ill
rain fell.
1887.
l--s.
1887.
1888.
1887.
1888.
June
62-8
47-5
•601
316
7
16
July
64-6
56-6
■01
5-13
3
23
August
571
57"9
4-100
310
24
20
' Feeding Hack.'
On 6th August I took off all the sections, and re-
turned forty-two nearly sealed to two of my strongest
hives, thinking the bees would finish them off. They
did ' tini-h them off ' in the mo, t approved style, as in
three days afterwards, when 1 examine,! them, they had
taken down every drop of honey into the body of the
hives. 1 had not done brooding over this freak when
your B.B.J, came to hand in which you had copied an
article from the American Bee Journal, giving directions
a, to what should have been done under similar circum-
stances— ' too lute.'
WHAT BEES WILL (oR WILL NOT) DO.
From the experiences of a friend I was not quite un-
prepared for this trick played on me by the bees. In
August. lss7, the gentleman 1 refer to left, for some
reason not necessary to explain here, the sections on
three of his hives until late in November, when he
went to remove them he found that the bees had (as
might be expected) taken down all the honey from the
sections in two hives, but when he went to the third he
found that they had brought every drop of honey from
the body of the hive up into the sections ! What have
you got to say to that Mr. Editor, and Mr. 'Amateur
Expert,' and all other amateurs and experts in bee-
knowledge ? There is a nut to crack for you.
Have Bees a ' Memory ?'
Iu the summer of 18S5 my bees selected a very con-
venient watering-place — an eave-shoot in a 'lean-to,'
about six feet from the ground. Up to that time I had
a good deal of bother in trying to provide water for
them, and was so glad to find them avail themselves of
this ready-made trough that whenever I found it running
dry I refilled it, first stopping the down-pipe. They
continued to use it up to the time they ceased flying in
November. I naturally expected that when they began
to fly again the following spring they would return to
their old 'tap;' but no! anil until within the last
couple of months I have not seen a bee use the shoot to
drink from, although I have frequently put pieces of
comb, &c, about it to get them to do so. Could the
bees that went into winter quarters, say, in the end of
November, have forgotten all about this eave-shoot about
the 1st March, when they began flying again?
Last year I averaged sixty-seven saleable sections from
each hive. — Mangerton, Killarneij, September, 1888.
WINTER PASSAGES.
[1812.] It being almost time to think of putting things
in order for the coming winter, could you, as this subject
470
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
will be doubtless interesting to many, get Mr. Simmies
to give his opinion on the above subject, as I fail to see
anv reference to it in his new book ? And as he recom-
mends tbe quilt to be carefully laid flat, he apparently
does not use ' Hill's device.' Does he take it for granted
winter passages are made ? I see in the Journal for
March 1887, Mr. Boyes calls these passages 'all moon-
shine.'— W. Williams.
Mr. Simmins' reply : — ' My own opinion is the same as
Mr. Boyes'. Have never found or seen the necessity of
making them, and never shall all the time stores are
properly arranged as late as September. — S. S.'
SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1813.] In answer to your correspondent ' Honeysuckle '
(No. 1791), I give the dimensions of the shallow frames
I use, which he will find very handy for extracting.
Top bars 1J inch wide, with j inch space between,
maliing i inches from centre to centie. I tack \ inch
pieces on to keep the distance, the same as wide-shouldered
frames, f inch thick, lfli inches long; ends, 4xJAxj
inches; bottom bar, 14x1 x^ inches. In a fair season
the queen will not lay in them. I use no excluder. The
honey is equal to section honey, and two can be extracted
in the place of one frame. I slightly groove top bar for
end pieces to lit in. If care is taken in cutting a 11-inch
board the ends and sides of lift can be made from it. I
use dummies for convenience in removing, but they will
do without. I have used them with great success on a
Combination hive of 1") frames, and 2 tiers deep of
shallow frames, '.I inches each lift. I once extracted the
whole 18 at one time, and had them refilled and sealed in
less than a fortnight, the best frame containing 4 lbs. of
In mey after extracted. 1 tut once, during a showery season,
the queen laid eggs in the fifteen frames and in the centre
of shallow frames through three tiers.
I first made shallow frames to hold the old four-piece
nailed section before the one-piece was invented, as I did
not know how to make a section rack, but discarded them
from that use as soon as I did know how as useless, on
account of the tremble of getting the sections out, and
used the hanging crate and frames for extracting purposes,
and when the B. B. K. A. decided on a standard frame, I
made others of the above dimensions, the first beinn-
shorter.— Alpha.
AN APOLOGY, &c.
[1814.] I beg to apologise for having questioned the
correctness of Mr. Sims' statement, respecting the amount
uf honey in one of his hives. He has not, it is true,
told us what, weight he has taken from this particular
hive, but as he has not taken exception to my calculation
(58 lbs.) as the probable weight in it, my calculation
must have been near the mark. 1 congratulate him and
his mentor, Mr. Gay, on the result. Mr. Sims doesn't
offer any explanation as to where or when his bees got
their honey, further than assuming that they got it, as
suggested by Mr. Gibbins (17^7) from the blackberry
blossoms. Our Editor's opinion of the section sent him
bs Mr. Sims— 'the best we have tested this season' —
doesn't argue in favour of the blackberry theory. Any-
way, I have been under the impression that honey from
the blackberry was somewhat inferior. I am open to
enlightenment on the point. Nor can I agree with Mr.
Gibbins in his contention that 'a. strong hive, in first-
class order, having very little young brood, might gather
.58 lbs. of homy in six days ' from the blackberry. Black-
berries are so abundant throughout the county thai
bee-keepers have plenty of opportunities of proving or
disproving Mr. Gibbins' statement. Will those who
have had a surplus from this source acquaint us with
their good fortune?
Mr. Gibbins has a delicious bit of logical reasoning in
his letter. He says: ' Neither " East Glamorgan " nor
Mr. Sims is known personally to me, but I would point
out that Mr. Sims is a very well-known keeper of minor
live stock, and as such is more likely to be correct, than
" E. G.," who, by not giving his real name to his fellow
bee-keepers, prevents them from forming a proper value'
(forming a value!) 'of his writings.' One man is a
poultry-fancier, therefore more likely to be correct in
bee-keeping matters than another man who writes under
an assumed name ! Mr. Sims also expresses the hope
that ' E. G.1 ' will, in future, give his name. We shall
then perhaps be aide to judge whether he knows any-
thing about bee-keeping or not.' Wonderful! Mr. Editor,
' Useful Hints,' and 'Amateur Expert,' please sign future
contributions with your proper names, ' we shall then be
able to judge whether you know anything about bee-
keeping or not.'
In order to satisfy Mr. Sims' curiosity, allow me to
state that I am a very clever man (my wife will attest
the truth of this, if needed), that the number of my
slocks exceeds the number of his, and that the manage-
ment of the same is better than it lias been. I must tell
him also that I did nut say that Navigation was a poor
place for honey-getting. I said that it was unlikely that
his bees secured a surplus from the fruit blossoms,
meaning the blossoms of the apple, plum, gooseberry, &c.
Mr. Gibbins expects that we shall find Mr. Sims a
powerful competitor at the honey shows — the local ones,
I presume. ' E. G.,' too, intends making a bid for some
of the prizes, and it. will afford him great pleasure to
pocket them, as he is confident he will ! and at the same
time 'whip' Mr. Sims. Mr. Gibbins, I fear, is out of
the running. — East Glamohgan, September 17th.
SEASON NOW DEPARTING.
(With many apologies to Edgar Allan Pof.)
Once upon a summer dreary, while I wandered dull and
weary
Round my bee-farm in the gloaming, as I had often done
before,
Through my troubled brain there floated visions of high
prices gloated
I could make of sections noted, if my bees had such in store ;
Yes, and also of extracted, if they had even that in store :
But they've combs, and nothing more.
Ah I distinctly I remember, it was only last September,
Hives with sweet ambrosial nectar nearly all were gushing
o'er ;
Busy bees so swiftly hieing, hive against hive grandly
vieing,
Each and all were nobly trying to gather in the greatest
store,
And beat precedental totals that were marked up in the store :
' That's gone by for evermore.'
Startled at the stillness broken by that sentence aptly
spoken,
Craven heart, I said, 'tis fancy ; cease thy doubting, I
implore,
Place thy trust in bees and honey, thou shalt have both
stocks and money
In abundance, such as thou hast never had before —
Weighty supers, help requiring to place safely in the store :
' Croak no more.'
But my memory kept returning to the question in it burning,
While instinctively I entered, entered in the empty store,
Where in other years I've mustered serried piles of sections
clustered,
With extracting greatly flustered, in the happy times of yore.
Now the empty shelves seemed mocking afl around the
empty store :
' They never were so bare before.'
Tell us, greatest, best of ' Sages,' shall we ever in the ages
That are coming know such seasons any more ?
September 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
471
Promptly came his answer to it, ' See thy work, then go
and do it,
Or next June thou'll sadly rue it, when depleted stocks can't
store
Of the abundant flowing nectar, never known in days of yore,
Cease thy croaking evermore ! '
Thou bad season now departing, let young eighty-nine
upstarting
Consigu thy many failures to Oblivion's silent shore ;
Leave our hives with inmates teeming, while we of sunny
seasons dreaming
Feed with syrup erstwhile steaming, to eke out thy scanty
store.
May we never see thy equal, is a blessing we implore,
Both for now and evermore.
Woodleigh.
A Novel Hive. — For several days past the church
clock at Ilarpendeu, near Luton, has refused to work.
On an inspection being made, it was found that a swarm
of bees had taken up their abode among the works.
Dkatii from the Sting of a Bee.— Mr. William
Barron, of English Street, Carlisle, was working in his
garden, when a bee stung him. Death ensued from
shock and exhaustion. — The Echo, September 5.
Failure up the Honey Cum'. — In consequence of
the total failure of the honey crop in Herefordshire, the
fair usually held at this time of year has been aban-
doned.— The Dailji Telegraph, September 8.
Solitary Wasps and Bees. — Of wild bees 4500
species were known, and of wasps 1100. The habits of
almost every genus differed.
An Oi.ii Queen Ant. — Sir John Lubbock mentioned
with regret the death of a queen ant which had lived in
one of his nests since 1874, and must therefore have b en
fourteen years old. — The Slur, September 6.
His Time wasn't Wasted, — 'Hello, Jones! Been
having D lark with your bees? Taken a lot of honey, I
suppose.' Jones (mournfully, his face sir, lien out of all
shape). — ' No, I didn't get any honey, but (brightening
up) 1 weeded out a lot of bad-tempered bees. — Reported
by Honeysuckle.
Uue of tin' most amusing hooks I have ever met with
is the Book of Noodles, published by Elliot Stock, Pater-
noster Row. Amongst the Gothamites and Pedants
enumerated, is a 'cross-grained fellow who had some
honey for sale, anil a man coming up to him and inquiring
the price, he upset the jar and then replied, ' You may
shed your heart's blood like that before 1 tell such as
you.' — Contributed by A. E.
Drones. — One morning, a year or more ago, my little
friend Max came in to see me ; and as he walked across
the room I noticed that he held both his hands behind
him. As he approached my couch he explained, ' I've
gjt something for you — just hear them sing ! ' and sud-
denly, before 1 realised what he was going to do, he was
holding his hands up by my ears. And, oh, such a buzz,
b-u-z-z, h-u-z-z-i-n-g as 1 heard! 1 felt as though a
whole swarm of bees had surrounded me. Glancing up
al him I saw his eyes were twinkling, and he was
shaking with suppressed laughter as he watched mv
astonished countenance. 'O Max!' I said, 'are yonr
hands full of bees, or what have you got in there ? It
sounds like a swarm of bees.' 'Just rive bumble-bees,'
he replied, ' but they can't hurt you, for they are nothing
but drones.' ' But where did you get them, and how did
you know they were "nothing but drones?"' I ques-
tioned. ' Why, 'cause I found them on that old dead
tree in the lane,' he replied. 'But, Max,' said J, 'how
could that tell you they were drones ? ' ' IIo ! ' he said,
'don't you know how to tell a drone? Why, I'll tell
you how you can tell them every time. The workers are
too busy to lounge around and do nothing ; and when
they alight it is always on something they can work on ;
and when you see bees sitting around on dead wood,
with nothing to do, you may he sure they are old lazy
drones. Why, I have caught dozens of them, and they
are always drones. I never caught a worker that wasn't
at work, or else Looking out for a job.' 'Well, Max,
that is a new idea to me,' I said; 'but if that is the
case, the bees are very much like people; aren't they?
For a man who spends his time sitting around on old
store-boxes, and lounging about saloons, is generally a
drone in the human hive. Our workers in the world
haven't much time to waste, for they can always find
plenty to do, and take pleasure in being useful. —
Gleanings.
(Lrcbcrcs from tbc *l)ibcs.
Southampton, Sept. 10/7/. — My experience this year has
been — no honey— I -oiue 10 lbs. from one lot of twelve).
Full sheets foundation in sections worse, even, than
starters, being nearly all eaten through like a network.
During Srst boney-ttow, not an egg visible in the hives;
bees evidently either destroying them or preventing
queen depositing. Best nuclei 1 made by putting a
small shovelful of a swarm on a frame of queen-cells.
In many cases queen-cells contained useless grubs among
their number. — II. S.
School House, St rat ton, Swindon, September 17///, 1838.
— The weather for a week past has been glorious. I
transferred two sleeps for a cottager on Wednesday.
One had not a grain of honey, the other about ten
poinds from last season, being a very large skep. One
'skeppist' lo mv me has already lost nine stocks; scwral
others one each. I could not prevail on them to feed.
One of the knowing ones asked in • yesterday if I would
take an order for some honey, I said no! but I could
extract him some Byrup, which he declined with thanks.
1 hope to finish feeding in a few days, and to make all
'taut' for tho winter at the end of the work. May I
in'.1 i all the importance of utilising this fine weather
by feeding up rapidly t We have a great lot of black-
berry blossom, but the bees do not seem doing any real
work on it. I am now looking forward hopefully to
se ison 1889, having made eighteen lots into fourteen all
with young queens. — Coltkip 1. ■ purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The m
devoted to Eetti rs, Queries, and replies, is meant for the general qood of
bee-fceepers, and not for advertisements. We u>ish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it it necessary for us to go to press in advance
of Hi, date oj issue, queries cannot always be repliid to in the issue
immediately /ollowing the receipt Of their communication.
All , ' to, and Uiose only of personal
interest eered in this column.
II. S. — Colon// in Chimney. — The colony in chimney can
be removed a- follows: — Place some brown paper or
cotton rag in the I i replace communicating with chimney,
and light same; this will subjugate the bees, the
combs must then be removed and tiie bees brushed off
into an empty skep. Winn this is done place the
skep over mouth of chimney, that the flying bees may
all collect with those in slop. Towards evening they
can be removed, and can be united to cast. The three
colonies must then be fed up to a weight of 2o lbs.
If the cottager is too poor to pay for feed, cannot he
sell two of the three colonies, aud so provide funds
for provisioning the third?
E. J. B. and Beta. — The pieces of comb forwarded were
infected with foul brood.
J. T. T. — This is not a case of foul, but of chilled brood.
A. B. Tyro. — Equalising.— 1. If you think that the bees
you intend to transfer next spring have more honey
than required for wintering — say above 20 lbs. — you
may safely give the surplus to the colony now at the
472
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 20, 1888.
heather. 2. When spring arrives, fine weather pre-
vailing, about the middle of April, remove the outside
comhs, one by one, at intervals of a week or so, and
add frames of foundation next the brood-nest.
Wilford Shepherd. — Feeding. — Get a rapid feeder,
and feed on thick syrup — 10 lbs. sugar to 5 pints of
water. Give the food warm, in the evening. A strong
colony will store about fifteen quarts of this syrup —
sufficient to carry it through the winter — in a couple
of days. See the advice given on feeding in ' Useful
Hints' of last issue (page 446). Dry sugar-feeding is
merely supplementary. We do not advise it except on
emergency. Syrup should be gently boiled about five
minutes.
Robert Welford. — American Enamel Goth. —You
did not give sufficient ventilation during the winter.
The entrances should be kept open at their full width.
A space of from two to four inches should be provided
beneath the frames, and the enamel cloth — glazed side
downwards — should be covered with several pieces of
felt, flannel, or soft woollen carpet. Cushions of chaff
or cork dust may be placed on these. Winter only
strong colonies, and you will find no dampness.
L. W. R. — Condemned Bees. — 1. We always remove
the supernumerary queens immediately before
uniting.— 2. The best time for driving in this month
is when most of the bees have ceased working — say
about 4 p.m. — 3. Yes. Tie up the driven bees in
skeps with coarse canvas, and unite on the evening of
the day following. — 4. No. Three driven colonies are
not too many to put together. We do not recollect
the locality of the apiary to which you refer.
C. W. — The granulated sugar forwarded will answer
your purpose. You will find a difficulty in improving
on it.
G. S. C— You will find the sugar very suitable for
syrup-making, but please adhere to the direct ions'given
in Cowan's Guide Book.
G. B. Clarke. — Bobber Bees. — The bees forwarded
are affected with the disease to which has been given
the name of Bacillus depilis, or Oaytora. They have
been driven from their own hive, and seek food and
lodgment wherever they can obtain them.
J. R. L. — Sections. — Any with uncapped honey had
better be used on the table. Sections should be stored
in a dry place. Bobbing. — Have you tried putting a
handful of damp hay loosely over the porch ? The
bees inside can easily find their way out, and defend
their stores better, while the robbers are nonplussed.
Those bees now robbing will be dead by next spring ;
what their descendants may do we cannot say. If your
bees are not strong in numbers, unite two colonies
into one. Strong colonies, as a rule, are not troubled
with robbers.
T. Parker. — Heat/ier. — The small pink 'flower is the
plant for honey. Feeding. — You may reckon a standard
frame well filled holds about 5 IIjs. of food.
R. L. Richardson. — 1. Sugars. — These have not
reached us, your letter not having been directed to
the Editor according to instructions. 2. Dead Queen.
— This arrived rather the worse of wear, but we are
afraid it is your Carniolan queen. 3. Shiny Bees.
— These are the old bees which, had the}' had to forage
outside for food, would have perished ere this. We
are not acquainted with Hawick.
R. Attld. — 1. Draion-oui Sections. — Yes, if you can
store them out carefully so that no wax-moth can get
at them. The colour is a drawback, though. 2.
Division Boards. — We like one on each side of brood
nest.
W. M. B. — 1. Skep, — Give a clean floor-board at once,
and, if possible, brush ronnd the bottom of the skep,
2. Feeding. — Give about 6 lbs. more at once, this
will carry them up to March next.
J. H. West. — Packing Stocks. — We expect you will
find no honey or brood in the lower storey, if so, re-
move the lower frames and put the frames with
brood, &c, in their place. Extracted honey may be
thinned with a little warm water according to its
present density.
Inquirer. — Five S/iecimens of Comb. — These were not
affected with foul brood.
W. II. Adams. — This is not a case of foul brood. The
brood appears not to have received sufficient attention
for necessary development. It is possible that the
prevalent wet season may have been the cause of it.
^©usiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
BtjRTT, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edet & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchinqs, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M-, Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfleld, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 2G Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin,
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
British Honey Co., Limited, 17 King William St., Strand.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins' Bee Company, Limtd., Rottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
J
^fc
IffFiSfi
Communication! to the Editor to be addressed ' Strangeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 327. Vol. XVI.]
SEPTEMBER 27, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
PRACTICAL WORK IN THE APIARY.
Driving Bees.
Owing- to the poor honey } ield this year there will be
many more hives than usual marked by their owners for
' taking up,' and on account of their light -weight will be
condemned to be burned. The intelligent bee-keeper, if
he cannot persuade his more ignorant neighbour to feed
his bees and thus save their lives, will, perhaps, be able
to induce him to allow them to be taken for him. Some-
times straw-skoppists are willing enough to do this, but
if any demur we have generally found that the offer to
take the bees and pay 6d. to Is. for each sleep, according
to its strength, will usually be accepted. The bee-
keeper will always find a use for any bees he may obtain
late in the season, either for strengthening weak stocks
or by uniting three or four lots and giving them frames
of comb, a hive could be built out, by liberal feeding, so
that it could pass the winter in safety. Small lots of
bees are difficult, to keep through the winter, and even if
the bee-keeper succeed in wintering them, they dwindle
so rapidly in the spring that it is a questionable policy
to winter any but strong stocks. Having agreed to take
the bees, there are two methods by which we can do so
without damaging combs or bees. These are driving
and bumping. If the skeps are full of bees we prefer
driving ; but if the combs are unfinished and there are
few bees, bumping would be the quicker way. This
season many hives will be found with uncompleted
combs ; and a few days ago we examined six straw skeps,
five of which contained from four to five unfinished
combs and very few bees. Driving such hives would be
useless, as the combs being this season's would be very
brittle, and so few bees would with difficulty be induced
to ascend.
The requisites for driving are few, viz. : an empty
skep, a skewer, a couple of wires about 8 inches long,
bent thus — \ and sharpened at the
points, a pail to stand the skep to be driven in, a quieter,
cheese-cloth, and a pan for putting in the combs taken
out of the skep.
The operation of driving is simple, and when once
seen can be easily undertaken and accomplished. Having
marked the hives to be taken up, we select some after-
noon when the bees have ceased flying so as to have as
much time as possible at our disposal before it gets too
dark for operations. On no account begin driving during
the early part of the day, as at this time of the year
there is nothing so likely tojinduce robbing ; and if this
is once started in the apiary it may not end until much
harm has been done, even if it does not result in the loss
of all the remaining stocks. Between five and six o'clock
in the afternoon is a good time to begin during the
remainder of this month ; and we would here state that,
although we prefer driving bees earlier in the month,
they can safely be driven up to the middle of next month,
more especially if we are careful to give the bees comb
and not only foundation.
In driving the object aimed at is to make the bees
leave their skeps, containing combs and brood, and force
them to enter and cluster in an empty skep. Any con-
venient receptacle would do, but we prefer a skep when
driving skeps as they are more easily adjusted. Blow a
few puffs of smoke into the entrance of the skep to be
driven, and after allowing the bees a couple of minutes
to gorge themselves, give a little more smoke, and then
carefully turn up the hive crown downwards. Be care-
ful in turning over that it is done in the direction in
which the combs run, because if done the other way, or
across the combs, there is a chance of their breaking
down from the weight of bees upon them. As the skep
is being turned over drive the bees down with more
smoke, and then place the skep into an empty pail, or if
flat-topped it may rest on a table. Then take the empty
skep and put it over the other bringing the edges together^
at the point towards which the combs run. Push a skewer
through its edge into the loose hive so as to form a sort
of hinge, and support the front part of the upper hive by
means of the two bent wires. The illustration on the fol-
lowing page, taken from our Guide Book, gives a very
good idea of how the hives should be placed. The combs
should run from point to back so that the ends of the
combs are towards the hinge, as then the bees run up
much more quickly. Then stand in front of opening
with your back to the strongest light, and commence
rapping on the sides of the hive with open hands.
The blows must be of sufficient force to jar the combs,
but not hard enough to risk breaking them from their
attachments. They must also be regular and continuous,
for if they cease the bees will run down amongst the
combs. After a few raps the bees will begin to ascend
into the empty hive and will appear in great commotion.
474
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 27, 1888.
A few will run over the sides, and these can be driven
back with smoke, carefully tapping the hive with the
tips of the fingers to avoid crushing' them. In a minute
•or two a loud buzz will give notice that a start in
earnest is about to be made, and the crowd of bees make
a rush up the side into the empty skep, apparently eager
to escape from their
trembling combs.
Keep a sharp look-
out for the queen, as
she maygenerally be
. seen ascending with
the others, and she
should be caught
and placed in a cago
or box until wanted.
The rapping should
not bs applied too
near the rim, as this
causes the bees to be
shaken down again
after they have
taken the trouble to
get to the top. Any
clusters refusing to
move can always be
dispersed by a puff
of smoke. In from
ten to twenty min-
utes, according to
the weather and the
strength of the popu-
lation, all the bees
may be driven out.
AVe have alluded to
smoke in driving,
but carbolic acid can
be used just as well
for intimidating the
bees. With a goose-
quill introduce some
of the solution at
the entrance, and in
lifting up the hive
get the carbolic
cloth over the hive.
The bees can be
driven away from
any part of the hive
by applying the quill
to that part where
they are clustered.
In chilly weather,
and when honey is
scarce, bees are much
more difficult to drive. This difficulty, however, is
easily overcome if, after we lift up the hive, we pom-
over the comb about a quarter of a pint of warm
syrup, throw a cheese-cloth over the mouth of the hive,
and give the bees ten to fifteen minutes for licking it up.
The excitement consequent upon this proceeding raises
the temperature and facilitates driving. When all the
bees are driven out, the skep containing the driven bees
should be placed on the stand the original hive occupied,
so that it may collect all the straggling bees. The queen
may then be returned to the bees by allowing her to run
in at the entrance. If, however, we wish to join these
bees to some of our own stocks in frame-hives, we keep
the queen in -the cage for further use if we should re-
quire her, as we should not need her with the bees in
such a case. We then proceed to drive the bees from
another skep, and when as many as we require have been
driven, we make up
our lots by uniting
three or four to-
gether. This is done
by throwing down
the lots on to a sheet
on the ground arid
letting them all run
into the hive to-
gether. The bees
are all gorged witli
honey and so mixed
up, that there is no
attempt at fight-
ing. The best of
the queens can be
dropped down a-
mongst the bees near
the entrance and
will run in with
them. The bees can
then be introduced
into the moveable
comb hive ready
prepared for them.
We have had bees
d riven in September,
and even in October;
put intoempty hives,
the only frames
containing strips
of comb-foundation,
and by liberal feed-
ing they have done
very well, coming-
out quite strong in
spring ; but we think
it the better plan to
give built-out combs,
and, if necessary,
feed up with thin
syrup (recipe No. 4
of Guide-book, p.
161) as rapidly as
possible. If the
combs in the skeps
are very straight and
clean, it may be ad-
vantageous to trans-
fer some of them, but we hardly think that, as a general
rule, transferring answers. Comb-foundation of good
quality is now so cheap, and the risk of introducing
disease with the old combs so great, that we do not
advocate transferring from skeps.
Driving condemned bees is the most economical way
of increasing an apiary, and at the same time we may,
if we like, take advantage of the opportunity thus
afforded to us to explain the process and its object, and
get a convert to the more humane system of bee-
keeping.
USEFUL HINTS.
We atheb.— Bright sunny days, with a night tempera-
ture of 55° Fahr., are favourable to the gathering in of
the harvest, and to feeding and preparing our bees for
winter. The barometer continues ' steady,' having stood
for many days at about 30-40, and the weather is de-
cidedly more 'settled' than at any time during the
present summer. We may also lo»k forward with hope
to ' St. Luke's little summer,' which usually prevails
from October 18th well into November. For feeding
and getting bees into condition for wintering, if we our-
selves had ' made the weather,' we could not have made
it more suitable for our purpose than that we now enjoy.
Ergo, those who lose their bees must blame themselves
September 27, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
475
only. A paragraph in the Morning Pod states that 'the
honey harvest in North Yorkshire is a failure, and it is
feared that the bees will be nearly extinct in that part
of the county next year.' The forecast, wo fear, applies
to most other counties as well as to ' North Yorkshire.'
Feeding, during the present unusually fine weather,
has no doubt been carried on with unceasing vigour in
well-managed apiaries. Allowing the poor bees to
perish, when sugar, of the best quality for feeding, can
be purchased at 21s. per cwt,, or 2\d. per lb., is wretched
policy. We have already given 8 cwt. of this sugar to
our bees, and before all are- well-provisioned for the
approaching winter, 2 cwt. more will be required. In a
copper we place 5b' pints of water, and bring it up to
boiling-point. A cwt. of granulated white cane sugar
is then added to the water, which checks the boiling for
a few minutes. When it again boils, an addition is
made of S| oz. tartaric acid ; 11 oz. salicylic acid solu-
tion ; and G oz. of salt; and tho boiling is continued for
about ten minutes. Our ' Raynor Extractor'' — minus its
cage and gearing — stands beside the copper, and receives
the syrup, which is covered by a close-fitting top. This
boiling operation is performed in the morning, and by (i
p.m. the syrup is cool enough for use. Syrup cans are
then called into play, and from the tap of tho extractor
a sufficient quantity is drawn to occupy every colony in
the apiary in storing until the following evening, when
the process of feeding is resumed, and the syrup is still
found sufficiently warm for the purpose.
ROBBING-, to which the fine weather and copious
feeding are most conducive, must be prevented at all
hazards. If once well established — and a few hours on
a fine day, with sundry inducements, will suffice to
establish it — the bees become thoroughly demoralised,
and the utter ruin of the apiary follows. While feeding
is going on the strictest watch must be kept over the
hives — yea, as strict as in swarming time, and the
slightest indication of an attack on any hive must at
once be cheeked in the beginning. Our best remedy is
spraying the robbers with carbolic solution thrown from
a syringe with a very fine rose. The pilferers, covered
with a fine carbolic-scented spray, retire discomfited, but
will often renew the attack again and again. But per-
severance invariably gains the victory. No element of
disturbance — as the introduction of condemned bees,
uniting, manipulation, and other operations — should be
allowed in an apiary while copious feeding is being
carried on. The only time allowable for manipulation is
during a cool evening, when the bees are all inside their
hives. In such a season as the present the starving colo-
nics of neighbours often prove a great nuisance to the
intelligent bee-keeper who feeds and cares for his bees.
It behoves all such to be on the alert, and, if neighbours
cannot be persuaded to feed their bees, to take most
careful measures to prevent their depredations. Mr.
Rusbridge, in liee-keepiny, Plain and Practical, tells
us that ' Feeding, as a rule, should be over by the
end of August, or early in September at tho latest, each
stock having not less than 20 lbs. net of sealed stores,'
and warns us, ' That it is extremely unwise to postpone
it until late in the autumn, since by that time the bees
will have decreased in number to about one third ; nor
will this remnant be so active as in summer, and the
chances are that cold nights will prevail, when much of
the syrup will remain unsealed in the combs, particu-
larly in the outer ones, in which condition it eventually
becomes unwholesome.' With all this we fully agree,
except, perhaps, as regards time. During the present
season, for instance, August proved a cold, wet, cheerless
month, and September remarkably fine, and far better
adapted for feeding bees and enabling them to take
down the food and to seal it over. We therefore adhere
to our original rides, and W.P. (weather permitting)
consider ourselves fortunate, especially in an exceptional
season like the present, in getting our feeding over by
the end of this month. Kay, we would not blame
severely those who continue it up to the middle of next
month if need be. Only, let there be no dilatoriness,
an exhortation, we fear, which too many bee-keepers
require.
Winter Preparation must speedily follow autumn
feeding. If colonies are not large enough to cover ten
frames, contract tho hive to eight, placing a division-
board on each side (angular system) or one at back
(parallel plan), and let the interstices on tho sides lie
filled with chaff-cushions or other material. A colony
which cannot cover eight standard frames ought not to
be wintered except as a nucleus. Enamel cloth, glazed
tide downwards, should cover the frames, with several
felt or carpel qudts and cushions upon it. This is the
great sepret for retaining heat below the enamel cloth,
and with entrances at full width, and a space of from
two to four inches beneath tho frames, bees winter
perfectly, and luxes thus prepared show no signs of
dampness. Winter passages cut through the combs we
consider advantageous, and prefer them by far to any
plan after 'Hills device,' that is, of providing bee-
passages above the frames. Bees in nature hermetically
seal with propolis the roof from which their combs are
suspended. It is admitted by all that calico or woollen
material placed next the frames is at once propoliscd, and
is thus rendered impervious to air or moisture. Our
argument is, that enamel cloth is not more impervious
than this propolised material. Moreover, in our own
experience, bees always winter well in domiciles thus
prepared, and at spring the hives and combs are found
dry and clean, without sign of dampness or mouldiness.
Generally speaking, the bees provide themselves with
passages at the upper corners of the combs, and some-
times in other places also. In such combs there is no
necessity for cutting passages, but in combs of sealed
honey — solid slabs, as they are called — we always cut a
circular hole, about one inch in diameter, centrally, and
two or three inches below the top-bar.
The Winter Aspect of hives should be south or
south-east, and good shelter should be provided at the
back. Shortly, to sum up our advice for wintering we
name the following points: — Strong colonies, ample
supply of sealed food, bees confined to as many combs as
they can cover, impervious quilts (or porous, if you will,
but in either case plenty of woollen material, chaff-
cushions, &c, above the covering quill), clean floor-
boards, sound weather-proof covers, firm storm-proof
stands, plenty of bottom ventilation, and no disturbance
of colonies after the middle of October. Skeps also must
be well protected, and if rendered double-walled by
rolling hay-bands around them so much the better.
Section Oases and Spare Combs should be care-
fully preserved for use another season. The former, we
fear, in most cases, have been removed from the hives
free from honey storage. The propolis should be scraped
off the lower parts, and the whole case wrapped in a sheet
of paper, when it may be stowed away in a dry place
until wanted. It is unnecessary to separate the sections,
even when filled with foundation. As the case was re-
moved from the hive, so let it be returned in the good
season coming. This will save a large amount of labour
and time, of which we all know the value when supering
is required. Spare combs should be kept dry and free
from dust.
Queens up to the end of this month may still be in-
troduced, with as little disturbance as possible, and at
evening time. We still recommend the cage as causing
the least trouble and disturbance with certainty of suc-
cess. Some of the new methods of introduction — like
the new discovery in the appearance' of queens — are any-
thing but trustworthy. When we are seriously informed
476
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 27, 1888.
'That some queens cannot be distinguished in outside
size and appearance from ordinary worker bees' by a
professed expert, and teacher of Queen Introduction, we
confess ourselves utterly unequal to assimilating with
previous knowledge gained by experience all the modern
and scientific discoveries promulgated with regard to our
favourites, the bees, in this inventive age.
Races of Bees. — Mr. Benton's letter (1802, p. 465)
in our last issue is very suggestive. Can it really be a
fact that queens raised in an apiary of Cyprian, Syrian,
Italian, and Carniolan bees, are sown broadcast over
our English apiaries, as queens of pure race ? We trust
not, and most sincerely hope that the explanation may
prove satisfactory. Judging from the complaints of
amateurs, who have introduced imported, so called, pure
Italian queens,*respecting the vile temper of theirprogeny,
we have long been suspicious of the purity of these
Italians. If the Carniolan race, already introduced to
so many English apiaries with the character of the
gentlest of bees, has been similarly produced, we may at
once conclude that the ' gentleness ' will soon disappear.
Absit omen.
MIDDLESEX AND WORCESTERSHIRE B.K.A.
We have much pleasure in giving circulation to the
following timely counsels which have been forwarded to
the members of the Middlesex and Worcestershire Bee-
keepers' Associations respectively : —
' I am deputed by our Committee to send a word of
timely warning to our members. This cold and wet
summer has not only deprived us of our harvest of
honey, but has left our stocks most probably without
sufficient food for the winter. The only way to avoid
the entire loss of your stocks in such cases is to feed
them up at once, and rapidly, with thick syrup, until
they have sufficient stored to enable them to get through
the winter. Feed in the evening when the bees are at
home, and take care not to leave syrup about, so as to
attract robbers.' — Henry Bliqh, General Secretary.
' As the funds of the Association will not permit of an
autumn visit from the expert, and taking into consider-
ation the fact that the past season has been the worst
that has been experienced for the last 25 years — very
little honey having been collected by the bees, which
are thus left without a sufficiency of stores for the winter
— I venture to urge upon you, and upon all bee-keepers,
the extreme importance of feeding all stocks with syrup
without any fur/her delay. This should be done as
rapidly as possible, and each stock to insure its living
through the winter should have from 15 to 20 lbs. of
syrup given to it. — A. II. Martin, Hon. Sec., Worcester-
shire B.K.A.
' Directions for Making Syrup. — White lump sugar,
10 lbs. ; water, 5 pints ; vinegar, 1 oz. ; salt, i oz.'
A REPORT OF SOME EXPERIMENTS IN
APICULTURE.
To the Commissioners of Agriculture.
By N. W. M'Lain.
(Continued from page 403.)
Starved Brood.
A disorder which has been quite common in several
States during the past season is resultant, from conditions
prevalent during severe and protracted droughts and long
periods of extremely high temperature, such as has
existed over large areas.
The disorder is significant and important, not so much
on account, of the actual numerical loss entailed upon
colonies affected — which in my own case, and in many
cases reported to me, have been severe — as in furnishing
proof of failure on the part of those food elements indis-
pensable during the breeding season to meet the large
demand for larval food, and essential in maintaining the
health and vigour of the bees while the digestive and
secretory organs are being taxed to the limit of their
capacity. This failure of natural resources results in
low vitality, susceptibility and predisposition to disease,
and inability to successfully perform the function of
hibernation. With some exceptions, due to local ad-
vantages, throughout the States stricken by the drought
of the past summer the bees have entered upon the
period of hibernation under conditions more or les3 un-
favourable in proportion as they have suffered in greater
or less degree from the effects of the all-consuming
drought and heat.
The symptoms of starved brood are distinctively cha-
racteristic. Upon opening the hive a slightly offensive
odour may be noticed if the colony has been suffering
for some time. If the comb-frame be lifted from the
hive, and the bees shaken off, few, if any, eggs can be
found. Of such brood as is sealed, the cappings appear
to be thin and flat, and slightly sunken, and commonly
of darker colour than is usual in prosperous colonies.
Upon opening the cells they are found to contain dead
pupre in various stages of development, always inferior
in size, and the food supply exhausted.
In the midst of sealed brood patches of uncapped
larvee appear, and sometimes a patch of five or six inches
square, and sometimes there seems to have been no effort
made towards sealing half the grown larvre in the hive,
although the time for such sealing may be far overdue.
The membranes of such larvae do not present the plump,
pearly-white appearance common to well-fed larva;.
On the contrary, the membranes are more or less
shrunken and wrinkled, and not unfrequently, when the
larvfe have reached the advanced pupa stage, the com-
pound eyes begin to colour, and the cells are partially
capped and then abandoned, and the appearance is that
commonly designated by the term ' bald-headed bees.'
Sometimes a few of these bees, dwarfed in size, emerge
from the cells and engage in the labours of the hive with
what vigour and for such term as their limited develop-
ment will permit.
In a number of tests made during the past season the
progeny of the same queen, reared under directly oppo-
site conditions of larval growth, so varied in size as not
to be recognisable as offspring of the same progenitors.
The reason for this variation was not far to seek. The
changed conditions of the colony during the time when
the different generations were being reared determined
the] modification in development. The remedy I used
and prescribed for others was a preventive rather than a
curative. Starved brood means starved bees. If the
cause be removed the effect speedily disappears. All
that needs to be done is to supply them with a sub-
stitute for those resources essential to their own health
and vigour, and indispensable in brood-rearing, in search
of which they are rapidly and vainly wearing out their
vitality.
The recipe for preparing the remedy is as follows : —
To 10 lbs. of sugar add half a pint of dairy salt, two
tablespoonfuls of bicarbonate of soda, two tablespoonfuls
of rye flour, two tablespoonfuls of very finely powdered
bone-ash, and one tablespoonful of cream-of-tartar. Mix
thoroughly, then add two quarts of hot water, and stir
until thoroughly dissolved, then boil for two or three
minutes only. To one half-pint of fresh milk add three
fresh eggs thoroughly beaten, and when the syrup is
cool enough to feed add the eggs and milk, and when
thoroughly stirred, feed warm. Feed in the hive as one
would feed honey or syrup.
I used this same food for preventing spring dwindling
and for building up colonies to full strength and
efficiency, so that all colonies may be ready for work at
the very beginning of the seasun, when surplus honey
may naturally be expected. This food fed in the hive
keeps all the bees at home to aid in performing the
September 27, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
477
functions of brood-rearing, and in keeping up the tem-
perature of the hive, instead of spending their little
remaining strength in battling against the cold, damp
winds while searching for the food elements needed to
repair the waste and drain upon their vitality while
hibernating, and indispensable in brood-rearing. This
food is not intended for use until after the bees have
had a good flight in the spring, and almost any grade of
honey or sugar may be used. This special food is a
potent stimulant and tonic to the adult bees, giving tone
and vigour to the organism, and furnishes the elements
essential in brood-rearing in the place and in the manner
suited to the convenience and tastes of the bees. No
greater quantity should be fed than is required for the
current needs of the colony. — American Bee Journal.
WROCKWARDINE BEE CLUB.
The third annual exhibition in connexion with this
useful and flourishing club, the president of which is the
Hon. Mrs. Robert Herbert, took place on Wednesday,
in the Boys' Schoolroom, Wrockwardine. The Asso-
ciation has for its object the encouragement, improvement,
and advancement of bee-keeping, with a view to helping
cottagers to add to their incomes and the preventing of
cruelty to bees ; and thanks to the untiring energy of Miss
M. E. Eyton, of Leaton, who since its formation has
worked most indefatigably and praiseworthily in the
capacity of honorary secretary to ensure success, the
Association is rapidly increasing both in numbers and
usefulness. Mr. J. Palmer has also contributed materially
to the prosperity of the club by the aid he has rendered
Miss Eyton as assistant hon. sec. Mr. W. G. Preece,
juu., of Shrewsbury, a gentleman well known as a suc-
cessful exhibitor, officiated as judge, and his decisions
gave general satisfaction. Owing to the past unfavour-
able season, the quantity of honey shown this year was
not so large as formerly, but taking into consideration
the adverse circumstances with which those connected
with the apiary have this year had to contend, the ex-
hibits, both in quality and quantity, must be regarded as
very satisfactory. In addition to the exhibits for which
prizes was given, the club appliances, including ingenious
contrivances for the better and more economical ex-
traction of honey, and the various other requisites con-
nected with bee-keeping, attracted considerable attention ;
while the exhibition of live bees in hives, the property
of Miss Eyton, formed one of the principal features of
the exhibition. Bronze and silver medals, which had
been won by Miss Eyton and Mr. J. Palmer, were also
on view, and as an attestation of the usefulness of the
society and the skill of its members, there were also
shown certificates of competency as experts in modem
bee-keeping, which had been granted by the British
Bee-keepers' Association to Miss Eyton, and Messrs. J.
Palmer, H. Brooks, and J. Shuker. There was, too, a
valuable collection of bee literature, including fifteen
volumes of the British Bee Journal, kindly lent by Mr.
Ding, in addition to other similar works contributed by
various members of the club. Mr. Brooks (bee-expert to
Miss Eyton) and Mr. Palmer kindly and intelligently ex-
plained to the visitors the utility of the many objects of
interest in the room. Among those present at the earlier
stage of the proceedings were the Hon. Mrs. Herbert and
Miss Herbert (Orleton), Lady Mary Herbert and the
Misses Herbert (The Styche), Mrs. Jenkins (Charlton
Hill), the Rev. A. P., Mrs. and Miss Salusbury (Wrock-
wardine), Mrs. Clayton, the Rev. Mr. ■ Pennell, &c.
Following is a list of awards : —
Open to Club Members. — Best 12 1-lb. bottles — Mr.
John Palmer (Wrockwardine), 1 ; Mr. Fryer (Overley), 2.
Best and most complete hive for general use — Mr. John
Palmer, 1.
Open to Cottager Members only.— Best 6 1-lb.
bottles— Mr. C. Clarke (Overley), 1 ; Mr. John Shuker
(Allscott), 2.
Open to All Comers and Members. — Best 12 1-lb.
bottles — Mr. J. Palmer, 1. Best made hard candy for
feeding bees — Mr. C. Clarke, 1 ; Mr. Fryer, 2. Best
cake bees-wax, not under 1-lb. — Mr. J. Shuker, 1 ; Mr.
J. Palmer, 2. Best honey drink, not intoxicating — Mr.
J. Palmer, 1. Best vinegar made from hone)- — Mr. J.
Palmer, 1 ; Mr. John Shuker, 2.
Open to Cottagers Only. — Best 2-lb. cake made
with honey — Mrs. Charles Mainwaring (Charlton), 1;
Mr. John Shuker, 2. Best 1-lb. pot of preserve made
with honey instead of sugar — Mrs. C. Clarke (Overley),
1 ; Mrs. J. Shuker, 2. Best bunch of bee flowers — Mr.
C. Clarke, 1; Mr. H. Shuker (Allscott), 2; Mr. YV.
Mainwaring (Charlton), special prize.
Open to School Children under Fifteen. — Best
bunch of wild bee flowers — Kate Fryer, 1 ; J. Palmer
and Sydney Bremmell, 2 (equal) ; Bertie King, 3 ; Harry
Price, 4.
The Crop and Honey Market. — Reports from all
over the State are to the effect that the honey crop is so
short that it is no exaggeration to say that it is a total
failure. There is hardly an apiary in any of the hitherto
most prominent bee-keeping counties of the State which
has this year produced surplus honey enough to pay
interest on the capital invested therein. The same
reports come from the East, and never since the care of
bees attained the proportions of a regular industry has
the honey yield of the United States been so limited as
in the season now closing. In conjunction with the
limited output, however, has come a marked rise in
prices, but these comparatively high figures are after all
of little value to the bee-keeper, for of what use would
it be to him were honey to be quoted at even a dollar a
pound if his bees produced no surplus for sale p The
experience of the present season is, after all, only a repe-
tition, on a more extended scale, of what has been the
uniform history of the industry ever since the first colo-
nies of bees were brought around by the isthmus and
sold here for 200 dollars apiece. First there ha-s come a
succession of good seasons ; the stuck of bees has largely
increased ; the price of honey has gradually lowered ; and
finally many have gone out of the business in disgust.
Then a bad season has come, or a succession of them ;
there have been no wild flowers, or the natural bloom
has not contained the usual amount of nectar; the honey
crop has been short; prices have risen, and a few, who
were located in exceptionally favourable regions, have
made large profits. This has stimulated others to go
into the business, and the result has beeu another period
of heavy production, low prices and small profit. For
those who have been able to secure anything like a fair
crop, the present season will be a bonanza. And those
who have been sufficiently far-sighted to provide their
bees with an abundance of forage, without placing any
dependence upon the natural bloom, will this season
reap a good reward for their enterprise. Those who
have taken this precaution are few enough by the side
of the many who are accustomed to 'trust to luck ;' but
this lends emphasis to the general proposition that the
bee-keeper who treats his colonies precisely as he would
any other kind of animals upon which he placed depend-
ence for an income, and sees that provision is made for a
bad season, will come out ahead in the long run, while
the one who trusts to nature will run behind. — Han
Francisco Chronicle.
Seasonable Hints. — It is of vital importance that
every colony of bees should have a thorough inspection
at the end of the honey season. It would be very ex-
ceptional if some colonies were not found queenless, and
robbing is sure to follow. Parent colonies that have
cast swarms are generally the ones found wanting in
this respect, and if attention is not given at the close of
the honey-flow, the bees will get the start. When the
flow ceases, the bees with their powerful force of idlers
478
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 27, 1888.
hunt up and rob such defective colonies. It matters
little whether such queenless colonies are weak or strong,
they will not defend their stores. The mischief does not
stop here ; when robbing bees become aroused they will
overpower and destroy colonies that may be in proper
condition. It is of the utmost importance to see that
every colony has a good fertile queen at this season.
The reason why colonies having cast swarms are often
found queerdess is, that at the time of maturing they
have but the one young queen ; they have no brood to
fall back upon, if the young queen becomes lost, when
she issues alone into the open world to receive fertilisa-
tion, surrounded by myriads of enemies. In returning
she sometimes enters the wrong colony. September is
the proper month to feed all colonies that may lack in
food, for winter bees cannot be fed successfully during
freezing weather, and if fed early, they seal the honey
over. Unsealed honey in the combs near the bees during
cold weather becomes diluted with the moisture from
them, and is unhealthfnl. Caring for, handling and
disposing of the honey crop also demand our attention
during the latter part of the season. It has been too
common to ship honey to distant markets at a low
figure. No one can as successfully build up a demand
for honey as the apiarist himself, and the business is far
safer in his hands than in any other. The place to com-
mence operations is at home, where we have the entire
care and control of the matter. Several thousands of
pounds of honey may be disposed of in almost any locality
with much greater profits than by shipping. Build up a
home market, and never drive business away that can be
transacted at home. — American Agriculturist.
Save the Mark. — Well, Pat, how is the hive of bees
I gave you getting on P
Pat. Shure, your honnor, it was yeself that tould mo
they would be after marking the spot the nixt morning,
and whin I stooped down to see thim make the mark, a
little divil fetched a moighty big lump over my eye that
niver a bit could I see at all at all for a wake. — Honey-
suckle.
Killed by a Wasp. — On Saturday, September 2:2nd,
a farmer named F. M. Turnell, of Iirixworth Lodge,
near Northampton, was stung by a wasp, and he died a
few minutes afterwards, He was walking in his garden,
when he felt the sting of a wasp near the left temple.
As the puncture caused great pain, and a swelling
followed, a doctor was sent for, but before his arrival,
not a quarter of an hour later, death ensued, the deceased
having suffered most acutely.
Cflrrcspoubciuc.
The Editor doesnot hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by ftis correspondents. No attention trill be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to v.'iite on one tide of
the paper only, and aire their full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
he drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Hooks for Jtevieir,
t. 22nd.
WINTER PASSAGES— FEEDING BEES. y
[1817.] I being a keeper of bees now for ten years,
although but a cottager, I go in for the frame-hive,
as I think if it pays to keep bees at all it is by
keeping them in the frame-hive; but of course we
know it is the first outlay that cottagers cannot afford
as a rule, neither could I afford to buy hives. I
have ten frame-hives which I make ny-self, which I
think any one may do if they have the mind for it
now, as we all know to our experience this has been
as bad a year for bees as I should think any one could
remember. -Much has been said in the Journal about
feeding, which must be done or lose the bees. Many
September 27, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
479
cottagers cannot even afford to buy sugar, let alone
feeders ; but still if sugar can be got, any common -wide-
mouthed bottle will answer for feeding, as I have now
fed up fourteen hives with nothing but a common bottle
costing simply nothing, which 1 think answers every
purpose, as well as feeders costing Is. to 6s. Gd., as I see
in the journal. I bought one feeder for Is. 6rf., but I
prefer an ordinary bottle to that. I see a little has been
said lately about winter passages through the combs,
but I, like others, think it is useless work cutting winter
passages. Being a bee-keeper for the time I have, I think
I may form an opinion. Now, I never make any
passages, nor lay pieces of wood under the quilt, as I see
recommended by some, and I have never lost a single
colony during the winter ; that is my experience. I
always leave every stock well stored in the autumn sufli-
cient to last till May. Keep them warm and dry. With
plenty of stores and bottom ventilation I think passages
through the combs are not required, but still we all have
different opinions on that as well as other things. — F.
Goldsmith, Bolnctj, Hayward's Heath, Sussex, Sept. 22.
JOTTINGS FROM SUSSEX.
[1818.] Deeply I sympathise, Mr. Editor, with our
fellow bee-keepers at this discouraging season; and all
the more as its results bad been generally unexpected.
I never knew my bees stronger or in better condition for
work than they were last spring, and they gave me some
beautiful sections from the early fruit-blossoms ; but my
whole honey harvest from nine hives has only been
about fifty pounds ; perhaps I ought to be thankful for
that.
May we not, however, learn a lesson from our tees ?
How often have we robbed them of the chief part of
their stores, and left them for a time comparatively
destitute; but instead of giving way to despair and
ceasing to work, have we not observed that they worked
away sis hard or harder than ever, apparently determined
by all means to repair their loss:' Sugar, fortunately, is
very cheap, and the expenditure and trouble which now
are necessary to bring our little labourers through the
winter, may be abundantly repaid by them next year.
I found Simmins's dry sugar feeders of great service
during the spring and summer, giving little trouble, and
preventing any anxiety as to the bees running short of
food, even during my absence from home.
At the end of last month I examined j[my hives
thoroughly, and found that although full of brood they
were very short of stores ; I consequently commenced
giving them daily a supply of syrup, using Blow's
'Perfection' feeder (an admirable feeder!) at its fidl
capacity, and on examining them again to-day (Sept.
17th) 1 find that they have, with only one exception, a
capital supply of sealed stores, sufficient to last them
well into next spring.
I am very glad that 'A Bee-keeper of West Kent'
can report a complete cure of foul brood and hope that
he will not be troubled with it again. I am thankful
to be able to state that there has not been any recur-
rence of it in my apiary, a fact which proves, I think,
that this annoying disease may be cured by the plan
which I adopted without any destruction of bees, hives,
or accessories.
The carbolic acid cloth has again proved to be of
essential service, but I have not thrown away my
smoker as some of your correspondents appear to have
done, for I have fotmd it very useful in cases where bees
have become unusually irritated, also for driving them
from section crates, &c. And your suggestion of having
rolls of brown paper with straw, in the_centre, and the
ends dipped in saltpetre, has proved most convenient.
Many of the suggestions in the Journal I have found
to be of great value, but I venture to doubt the value of
one, viz., that the hive entrances should be left open at
full width all the winter. I may be wrong, but my
experience leads me to believe that this is a mistake.
I have kept bees for many years and have never lost a
single stock, even in the severest winter, but I have
always closed the entrances in winter time so that only
about two bees can pass each other. I think that this
is desirable to economise warmth, and to prevent the
bees from feeling, as with fully opened entrances they
must do, the various vicissitudes of the weather. I find
that when covered up very warmly, and the entrances
thus contracted, hardly any dead are to be found on the
floor-boards, the bees seemed to be as numerous when
examined in the spring as they were when shut up at
the beginning of the winter, and there has been a very
small consumption of stores. I use bay above and
around the brood-nest as far as possible, having in most
hives an inner and an outer case. Occasionally during
the winter months on fine days I open the entrances
wider, but close them again before nightfall. I substitute
flannel for the American cloth quilts, for the latter
decidedly produces damp. — A Sussex Kecioh.
[When using American quilts wider enhances are
necessary than when stocks are covered with porous
quilts. See 'Useful Hints' on Winter Preparation. — Ed.]
only; a suggestion.
[1819.1 Yes, Mr. Editor, I own up at once it is only a
suggestion. But let us note here that all advances in
bee-keeping were made through either accident or ex-
periment ; and what is experiment but, theoretical sug-
gestions put into practice!- So applying the principle
of division of labour, I will make the suggestion, and the
readers of the Journal can put it into practice, if they
like. It is a plan for making fast or slow feeders in
which sugar and water can be used without boiling, and
(here's the difference) inverted over feed-hole, its ad-
vantages will be (a leetle too early to mention them,
perhaps) existing feeders can be used with slight modifi-
cation, and large live to thirty pound rapid feeders could
be made cheaper and better than the well-known ones of
Mr. Simmins.
Now what prevents us from putting our pound of
sugar and half pint of water, more or less, into the
ordinary bottle feeder and inverting it at once ? The
result would be that the sugar would settle at the
bottom, and, by clogging up the holes, prevent the air
from rising, and no air-bubbles rising means no syrup
dropping into the throats of the tiny workers. Clearly
we have to provide something to allow the air-bubbles
to rise freely, and also for the thickest parts of the syrup
to fall to the bottom ready for use.
This can be done by affixing a piece of perforated tin
or zinc in the form of a cone inside the perforated cap
of the ordinary bottle feeder, taking care that the base
covers all the perforations in the cap and the apex, or
point reaches about two thirds the inside height of the
buttle.
n r
Section of Bottle. Usual Cap. Improved Cap.
(Dotted lines represent
perforated zinc.)
To use : Put in sugar and water to match, place the
cap in position and invert, and the thing is done — no
boiling, no syrup spilled, and the index can be set to the
number of holes required. By making a large bottle-
shape part of tin, feeders to hold ten or thirty pounds
could be produced to sell at Is. iid., and for rapid feeding
with unboiled syrup wotdd be superior to others, inas-
much as the food is brought directly over the cluster. —
Honeysuckle.
480
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 27, 1888.
FAST FEEDER.
[1820.] Many thanks are due to you for the plain direc-
tions (page 445, Sept. 13) for making a Fast Feeder. I
set to work lief ore breakfast the next day, and made
one. It beats all I have used. Having a 'plough,' I
groove the bottoms in, leaving the bee-space. Many,
like myself, in out-of-the-way country places, will find
some difficulty in getting ^-in. stuff' for divisions, but
most likely have plenty of broken or soiled sections.
These answer well, either 1-lb. or 2-lb., by increasing
the superficial dimensions, and decreasing the depth, and
putting in a f-in. division, grooved and. slotted at the
bottom thus: — -
Entrance slot.
Entrance slot.
I stop my joints with 'patent knotting' instead of
wax, and also dress the wood floats of some old-fashioned
round tin feeders with the same, on both sides, which
prevents their getting saturated with syrup. — W. E.
BuilKITT.
EXPERIENCE IN SOMERSET.
[1821.] I have been very much interested and in-
structed in reading the experience of some of your
correspondents which have appeared in the Journal from
time to time, and finding you have not many correspon-
dents in Somerset, I thought it may prove interesting,
if not instructive, to some of your readers if I gave my
experience.
Four years since a friend presented me with a swarm
of bees, which induced me to become an apiarian ; and
though I have not found it a very profitable business, I
have gained experience which hitherto had been my
object, and which, I believe, will enable me to make it
profitable in the future.
I commenced this year to get an apiary with as little
cost as possible. In May I got my first swarm from an
oak-tree in the little village of Compton. A friend, Robert
Syms, and myself, arrived about eleven o'clock. After cut-
ting the entrance about ten inches square with hammer and
chisel, and after giving them plenty of smoke, and getting
plenty of stings in return, I was enabled to take out the
combs after cutting them in the centre. I found it impos-
sible to take them out whole. There were six in number,
some of which were two feet long, the shape of a shield,
which was the shape of the tree inside. I fastened the
best of the combs into a straw hive, then put the hive
near the entrance, and commenced to smoke the bees out
of the tree. They came out, but refused to enter the
hive, but clung to the trunk of the tree. After waiting
some time, my friend called my attention to a small
cluster of bees on a spray about four yards from the
tree, which turned out to contain the queen. I placed
her against the hive ; she walked in and all the bees
followed suit.
In about half-an-hour I was on my way home with a
very strong colony, which I put into a bar-frame hive on
foundation. In this village there are many bee-keepers
of the old school, who have committed hundreds of colo-
nies to the brimstone pit. So in the spring of this year I
went round to a few of them and induced them to allow
me to drive a colony, for which I paid Is. per colony. I
commenced the first three colonies in August following
on a very cold day. I went without my smoker, and my
villagers won't very soon forget it. They were close
against the highway ; they were so vicious that they
stung all who came in contact with them. A family of
tramps came by, seven in number, every one of whom
was badly stung. My friend had to go after them and
take the sting out of the lady's hair. An old man came
by with his donkey and cart, and the bees stung the
donkey on the nose. The donkey ran backwards into
the ditch, and there he stopped, rubbing his nose on the
ground, until he was lifted, out. Even the cat had to
run for her very life. However, I succeeded in bringing
away three good colonies.
The following week I went to a farmer and drove five
lots out of fifteen ; these I drove the proper way, profiting
by my experience the previous week. I had very little
trouble, as we drove the five in little more than an hour.
The farmer had very little knowledge of bee-keeping, his
bees are allowed to rob and fight as they please : dead
bees were to be seen in every quarter. I went the fol-
lowing week and drove the remainder, and had them all
placed in bar-frame hives. I have driven bees three
years, but I have never seen such a scarcity of honey as
this year. I don't think they average more than two
pounds each ; hence, Mr. Editor, as you have told us, [
hundreds of colonies belonging to cottagers must die this
winter, for feeding is a practice country bee-keepers have
very little knowledge of. My friend lives in this village,
and I have instructed him, to the best of my ability, to
keep bees in bar-frame hives ; he has two very good
colonies for the coming year, so I hope there will not be
many more committed to the pit in this village.
If not troubling you, I should like to say a few words
to those who, like myself, wish to make bee-keeping
profitable without purchasing expensive boxes. I may
sav my boxes are made in the following manner : — I get
emptv boxes from the grocers, not larger than two feet
each way. I make them water-tight by tinning the
corners and well painting all over. I then have a make-
shift, of my own making, without top or bottom, that
will hold ten of Abbott's patent frames and dummy-
board. This I place in the bottom of the box close
against the entrance, so that I have two or three inches
between the makeshift and sides of box to fill up to keep
them warm in winter if necessary. In the spring I can
lift out the makeshift, so called, and clean out the box
with very little trouble. The bottom of the box must be
very plain. Then, with a good quilt, it is impossible for
the bees to get out of the inner box. These can be
worked on almost any principle. With the outlay of a
few pounds I shall be able to establish a small apiary
containing ten or twelve colonies for the coming year.
To allow foundation to hang clear of the bottom bar, so
that the bees can build a little drone-comb, I had to cut
a strip of emery cloth. What reason can be assigned
for not making it the exact size, not to have any waste ?
— John Browning, Street, Somerset.
AN AMATEUR'S EXPERIENCE WITH A
NEW FEEDER.
[1822.] Having to give my seven strong stocks of
bees 20 lbs. of sugar each, I decided to 'go in for 'a
rapid feeder. Accordingly I found as I thought just
what I required advertised in the Bee Journal, price
Is. Gd. From the drawing or illustration of it, it
appeared to me to be almost or quite large enough to
cover the tops of the frames. To my surprise when it
arrived I found that it only held three pints of liquid,
and this ran out again almost as fast as 1 had poured it
in. So I then ' ran ' some melted glue all round the
bottom and corners inside, and, as I thought, made it
waterproof. Great was my horror, however, when, after
placing the feeder on a hive, and pouring in some warm
syrup, to find that it all ran through, drowning the bees
September 27, 1888.]]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
481
and half spoiling the colony. I have now poured
melted pitch round the inside, and it ' holds ' at las
some
. pitcn rouna me msiue, auu u - noius ai last. I
was obliged, moreover, to make a fresh lid, with a hole
in the centre, covered with perforated zinc, through
which to pour fresh supplies, as the glass sliding lid let
every bee out directly on being opened.
I have now made a feeder of my own invention. It
is 17 x 15 x 5j inches deep, and holds 20 lbs. of sugar.
I rind 10 pints of water and -'0 lbs. of sugar when
boiled up only measure 20 pints. I use a little salt,
but «o vinegar, and my syrup never candies, provided
that it is not boiled for more than three or five minutes.
The bees will take down the 20 pints (it weighs 30 lbs.)
in forty-eight hours. I find the best thing in which to
boil 10 lbs. of sugar and 5 pints of water is an ordinary
large tea-kettle. It boils quicker than in a saucepan.
The cottagers' bees in this district are dead or dying.
I fear there will be few straw skeppists around here next
season. — Apiarist, Fairspeir Hume, Ascott-sub- Wych-
wood, Oxford, September 22nd.
ANOTHER MINOROAN QUEEN.'
[1823.] On Monday last, the 10th inst., I received a
letter from Mr. F. 0. Andreu, Minorca, accompanied
by a small boz, or cage, containing a Minorcan queen.
On opening the cage I found all its inmates as black as
Mr. Abbott has already described them, and as lively as
crickets.
I soon had a stock of Carniolans ready for her, and
placed her majesty therein. To-day I opened hive and
found she had begun to lay in two combs. I noticed
she was exceedingly lively, and, by what she has done
already, should say she is very prolific. As I have
Carniolan drones still Hying, I have inserted one of the
frames containing Minorcan eggs in the bive where the
drones are, and trust I shall (if weather is favourable)
get some young queens mated to Carniolan drones.
I have just got some bees hatched, the progeny of a
Carniolan queen mated to a Ligurian drone, and like
them very much for activity. Have any of your readers
any experience of this cross ? if so, will they say how
they like them ? — C. Howes, Cot tiny/tarn, Sept. 13.
SUGGESTION FOR SCHEDULES.
[1824.] I see by your last issue that the schedules for
next year are under consideration. On looking over the
prize lists of this season's shows, it has struck me whether
the British Bee-keepers' Association would not give more
encouragement than hitherto to the exhibition of articles
in which the products of the apiary are used, not con-
fiuing it to food, drinks, and medicines, but leaving it
open to include all things, by offering medals and yood
prizes (?), and allowing the names of the articles to
appear on them p I take it for granted that steps will
be taken to prevent for the future a person exhibiting a
collection of goods in his own name articles made by
others, which I am told was the case at one of the large
shows during the past season. — W. E. Burkitt, Butter-
mere Mectory, Hunyerford, September 2ith.
WASPS, &c.
[1825.] During the month of August a neighbour of
mine told me that the wasps had taken possession of a
bee skep in which was placed in 1887 a strong swarm of
bees, and that the wasps were very strong in numbers ;
and he wanted it taken, but was timid of them. So I
went at dinner-time one day to take observations for
destroying them the same night, and I then noticed
what I considered very strange behaviour on the part
of the wasps, namely, that there were three wasps
fanning or ventilating the hive with their heads away
from, and their tails to, the hive, which is just the
opposite to the bees when fanning, as their head is
to the hive. The wasps had cut two extra holes for
entrance or exit, and the fanning was going on on the
south-west side of the hive. 1 should like to know if
any of your subscribers have noticed anything of the
kind at any time. I stopped the two side entrances with
wet mortar, and about eight o'clock that same night I
had a piece of brown paper dipped in sulphur and
brought it lighted quickly to the front hole, and I believe
killed every wasp in the skep. I then lighted the skep
and found "it full of wasp-comb, with brood in all stages.
Many of the grubs not sealed over were not killed by
the fumes of sulphur, which seems very extraordinary
considering all the matured wasps were; and what also
seems so very strange (considering the delicate nature of
the bee grub), these wasp grubs lived out-of-doors, ex-
posed to the cold nights, unprotected for a fortnight,
until they were drowned with the rain. Our secretary,
Major Fair, can vouch for the correctness of my state-
ment, as I took the skep up to show him the next night,
after destroying the wasps, and gave him one comb, and
he kept it until the rain destroyed the grubs. And
another thing that seems singular was that you could
have seen them continually opening their mouths for
food for at least a fortnight after being exposed. I do
not know how other districts fare for a secretary, but I
am happy to say that Teddiugton has one in Major Fair
second to none for a fraternity of spirit in everything
pertaining to bee-keeping. If I notice anything about
bees that I do not understand, I have the privilege to go
to him at any time, and I always receive a warm
welcome and every benefit he can give me.— W, D.
Marlow, Teddinyton.
[Both wasps and hornets 'fan' at the entrance
to their nests during very hot weather. We have
frequently seen them do this, tail to nest. Tenacity
<>f life in wasp larvae. — As a boy we have frequently tried
to destroy wasp larvas with sulphur and exposure, but
only when we put them in the oven, in order to prepare
them as fish-bait, were we successful in destroying their
vitality and stopping their always gaping mouths. We
are pleased to hear that you have so indefatigable a local
secretary. — Ed.]
€tym ixam % |3tbcs,
Romford, Sept. 20th. — Echoes from the hives have
grated roughly on the ear this season. But I am pleased
to find exceptions. In June I cut out the crowns of two
of.the old cone skeps and put on a super skep. Four weeks
ago I looked for the honey. Two or three small pieces
of comb quite empty. Fortunately I did not take them
off as many others did. September 10th went to take
off supers, and found one nearly full of delicious honey.
All the skeps (four) had filled up well during the last
three weeks, from whence I know not. — W. Loveday.
Evesham, September 23rd. — This season has been the
worst ever experienced in this county, and unless bees
are fed liberally and at once there will be a great
scarcity of stocks next spring, especially if that spring
should be a cold and prolonged one. Nearly all the
swarms about here that were not fed have perished, —
A. II. Martin, Son, Sec. Worcestershire B.K.A.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
R. de S. — 1. Introduciny Queen. — Under the circum-
stances your proposed plan is the best. Keep her
without food for thirty minutes before introduction.
2. Feeding. — You should give each stock at least
30 lbs. of syrup to store for winter use. We have no
notes at hand to refer to as to the loss by evaporation
of syrup during storing. ' 3. Winter Passayes. — We
prefer them through all combs about the size of a
shilling. 4. Diseased Bees. — These should be burnt
at once.
482
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[September 27, 1888.
R.W. — 1. Suspicious Comb. — Not foul brood. 2. Brood-
less Hives. — We should think there is a queen, but,
owing to the very little honey about, that she is not
laying now. There ought certainly to be at least a
small patch of brood.
J. 0., Wultham. — 1. Inverted Combs. — The honey will be
stored always at the top. The queen will breed as well,
no matter which way up. The disadvantage of rever-
sible frames is that there is a deal of trouble involved
with no return for same. 2. Distance of Bee-space
between Combs. — In early spring the colony increases
more rapidly by contracting the bee-space. In hot
weather the natural spacing is the best. 3. Size of
Brood Chamber for Tiering Hives, — 14j- inch by 18
inch. 4. Number of Backs to use in one Hive. — In
your district two would be ample. 5. Distance be-
tween Hives! — Six feet. 0. Remedy for Stings. — •
Wear a veil, and get used to the stings on your hands.
The more you receive the less will the effects be felt,
until at last you will scarcely notice a single sting.
II.Marrs. — Drones Flying.— Youhaveanunimpregnated
queen in the hive. You must supersede her or unite
the colony to another, destroying the virgin queen.
II. A. Edmondson. — Condemned Bees. — They are bees
driven from straw skeps or boxes from which the
combs and honey are taken. These, if not for the
intervention of the modern bee-keeper, would be ' con-
demned ' to die — by sulphur.
G. S. — Queen Cells. — The bees are not preparing for
swarming. We should judge that the queen has been
killed ; this frequently takes place in autumn if the
bees are disturbed too much by over-manipulation. A
too free use of the smoker will cause the queen to be
' balled.' All manipulations in autumn should be
conducted as quietly as possible, and always of an
evening. Strange bees entering a hive during manipu-
lation is a frequent cause of ' balling ' the queen.
Apis Mellifica. — For Leeds consult Mr. Grimshaw,
Ilorsforth, near Leeds ; for York, Mr. C. A. Atkinson,
Tockwith, near York.
A. W. F. — Ichneumon Rupee. — You are quite right in
supposing that this is an instance of the destruction
of some coleopterous larva by those of a species of
ichneumon. Identification of the particular species is,
however, scarcely possible under existing conditions.
Of the larva which has been eaten out, nothing re-
mains but portions of the desiccated skin; and so far
as can be made out from examination of the mandibles,
legs, and spiracles, it would appear to have been that
of a cockchafer (Melolontha vulgaris). ,The young
ichneumons are in the pupa condition, but approach-
ing maturity — most of them being still alive; but
until they emerge from the membranous cases in
which each one is separately enclosed, the species
cannot be determined with any certainty.
Inquirer. — There are no signs of foul brood in the
piece of comb, but the number of pellicles in each cell
are so numerous that there was not sufficient room
for the development of the bees.
D. C. — A Barren Queen. — A dissection of this queen
shows that the ovaries are in perfect condition, and
that the tubes are, in all cases, full of ova, so that you
are no doubt correct in supposing that no eggs were
laid. The spermatheca was tilled with spermatozoa, all
in perfect condition, rendering it a matter of certainty
that fertilisation had taken place. It is therefore
somewhat a subject of conjecture as to why this
queen failed to lay eggs, seeing that all the conditions
as revealed by microscopic examinations are favour-
able. Probably it might have been injured slightly by
pressure from incautious handling.
Holder. — 1. She of Queen. — Insects are of their full
natural size when hatched out from the Chrysalis, and
do not grow like animals, but there is an exception
as regards the mother insects, they become more
rotund and distended in the abdomen. You will find
a fertile queen is shorter and thinner when no breeding
is going on than at other times. 2. Food for Queen.
— Your plan is novel, and certainly a good one. You
would find a paste of sugar and honey do very well.
J. H. P. — Phenolated Syrup. — Try filling an empty comb
with your syrup. You can drive it into the cells with
a syringe, then put this comb right in the centre of
the brood-nest. The bees will store it, and in about
two days repeat the operation, and so on till you have
at least five or six frames filled and sealed.
W. Ord. — 1. Condemned Bees, — The small proportion
of unsealed syrup will not hurt. They will require
some immediate food, and will use what remains un-
capped. 2. Packing — This should be done as early as
feeding can be dispensed with. Glad to learn you are
successfully advising your neighbours.
F. Goldsmith. — It would take about 18A pounds of
sugar to make 25 pounds of syrup.
Correction. — No. 1313, p. 470, lino 17, for 9 inches each lift, read
9 in each lift.
^Business ^©irectory.
*-*-*
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leioester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B„ Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin,
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edev & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough,
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Simmins' Bee Company, Limtd., Bottingdean, near Brighton.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbangewats' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 328. Vol. XVI.]
OCTOBER 4, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(^tutorial, Uotircs, #c.
BEE-KEEPING AS A HOBBY.
As a people, we have been characterised as a
nation of shop-keepers, and there is much truth in
the taunt, for very few among us take up anything
without being fully satisfied, in our own mind, that
we have carefully calculated the cost and the
profit, and thus become fully assured that it will
pay. Who among us has not heard, and perhaps
assisted with, calculations as to the profits of poultry-
keeping, rabbit-rearing, dogs, canaries, et hoc genus
omne ?
Although we each and all consider we are keeping
these various kinds of live-stock on purely business
terms, and for profit only, we are sadly mistaken.
There is some hidden mystery about this desire to
have and keep things which are all one's own. No
sooner is a child able to talk than it appropriates a
kitten, for which the child will almost sacrifice
itself if need be, and then, as years roll by, the
desire expands till nearly every possible living thiug
has been kept and petted. Never mind if the
eggs cost a shilling each to produce, or the rabbits
about four times as much as they could have been
purchased for, a certain satisfaction has been the
result of our trouble, and we rest satisfied.
Bees are, in our opinion, one of the best of
subjects for ' hobbists,' and we claim to have kept
nearly everything that can be kept. First, as to
the £ s. d. question. If judiciously managed, and
we can only have sense enough to avoid fads, they
will, taking the cost and produce of, say, ten years,
show a good balance on the right side of the
account, and this to a greater extent than the
majority of hobbies. Secondly, as to trouble.
No stock can be cared for with as little trouble
during a year as our bees. In most summers we
should require to do very little to them, and from
October to March nothing except watch that the
doorway does not get blocked with snow. As to
the interesting problems of bee-life, there is nothing
so fascinating and instructive, whether considered
only as an evidence of the peculiar manner in which
an insect can obtain its living, or, if more deeply
studied, as an exemplification of a wise and far-
seeing Providence, guiding and directing our bees
that they shall, while in search of their necessary
sustenance, be the means of increasing our food at
the same time by fertilisation of the fruit-blooms of
our gardens and orchards. This fact of the in-
creased crops of fruit, which really does arise from
the labours of the bees, should be considered as an
item of profit arising from their care and protection.
In our opinioD, no garden in country districts
should be without at least one stock of bees. So
far as the supply is concerned, there is nothing to
prevent honey of the finest quality being as plentiful
as the typical 'blackberries' if we will only keep
bees everywhere so that the delicious nectar may
be gathered and stored instead of being wasted as
at present. Bad seasons like the present must of
necessity be encountered, but the good seasons
must be borne in mind, when every blossom is a
small honey factory, and only our little friends are
necessary in order to obtain this sweetness for
ourselves.
Hobbies inculcate patience, forbearance, and
forethought. Let either of these three qualities
be wanting in the ' hobbist,' and he cannot be
successful. This fact alone should go far to soften
parents' hearts to deal kindly with the peculiar
tastes of their olive-branches. We would especially
urge that bees are especially fitted to bring out
the three qualities named to perhaps a greater
degree than any other pets we know. We can
picture to ourselves the sorry figure an impatient
bee-keeper would cut after opening his hive and
exhibiting his temper to his bees ; they would
teach him more in five minutes than he would
have credited if a fricud had lectured him for an
hour on his foiling. And we venture to think that
ere long they would cause his impatience to be a
thing of the past.
For teaching forbearance, bees are pre-eminent.
Nothing we have ever seen so soon resents a rebuff,
while at the same time docility is their dominant
characteristic when properly treated. Forethought
must be exercised with bees, for unless the proper
action is taken quite by the proper time, disaster
will surely follow.
We are firmly convinced in our own mind that
as a nation we should be more respected among
the nations of the world if we could make these
three qualities the guiding rule of our fellow-
countrymen generally. For this reason we urge
upon all, and especially upon our clergymen and
schoolmasters, to deeply consider the national good
48
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 4, 1888.
they can secure by so directing the inherent taste
for hobbies that even the poorest and most ignorant
in the laud that they shall, while gratifying their
personal pleasure, be imbibing such moral principles
as shall make them individually better husbands,
neighbours, and citizens.
A REPORT OF SOME EXPERIMENTS IN
APICULTURE.
To the Commissioners of Agiucdi/ture.
By N. W. M'Lain.
{Continued from page 4/7.)
The Control of Reproduction.
In order that the laws of heredity and the active
principles of selection may be practically and persistently
applied in the breeding of bees, I have, in obedience to
your instructions, continued my experiments, striving to
discover a simple and practical method for securing
control of the natural process of reproduction.
I devised and constructed a fixture, which I call a
fertilising cage, 22 feet square and 26 feet high. Select-
ing a level plot of ground, I set four rows of posts, four
posts in each row, forming a quadrangle. These posts
are 4 inches square and 30 feet in length, set into the
ground 4 feet, and exactly 7 feet apart. Four rows of
girders, 2 by 4 inches by 22 feet by 4 inches, are halved
in two and bolted to the inside of these posts, the first
row 5 feet from the ground, then three rows at intervals
of 7 feet until the top is reached. The upper three lines
of girders are continued from each side of each inside
post, forming a brace on each side of each post at in-
tervals of 7 feet, and forming the bearings for the wire-
covered frames which cover the top of the cage. The
space from the ground to the first girder— 5 feet— is
covered with matched lumber nailed "to the outside of
the posts, leaving a smooth surface on both sides. The
upper 21 feet on the sides and the top of the cage are
enclosed by wire-covered frames 7 feet square, bolted to
the girders on the sides, and securely fastened with
screws to the framework at- the top.
The height of the cage is thus adjustable at 26 feet,
19 feet, or 12 feet from the ground by simply lowering
the screen-frames forming the top and the upper row (or
two upper rows, as the case may be) forming the sides
of the enclosure, the purpose being not only to deter-
mine whether queens or drones would mate in this cage
at full size, but also bow small an enclosure would be
sufficiently large to give suitable freedom and range of
flight.
These wire-covered frames are framed like a two-light
window sash, with a mullion in the centre, on which the
two breadths of wire-cloth meet. Strips of wood secure
the edges of the cloth, and cover all joints at the sides
of the frames. With the lower board of the siding
settled into the ground, and earth filled against the in-
side, and the door tight-fitting, the cage is bee-tight. I
used drab-coloured wire-cloth, which obstructs the light
but very slightly. A shelf is fitted against the four
sides of the cage on the inside 1 foot from the ground,
and alighting-boards directly opposite on the outside.
Upon this shelf the hives are placed.
Each hive has an exit cut in either end, and an exit is
cut through the wall of the cage registering with the
outer exit of each hive, over which, on the outside of
the wall, a piece of queen-excluding zinc is nailed.
These hives are painted strikingly distinguishing colours,
as red, white, blue, green, yellow, and black, and a space
opposite each on the alighting-boards, and a corresponding
space on the outside of the wall of the cage, are painted
in corresponding colours. The colours are repeated in
the order named, which separates the hives of the same
colour a sufficient distance to prevent confusion, and the
bees and queens readily distinguish their own hive by
means of colour as readily as by location.
If the inner exit be left closed for a day or two after
a colony is placed in a cage, the worker-bees readily
learn to enter their own hive upon returning from the
fields. I found that the queens had no difficulty on re-
turning to their own hives after taking flight in the cage.
To test that fact I frequently opened a number of hives
in succession, and, placing the queens upon the palm of
my hand, tossed them high in the air, when they would
take wing and fly away.
Upon reopening the hives a few minutes later, they
would be found upon the combs. The queens and
drones appeared to fly and disport themselves with as
much freedom and regularity in the cage as they did in
the apiary outside. The virgin queens were introduced
from the nursery by various methods. Some were
hatched in colonies in the cage from cells matured in
strong queenless colonies, and some from cells built
under the swarming impulse, which this season could be
produced by artificial means only. Mature drones were
selected from the hives in the apiary, and also from
those returning from their excursions and liberated in
the cage, and sealed drone-brood was removed from the
hives in the apiary and hatched in strong colonies built
up in large hives in the cage, and these drones all flew
with freedom and regularity.
A few times I observed a queen embrace a drone and
fly all about the cage with entire freedom, and then, the
embrace being broken, each flew away in different direc-
tions, the queens returning to their hives, and the drones
at once rejoined their fellows in the upper part of the
cage. It is needless to add that in such cases no accouple-
ment had taken place.
The results realised from this line of experimental
work have been so meagre, and the circumstances at-
tending the experiments so unexceptionally unfavourable,
that it is not easy to form an estimate of their value, or
determine their significance. Of the many scores of
trials made but six were successful, but six queens were
fecundated in the fertilising cage. However, as the im-
provement of the bee to the highest attainable excellence
outranks all other considerations in practical importance
and scientific interest, the methods and results of any
intelligently conducted experiments having this end in
view are well worth placing on record. Besides, future
trials may receive direction from a multitude of failures,
and the trying experience of the past season is not with-
out compensating features, for even the little grains we
make in positive knowledge, although apparently trifling
in themselves have often significant meaning and broad
bearing on questions of great value and importance.
My experience and observation lead me to believe that
the main reason why this experiment, was not satisfac-
torily successful was because of the protracted drouth and
high temperature which lasted through the entire breed-
ing season, the like of which has not before been known
in this region. From May 1885 until December 1887
drouth prevailed, broken only at long intervals by light
showers. The succession of two summers of excessive
heat and unbroken drouth ensured disaster to the present
season, cumulative in kind and intensified in degree.
Continuous feeding has been required to keep up breeding
and to prevent starvation.
Whenever feeding was suspended for two or three
days, throughout nearly the entire season, oviposition
would cease, and the bees ate their eggs, and it has re-
quired persistent trials and careful management to rear
drones and keep them alive. It has been difficult to get
three or four queen-cells matured in colonies such as in
ordinary seasons would rear from twenty-five to forty,
and of those permitted to remain outside in the apiary
and seek a mate at will, two of every three failed of
fecundation.
During the entire season a large majority of the larval
October 4, 1888.J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
485
queens being insufficiently fed, died in the cell, and when
for days and weeks together the temperature ranged
from 110° to 120° Fahr., in the suu during several hours
each day the pap-food would ferment and turn a dark
amber colour and dry up to the consistency of thick glue
at the bottom of the cells with the dead pupae. When
the temperature ranged from 100° to 110" Fahr., is the
sun, the average temperature in the hive was from 5° to
2° higher until 112° was reached. Then, when the
range in the sun was from 110° to 125° the temperature
did not go above 112" in the hive. The fanners were
able to prevent the temperature rising above 112° in the
hives standing in the suu with a shade-board above the
hive cover. The worker larvae seem to be able to endure
a higher temperature than queen larvae.
This season, as a rule, the drones were much smaller
than drones from the same ancestors in the summers of
1885 and 18SG, and there was a great inequality in the
size of the drones and queens of the same parentage, and
reared at the same time in the same hive, and a very un-
usual proportion of the queens were deformed and unable
to fly.
Continued observation and experiment furnish corro-
borative evidence of the correctness of the theory ad-
vanced in my last annual report, namely, that drone
bees differ in degrees of procreativeness, properly classi-
fied as the impotent, the conditionally potent, and the
potent ; and that it is the prerogative of the worker-bees
to determine the degree of development, and dominate
the function of the drones as they determine the kind
and degree of development of instinct and organism, and
dominate the functions of the queen.
The volition of the queen determines the sex of every
one of her descendants ; but the life of every individual,
as well as the modifications in organism and instinct,
depends upon and receives its direction from the worker
bees, whose unerring prescience forbids the rearing or
maintaining of individuals for whose services there
exists no present or prospective demand. It is only
when this keen apprehension of the present and prospec-
tive conditions of environment indicates a necessity for
rearing and maturing potent or potentially potent in-
dividuals that such are reared, and matured, and fur-
nished, for the functions they are to perform.
Under circumstances unfavourable in the extreme, a
condition of seeming prosperity may be artificially pro-
duced, and drones numerically plentiful may be reared
and preserved alive. It has taxed my skill and patience
to the last degree during the past season to do this. I
resorted to every stratagem I could devise to secure a
supply of mature drones, but in most cases the workers
were either unable or unwilling to supply the drone
larva; with food suitable in kind and quantity, for a
large proportion of the drones were dwarfed. Dissection
showed the sex organs of this sort to be inferior in size,
dry, and empty.
Not one drone in one hundred of those which were
fully developed, when held by the legs or wings, or
when pressed upon the thorax, were able to perform the
expulsion act, and the sex organs of such, with rare ex-
ception, contained notliing but a little clear, thin
mucus. I have, during the past season, at various
times, examined the contents of the sex organs from
scores of drones well developed and structurally perfect
of the class which I believe to be potentially potent, in
which I have not been able to discover active sperma-
tozoa, nor was the mucous secretion present of that
colour and consistency which I believe to be the product
of special feeding, and indispensable to sexual desire,
and for liberating and floating the spermatozoa into the
spermatheca.
Without wishing to appear dogmatic, after another
season exceptionally favourable for such observation
and experience as has furnished more complete data and
corroborative evidence, I venture to reassert my belief
as set forth substantially in my last annual report, that
the preparation for and exercise of the reproductive
faculty in drone bees, as well as in queens, depends upon
and is determined by the workers. As with the queen,
so with the drone, desire and capacity wait upon the
will and resources of the workers.
As the queen must be bountifully supplied with egg-
food before the egg-cells begin to germinate and mature
in the ovaries, so I believe the drone must be well
supplied with that special food suited and intended to
produce the desire and capacity for performing the act
of copulation, the giving and withholding of which is
instinctively determined by the worker bees, as the present
and prospective condition demands.
Throughout the past season of extreme heat and pro-
tracted drouth there was almost a total failure of all
natural resources, and all th ; influences of nature to
which bees are subject, warned them that there was no
actual necessity for feeding and maturing drones, and
that the abundance and prosperity with which I had
supplied thrin were artificial and deceptive.
In the impoteney of the drones, almost universally
prevalent, I find the reason for the almost total failure
of this experiment. The fact that both drones and
queens flew with freedom and regularity in the cage,
and the fact that in a few cases queens were successfully
mated in the cage when but few were successfully mated
outside, leads me to believe that under favourable con-
ditions satisfactory success may be expected. Experi-
ments in breeding bees during the prevalence of such
climatic conditions as those of the past season, are at- .
tended with hindrances which I have not been able
to overcome. My experience and observation have
suggested some changes in the size, shape, and manner
of constructing the cage which I believe would be an
improvement. If, under favourable circumstances, the
control of the process of reproduction can be secured by
the use of a device permanent in kind, and of moderate
cost, then every queen-breeder and progressive bee-
keeper may apply the laws of heredity, and the prin-
ciples of selection to the breeding of bees with assurance
of realising residts alike in kind and degree to those
which have by the persistent application of the same
laws and principles been realised in breeding all kinds of
domestic animals.
I have, by establishing mating stations in localities
remote from other bees, secured the mating of queens and
drones selected on account of their excellent paternity
and perfect development. I controlled the flight of the
different varieties by the use of queen-excluding zinc.
By crossing selected individuals of different varieties,
and by mating selected bees of the same variety avoided
in breeding, I have laid the foundation for some ancestral
stock of superior excellence. This kind of work requires
much patience and persistence during such a season as
that just ended. I have begun many other experiments,
many of which failed, and others, lacking in completion,
require no mention here. — American Bee Journal.
ALBUKY HEATH.
A Phose Poem.
A rising stretch of lilac-tinted heather touching the
near sky — in shape, a shallow oblong basin dipping
towards the east— and up the northern slope, and up the
southern slope, lilac and green, bracken and heather
mixed. And from my feet up to the western brow
(touched by the near sky), lilac and green, bracken and
heather mixed.
I turn a half-turn to the right and see the tops of
trees breaking the sky-line ; then to the left-about, and
there a chimney-stack pierces the blue. And that is all.
Again I face the west, and down this shallow basin
486
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 4, 1888.
streams the sunlight, smiting me fervently abreast, and
pouring fast on either side its soundless waves.
And then my spirit yearns. But what beyond — the
sea ? Methiuks I hear its roar ! Patience, my soul : no
sea is there. A forest ? I hear the sough of pines !
Patience, my soul, come up with me and see ; walk
up this tilted hollow to the brow
The sky has fled ; and high, aloof from human com-
pany, gathers a sullen frown far in the south.
Bat, oh, the view, the view, the view ! How it has
spread and beautified itself.
The trees (seen from below) have ranged themselves
stately and tall beside the Queen's highway; girt at
their feet by a ring-fence of oak ; and they in turn
girding a park wherein are statelier trees : old rough-
limbed chestnuts, tempest-broken ; oaks of another cen-
tury ; rounded beeches ; pyramidal firs ; and a dense
coppice of the silver birch.
And what a landscape ! Hillock and hollow, copse
and spreading downs ; yonder a range of common land
capped by a windmill ; and there the fir-clad hills of
Holmbury and Leith ; and nearer, verdant meadows;
cornfields thickly sheaved — a diaper of green and gold, 1
pasture and cereal.
Down where the heath slopes suddenly away, a house
of ruddy brick peers o'er its rim ; and roofs of cottages,
low-lying, humbly in the vale ; thin-scattered, near and
far, houses of finer calibre rise midst umbrageous trees ;
and as I gaze, a headlong train drives madly through
the scene.
Close at my hand a group of meek-eyed cows munch
dreamily — dappled and red and milky-white, en;ouched
upon the lilac-tinted heather.
The fitful buzz of honey-sucking bee, and the strong
fragrance of the bruised fern, delight the senses ; and as
my eye roams o'er the sombre woods and lights upon
'St. Martha's' on the distant hill, and »jes the o'er-
hanging sun shedding his gold, ray soul says, quietly, —
' Half -wilderness, but Paradise.' — W. Hollier, Dorking.
Jforciigir.
GERMANY.
The bee-papers of America tell us of a cold and back-
ward spring in America, and I must confess it was no
better in Germany. In spite of this we had, however,
in some sections of our country, some swarms in the
month of May. This was the case where the bilberry
abounded in our forests, and rape bloomed in the spring.
My bees had only a few days of fine weather to frequent
this honey source, but I do not need to do any spring
feeding. The old saying of bee-keepers here is true :
' One drop of fresh honey that the bees carry into their
entrance is of greater benefit to them than three times
as much as one feeds them.' Kape is always the best
honey source in early spring I know of. The only draw-
back with it is that the weather is seldom favourable
when it is in full bloom. But only a few days of good
flight, and all is well. Where the weather has been
favourable when the rape was in bloom, I have ex-
tracted at this time, in April or May, from one of the
best colonies, some ten or more pounds of honey. That
is necessary, as otherwise the queen will not have, in
such colonies, enough cells to deposit her eggs, and the
swarms will be very small, or there will be no swarms
at all. As the rape will thrive only on good loamy soil,
lt cannot be cultivated everywhere. But as the benefit
of rape honey is so great, some bee-keepers of Germany
take care to bring their bees near a rape-field. At least,
I do it. Thus I wandered with my colonies this spring
eight miles from here to the south ; and as the rape
bloom was over, I brought my bees eight miles from
Wilsnack to the north, where white clover, locust, and
linden abound. At the end of July, or in the beginning
of August, I bring my bees to the heath. You see, dear
friends, I am a wanderer; but I should not have had any
honey-yield, as so many bee-keepers of Germany have
had who do not wander. I have some colonies here in
Wilsnack, but they have no honey to extract, while they
live only from hand to mouth. It is curious, that in
sjme sections of German}' there was a great hone3'-flow,
and in some others the bees got nothing. Sometimes we
have had some very fine days for the bees to work ; but
we have had rain, wind, cold weather, and the moun-
tains decked with snaw. If the weather should be
favourable in the months of August and September, I
hope we shall have a good crop from buckwheat and
heather. The latter is to-day as brilliant as it can be ;
but it is a pity that the heather honey cannot be
extracted.
For comb honey we have no market; at least, it does
not pay to sell to such as we have. Extracted honey,
by tlie way, we have a very good demand for. We call
it 'slung honey ' (Schleuder Honiy). It sells from 18 to
25 cents, and comb honey from the heather will sell in
good years from 12 to 16 cents. You see how favour-
able it is for the German bje-keepers to sell extracted
honey. One year I thought I ould sell comb-honey in
sections. I got .500 nicely filled sections, and my heart
was proud when I saw my riches. The year before I
had made a trip to England, and saw at Kensington the
beautiful comb-honey exhibited. No doubt, I thought,
it will pay to sell such beautiful ' delicatesses.' Well, I
sent samples of my honey to all the dealers I know ; but
they would pay only 12 to 15 cents for a pound of the
finest locust and linden honey, while I got 25 cents for
slung honey.
' Please, Mr. Gravenhorst,' said a customer, one day,
' would you not be so good as to take the honey out of
that frame ? I like it better without it.' What could I
do but cut the honeycomb out of the frames ? I sold
nearly 200 sections ; the others (300) I have extracted,
and since this time I have run my apiary for slung
honey.
You will, of course, have observed that the bees build
their combs, when let alone, so that one angle of their
cells is at the top and one at the bottom. I was ever of
opinion that this position would give the comb greater
solidity than when the cells have a broadside at top and
on the bottom. The most of our foundation manufac-
turers work their foundation in such a way that it can
be fastened in the frames with one side of a cell at the
top. What do you say to this ? — C. J. H. Graven-
houst, Wilsnack, July 2-ilh (American Gleanings).
AMERICA.
Professor A. J. Cook.
The well-known initials, ' A. J. C.,' stand for Albert
J. Cook. He is a native of the State in which he resides,
having been born at Owosso, Mich., August 30th, 1842.
That makes him 46, but he hardly looks it. His parer.ts
were Christians to the core ; and the daily reading of
the Scripture to which young Albert listened, with com-
ments by his father, was reinforced by a daily example
which tallied well with the teachings he had heard, lie
was by no means rugged in health as a child, and his
poor health caused him one of the sharpest disappoint-
ments of his life, when he was obliged to lay his studies
aside for a year during his college course. Entering
Michigan Agricultural College at 15, he graduated at
October 4, 1888. J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
487
20, and, on account of his health, went at once to
California, where for three years he was a very successful
teacher. Returning, he spent a portion of two years at
Harvard University and Harvard Medical College, with
Agassiz, Hazen, and Dr. O. W. Holmes, as teachers. In
1800 he was appointed instructor in Michigan Agricul-
tural College, and Professor of Entomology and Zoology
in 18GS. He teaches the seniors and juniors, his classes
ranging from thirty to forty. Each student who gradu-
ates not only studies all about the structure of the bee
as an entomologist, but is drilled as a practical bee-
keeper, going through the various operations of the
season, finding queens, putting together sections, putting
in foundation, putting them on and taking them off the
hives, extracting, &e. I do not know of any other in-
stitution in the world where classes of students are taught
in this way.
The personal influence of such a man as Professor Cook
is no mean factor in the education of a young man; and
a special feature in Professor Cook's work is his Bible-
class of students in the Sabbath school. To this work,
which has been carried on for a number of years, he has
given much time and labour, and the good resulting
therefrom no one can correctly compute. It is much to
be regretted that the Professor's health is such that lately
Ins physician has peremptorily commanded him to lay
aside, at least temporarily, this important work. In this
connexion I want to say that I wish every young man
in the laud could have the teaching of Professor Cook's
example in one respect. He is singularly pure and chaste
in speech, and I do not believe he ever indulges in any
word in any circle of which he would be asham.-d in
the presence of the most refined ladies.
Professor Cook was one of the originators of the
Michigan State Bee-keepers' Association, as also of the
Michigan Horticultural Society. He was on the board
of the latter Society for some years, and was Secretary
of the former for several years during its earlier history,
and afterward President for some years. His personal
influence has doubtless had much "to do with placing
Michigan in the foreground in apicultural matters.
To the readers of bee-journals it is not necessary to
speak of Professor Cook's character as a writer. Few
have written so much or so well. Besides his contri-
butions to the bee-journals, he writes for the New York
Tribune, Philadelphia Press, Rural New Yorker, Country
Gentleman, New England Homestead, Science, American
Naturalist, Sen. His Manual of the Apiary has reached
a sale of 14,000 copies, Injurious Insects of Michigan .'1000,
and oOOO copies have been published of his latest work,
Maple Sugar and the Sugar-bush.
His labours in the warfare waged against insect foes
have been important. Kemedies first advised by him
are now common. If I am not mistaken, we are indebted
to him for the very important knowledge of Paris green
as a safe and efficacious remedy for the codlin moth.
As a lecturer he holds the closest attention of his
audience. As a controversialist he is fair, and never
forgets to be the Christian gentleman. In conversation
he is a charming talker. He takes great pride in his
home, and is easily forgiven for thinking that no other
man has quite so nice a wife, son, and daughter, as he.
Drafts are constantly being made on 1'rofessor Cook's
stock of entomological knowledge in the way of giving
information about enemies or suspected enemies of bees,
and no mere entomologist could be of the same use to
the bee-keeping fraternity as one who is also himself an
enthusiastic bee-keeper.
Known the world over as an entomologist and au-
thority on matters scientific and practical in bee-culture,
those who know him intimately will always like best to
think of him as the warm-hearted, unselfish friend whose
charity for all reaches almost to a fault, and whose whole
life seems to be a life of Christian love. — C. C. Miller,
Marengo, III. (American Gleanings).
THE AFFAIRS OF A NORTH MUSKHAM
MANUFACTURER.
A first meeting of the creditors in the case of William
Burton Baker, of North Muskham, Notts., manufacturer
of apiarian appliances, under a receiving order dated
August 22nd, was recently held at the offics of the Official
Receiver, No. 1 High Pavement, Nottingham. In the
absence of Mr. Thorpe the Deputy Official Receiver
(Mr. J. YV. Jeffries) presided. — Mr. Orosvenor Hodgkin-
son, of Newark, appeared for the debtor, and produced a
medical certificate showing that Mr. Baker was unable
to attend in consequence of illness. Creditors were
represent ;d by Mr. MetCdlfe, of Southwell, and Mr.
Robert White, of Newark.— Proofs having been admitted,
the Deputy Official Receiver said that the debtor's state-
ment of affairs was not lodged until that morning, and
had not yet been sworn to. Mr. Hodgkinson had pro-
duced a certificate as to the debtor's illness, which ho
presumed was the cause of the delay. — Mr. Hodgkinson
said that was so. He had prepared the statement from
papers supplied to him by the debtor. — The Deputy
Official Receiver s:iid that the gross liabilities, according
to the statement, were 52H6l.Ss.1id.; the amount to rank
for dividend being o047/. 8*. 2rf. That did not inelndo
a claim for a large sum mule by the trustees under the
marriage settlement — a claim which would require in-
vestigation before being admitted for dividend. The
assets as estimated by the debtor were I.o8o7. 7s. 10rf.,
from which would have to be deducted 04/. for prefer-
eutial claims, leaving a balance of P">21/. 7*. 10rf., or a
deficiency of :lo20/. 0*. id. The debtor accounted for
thi' deficiency in this way. He said that his excess of
liabilities on August 27th, 1887, was 24)1/. 0s. id. ; his
net lo3s in carrying on bu-iness for the past year had
been 600/. ; bad debts amounted to o0/., and household
expenses for the year SOW. In addition to that he had
paid as surety for a brother 22")/., making a total alto-
gether of •'!")26/. 0«. id. There had been nothing realised
from the estate at present. Th > debtor having no offer
to make to his creditors had been adjudicated bankrupt,
and the case being a non-summary one the estate would
have to be administered by a trustee -Replying to a
question, Mr. Hodgkinson said that he hoped to get the
statement of affairs sworn to shortly. — Mr. Robert White
was chosen as trustee, with a committee of inspection
consisting of three creditors.
(CaiTcsponucnrc.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions erpres&id
bj his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to wiite on one side oj
the paper only, and give then- real nanus and addresses, not necessanly
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Lllustrations should ■
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
tc, must be addressed only to 'The Kditor of the "British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. St range -eaiis and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.G.* All business communications relating to Adoertisements,
Ac, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts {see
2nd page of Advertisements).
V In order to facilitate reference. Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
WINTER MANAGEMENT.— HIVES, &c.
[1820.] I generally trouble you with a yearly letter on
the above subjects, as I do not always agree with the
advice of the B. B. J., which, I think, is calculated at
times to rather frighten the cottager class from at-
tempting bee-keeping. I get a great deal of useful
information from the Journal at different times, so I
am sure you will not think I am ' wise in my own
conceit.'
It is eleven years since I started bee-keeping,]and from
owning some thirty double-walled hives 1 have not one
now double-walled about the place. Why should hives for
488
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 4, 1888.
cottagers with fixed combs be advertised in the B. B. J.
on account of their cheapness, when an ordinary box of
half-inch wood will winter bees without any loss
whatever ?
The great secret is to keep bees to not more than
seven frames, and with a dummy at each side you at all
events have a hive with two double walls. I only use
a quilt of one thickness of ticking over frames, and three
of house-flannel above that. 1 use no other packing,
and have never cut a winter passage, and have never had
a stock die from cold. Is not this conclusive that
winter passages are unnecessary ? I believe in a small
entrance, not more than 1| in. wide by fths in. high.
I have only had two cases of dysentery in eleven years.
One the first spring I kept bees, when I left them all the
combs and packed the roof with sweet old hay, which
Prevented the circulation of air over the quilt, which
ay was mouldy in the spring ; and the other, two years
since, from a leaky roof. They were both double-walled
hives.
Except in these cases I have never had a mouldy
comb. I can't help thinking that the present recom-
mendations of the B. B. J. read very much like the
Irishman's blanket. In the first place you recommend
the enamel quilt, which, you admit, causes dampness. To
obviate this, you recommend the entrance to be left full
width and a three-inch space under frames, and then,
because, what with the damp and the draught the bees
would be starved to death, you must have cushions and
packing of all sorts and winter-passages. If bees are
confined to a small space with no draught, they will
keep the place warm and dry, but you must have a
good roof, and I find none better than Simmins's. They
keep any rain off the hive-sides, and shade quite two-
thirds of the hive-front in summer time; they also make
it unnecessary to use any special joint in storifying, and
are very handy when examining supers, as they can be
just tilted forward, like putting your hat over j'our
eyes when you look through windows, &c. I do not
also consider that a propolised quilt is non-porous. Pro-
polis is a kind of gum, and certainly gum absorbs
moisture. Indeed I think in this case that Nature is
right, and that a propolised roof, be it of straw or any
other material, causes exactly the proper amount of
evaporation.
I have been much delighted lately with the use of the
carbolised cloth. My bees are particularly cross-grained,
and it is never a special pleasure to have to manipulate
them, and they show their utter contempt for Grim-
shaw's Apifuge, but with the carbolised cloth they are
like blue-bottle flies to handle. Another proof how
useful the Journal is in disseminating valuable informa-
tion, which makes one doubly regret at not being able to
always agree with it. But I have yarned to the full
extent of your space, Mr. Editor, even if I do only write
once a-year. — Arthur J. II. Wood, Bellwood, Bipon,
Sept. 27th.
RAPID FEEDER.
[1827.] To those who are making rapid feeders ac-
cording to instructions given in B. B. J., the following
few suggestions may be useful.
The thin wood for the partitions, which cannot easily
be procured everywhere, may be obtained by asking a
grocer for small sweet boxes or candle-boxes, &c. ; these
are generally about 11 or 12 inches long; the long sides
will each form a partition of 8J inches in depth, and the
tops and bottoms, if whole, will make to partitions.
The wood is not first-class, but, if carefully used,
answers the purpose, and will generally be found to
measure under ^-inch in thickness.
Those wishing to close up defective joints will find
that glue, made by substituting hot linseed oil for the
water will, if run into the joints, make them quite tight:
this glue, when dry, is quite loaterproof. Another good
plan is to dissolve a little bi-carbonate of potash in
melted gelatine, run into the joints, and exposed to
strong daylight ; this, when set, is quite insoluble even
in hot wa'ter.— L. W. R.
MY YEAR'S REPORT.
[1828.] I admit I have not anything very grand to
place before your readers, but I thought I would tell
them a little of my experience in this bad year as well
as in a good one. My start in the spring was with seven-
teen stock*, and they all did wonderfully well through
the fruit-blooming season : but when they should have
been doing still much better from clover, sainfoin, borage,
Nepeta Mussini, &c, the weather was so bad that the
bees could not fly but very little, and when they could get
out there was but very little thin and watery stuff to be
got from abundance of bloom. The bees increased so
fast in numbers that it was quite a job to keep pace with
them. In two hives I was obliged to add frame after
frame until I had increased the number up to forty, and
then they were so crowded that one lot cast a very large
swarm. The remainder of the stocks were either doubled
or supered up to the number of from sixty-three to
seventy-two 1-lb. sections, some of which were very
nicely finished when I removed them on the last Saturday
in August. Why I left them on so long was because I
continued to hope the weather would change for the
better, when I knew that the bees would do some grand
work from borage, Nepeta Mussini, Chapman honey plant,
&c. 1 am pleased to tell you that I got altogether 105
lbs. of extracted and 30 1-lb. sections well finished.
After extracting was completed I returned empty combs,
both of frames and sections, for the bees to clear out ;
and when this last spell of fine weather came on Saturday,
the 22nd of September, I thought I would remove the
empty frames and sections from the hives, fumigate
them, and store them away for the winter, when, to my
surprise, I found instead* of them being cleared out,
many of them had got quite a lot of fresh honey stored
in them ; so of course they are still on the hives. In
addition to the amount of honey I got about 28 or 29 lbs.
of comb-foundation drawn out, in wired frames which
I very much admire. I make all my own frames, and
don't now make any with metal ends, but leave wood
shoulders to the top bar, which I much prefer.
About a month ago a friend of mine asked me to go and
see his bees, as he wanted some honey; he had but three
frame-hives and eighteen oval-top skeps. He got about
twelve very fair 1-lb. sections from one frame-hive and
nothing from the other two. I drove (bumped) eleven lots,
which gave him about 20 lbs. of honey ; one lot was
thin and starved; he has six left, but with scarcely any
honey. I volunteered to feed them for him, as he knew
not what to do, and I hardly knew myself, as he had
nothing in the shape of feeders, and he did not like to
have his hives cut. So I bought some tins, 8 inches over
and 3 inches deep — I mean such as are used for baking
cakes in, then got some 0 by J inch board 18 inches long,
and cut a circular hole in the centre just large enough
for the tin to fit into. I then got some pieces of wood
18 by 3 by J inches, and used them edgeways as ledges
across the two — 18-inch pieces of board with the hole in
the centre and two shorter pieces between, so as to form
a box all round the tin. This was well packed with
chaff so as to keep the syrup warm ; a circular piece of
wood was cut and pierced with many f-inch holes, which
fitted loosely to the inside of the tin: the skeps were
shifted off their old stand for the moment, the new
stand with the tin stood on in the place, the tin filled
with syrup and the float laid on the top, then the skep
was placed over the tin and float. I was very greatly
surprised to find how well it answered, as the next day,
when I examined them, all were empty, when they were
refilled, again and again, until I considered they had quite
October 4, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
489
sufficient to carry them well up to next April. This is
certainly the best way that I have seen for feeding up
skeps. Since then I have done the same for another,
and recommend others to do so also.
Just a word or two on the Chapman honey plant. This
I find to be a very great favourite with the bees. I have
counted as many as five bees all busily at work at one
time on one bloom, and all the other blooms appeared to
have one or more bees upon them at all times when the
weather permitted the bees to fly ; but still its short
duration is against it, as it does not last more than two
weeks with me. It is a very rank grower with me ;
some of the plants reach to the height of seven feet.
Although I shall most likely continue to grow some, but
I cannot give place to that in preference to the borage
and Nepeta Mussini, as they last so long in full bloom.
I see in B.B.J. for September 20th, page" 407, No. 180G,
4 Apis Hibernicus' is making inquiry as to where he can
get a supply of Nepeta Mussini, and for his and others'
information I have inserted in this number a last adver-
tisement, as it appears that most people who required
them have taken advantage of previous advertisements ;
and I should like it to be understood that the reduction
in price is just to clear out the stock now on hand, and I
shall not be striking any more cuttings until inquiry for
them. Wasps are very scarce round here ; I have not seen
but a solitary one since the spring, and that one was in a
church five miles from my apiary. — 0. H. W., Burham
Works, Ai/les/ord, near Maidstone, Kent.
THE A.15.C.
Eaiily Instruction for Beginners. — Things
"Worth Knowing.
[182D.] ' What a beautiful piece of honey ! I wonder
if it is artificial, or genuine comb-honey made by the
bees.'
Such remarks as this may often tie heard from those
who have read a statement which has been going the
rounds of the papers, that comb - honey is made by
machinery entirely independent of the labour of the
honey-bees.
AN hen you examine the wonderful workmanship in a
piece of tomb-honey and observe its great regularity, it
seems that there must be some master-builder among
the many thousands, whose province it is to direct the
acts of the others that the work ma}' go on as one har-
monious whole. But if you watch the bees at work you
will see nothing of the kind. True, there is a bee called
a queen, but the bees do their work without any control
on her part. Bach bee seems to be working according
to its own sweet will, one putting on a bit of wax,
another giving it a push here, another there, aud the
only wonder is, that where so little order or system ap-
pears, such wondrously regular workmanship is done.
It is interesting to watch a young worker gnaw its
way out of its cell, and become a member of the common-
wealth. No mother, nurse, or tutor, is at hand to
instruct it as to what its duties are to be, and yet that
mysterious something, that we call instinct, which is
born with the bee, seems to tell it exactly what to do, so
that the same perfection of workmanship is found in the
hive now as thousands of years ago, no improvement
from practice. The bee does not seem to learn to do its
work, it knows without learning.
The first sixteen days of the young worker's life are
spent indoors doing housework and tending baby, and
during the rest of its life it is a field-worker, bringing in
nectar and pollen from the flowers, also water and pro-
polis. During the busy gathering season, the life of a
worker is not more than six weeks, and it seems to wear
itself out with work, for the old bees are distinguished
by their ragged wings.
The name queen is misleading. The queen is not a
ruler, she is simply an egg-layer, and is said sometimes
to lay her own weight of eggs in twenty-four hours, that
is, about three thousand eggs. She does this, however,
only when all conditions are most favourable, surrounded
by a populous colony, with a copious harvest, for at such
times she is bountifully fed by the workers, that can be
seen every few minutes offering food te her.
Under ordinary circumstances a queen is doing pretty
good work to lay one or two thousand eggs a-day, or
rather in a day and night, for work in the hive goes on
day and night. The workers, rather than the queen,
seem to control the rate at which eggs are laid, for at
some seasons of the year, particularly in autumn and
winter, the queen is left to forage for herself, and few
or no eggs are laid.
The cells in honey-comb are six-sided and of two sizes,
one size, worker, measuring five to the inch, and the
other, drone, four. If an egg is laid in a small cell it
produces a worker, if in a large cell a drone. At certain
times a third kind of cell is built, a queen-cell. When a
colony becomes very populous and contemplates swarm-
ing, a number of queen-cells are built, looking not unlike
so many peanuts, each queen-cell taking as much wax in
its construction as would make a great many drone or
worker-cells. A queen-cell is not six-sided but round,
and the young queen, while in it, has several times as
much room as the other young bees.
About ten days before tin- young queens are old
enough to emerge from their cells, the swarm issues.
The old queen goes off with the swarm, aud when the
first young queen hatches, a second swarm is likely to
issue, to be sometimes followed in two or three days by
a third, and not rarely by a fourth, and even a fifth.
The young queens seem to have a mortal antipathy to
each other, and as soon as one such queen hatches her
first business is to proceed, if allowed, to destroy her un-
hatched royal sisters. This she does by digging a hole
in the side of a queen-cell, and stinging the inmate in
its cradle. If further swarming is contemplated by the
workers, they defend the unhatched queens from the
attack of the one at liberty, which goes off with the
swarm. Previous to going off, however, this young
queen may be heard, especially in the still of the
evening, uttering a shrill cry, ' Pe-e-p, peep, peep,' re-
plied to by the young queens in their cells, 'Quahk,
quahk.'
When no further swarming is intended all the young
queens who are sufficiently matured are allowed to
emerge from their cells, and when two of these meet a
deadly combat ensues. One of them stings the other to
death, and strangely enough, the victor is never injured
in the struggle, for neither one stings till she gets in a
position to deal a death-thrust without danger to herself.
In this way the conflict continues till all the queens but
one are killed, and those remaining unhatched are des-
patched in their cradles.
These queen-cells, of which I have been speaking, aw
usually found on the edges of the comb, and sometimes
even on the wood that surrounds the comb. If a hole
happens to be in any part of a comb the bees are likely
to make use of the space for a queen-cell. If the queen
is at any time lost, when no previous preparation has
been made for rearing a young queen, a different course
is pursued.
The bees select a young larva in a worker-cell, which,
under ordinary circumstances, would have produced a
worker, enlarge its cell greatly, destroying, if necessary,
the adjacent cells for that purpose, feed it lavishly, so
that the little grub is literally swimming in a sea of
food, and in due time it emerges a perfect queen.
If it should happen that nothing but drone eggs are in
the hive, the poor bees will try their best to rear a queen
from one of these, but it never grows into anything but
a drone, and, I think, always dies in the cell. The fact
is, there are only two kinds of eggs, drone aud worker,
490
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 4, 1888.
or queen, for any and every worker egg with the right
kind of food and treatment will produce a queen.
The young worker has its rations very accurately
dealt out, just enough, and not a particle is left over ;
but there is no stint in feeding the young queen, and
when she hatches out of her cell there is usually enough
food (or royal jelly, as it is called) left to make one think
another queen might have been reared ou it.
The time required for hatching out the perfect bee
from the laying of the egg is, for the drone twenty-four
days, for the worker twenty- one, and for the queen
sixteen. Curiously enough, the one that matures the
soonest lives the longest, for the queen attains the age of
two, three, and sometimes five years.
The life of the worker seems to depend on the amount
of work it does, in the honey harvest living only about
six weeks ; but those which are hatched late in summer
live over till the next spring. It is hard to tell just how
long the drone would live if let alone, for when forage
in the fields becomes scarce he is mercilessly driveufrom
the hive to perish.
The drone is the male, and is a lazy scamp, for he not
only does nothing toward laying up stores in the hive,
but does not even visit the flowers for his own food.
He helps himself to the stores gathered by the workers,
then flies about for exercise, and comes back with a good
appetite for more.
There seems to be a popular impression that a queen
is surrounded by a body-guard or a number of courtiers
always accompanying her, and ready to attend to her
every want; while some have the notion that the queen-
cell is a kind of throne, where the queen holds court and
may be found at all times.
So fur is this from being true, the queen-cell is torn
down shortly after the young queen hatches out, and be-
fore she is two weeks old, she commences laying, and
mav be found in any part of the hive.
No bee accompanies her, but if at any time she stops
at any point the workers near her form a circle about
her, all facing the queen as if to do her honour. Pre-
sently the queen moves on, and the retinue is broken up,
to be formed again when she next makes a halt, but the
retinue is formed by a fresh lot of workers each time.
Within the past fifty years great progress has been
made in bee-culture. Some men take as much pride in
their stock of bees as others do in their stock of cattle,
and fresh importations are constantly made from other
lands, Egypt, Palestine, the Isle of Cjprus, but chiefly
from Italy. The Italian bee is distinguished from the
common black bee by having three yellow bands upon
its abdomen, being more beautiful in appearance and
more industrious in character.
I have only touched upon a few points of interest re-
lating to the honey-bee. That the subject is a large one
may be judged from the fact that there are published in
the English language three weekly periodicals devoted
entirely to bee-culture, besides a number published
monthly and semi-monthly. — Dr. C. C. Miller,
Maienyo, III. {Youths' Companion.')
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES.
Sections.
[1830.] As I have had several inquiries from readers
of the British Bee Journal respecting some of the glass
sections which I described some months ago in the B.B.J.,
will you kindly allow me to say the top and bottom slips
may be cut four inches long, or ju>t sufficiently long to
be held in position by their own length within the 1-lb.
wood sections, then the sides should be cut sufficiently
long to be slightly pressed within — this will vary ac-
cording to thickness of glass used. By so arranging the
slips, starters, or whole sheets of foundation, may be
used. The accompanying drawing represents half a
glass section, so arranged, — the wood case and the comb
not being delineated in the fiigure. Of course the side
slips may be arranged so that the top and bottom slips
act as wedges, but the top slip would evidently be likely
to fall unless whole sheets of foundation were used.
s.s.
t.s. top slip.
s.s. side slip.
b.s. bottom slip.
When whole sheets of foundation are used, molten
wax should be painted all round the four edges of the
foundation. I have always obtained the best glass
sectional honey by using the four-piece pin-dovetailed
sections, and I prefer wide frames to hold such. The
wood-corners of the usual sample of sections used in this
country are a great hindrance to obtaining perfect sec-
tional honey, nevertheless, the wood cases may be. re-
moved any time, as I have already intimated, providing
full sheets of foundation are fixed, as I described, by
means of molten wax, but, of course, the honey cannot
be seen shining through the glass unless the section is
worked or completed next the glass by the bees. Can
one-piece wood sections be obtained anywhere minus
these objectionable wood corners? I cannot cut suffi-
cient out with my pen-knife without much labour or
spoiling the beauty of the section. The glass sections I
have had on exhibition (i.e., some of them) have had to
be labelled 'Not for site' — they sold so quickly. But
directions were posted beside them to 'inquire within,'
where, of course, a supply might be purchased.
I have had some glass sections completely filled by
using a narrow strip of foundation right across the top,
but the bees had 'not to gather honey all the day' — I
hope my friends will allow this, as I was only experi-
menting, and I won't tell how it was done unless
urgently asked. It is a grand sight to see a lot of
pearly-white sections worked on starters (narrow strips
one quarter of an inch wide), which have been made
during a clover honey-flow, having no suspicion of
machinery.
When glass sections have been on my table, often
great wonder has been expressed how it was possible for
the glass slips to be held together until the honey-comb
was completed; many guesses have been made, and much
admiration (I am sure there was no flattery) expressed
about the beautiful appearance of them. I believe it
would be understood from my previous descriptions that
the honey-comb held the slips in place after the comb
work was completed by the bees, so that the enveloping
wood section could be removed to expose them for sale
as I stated, or even to pack them for transit.
I might say I find the divided cell pattern glass
section, which I lately made some remarks about in the
B. B. J., admirable, as the foundation may be fixed
momentarily. The depth of each cell is eleven-six-
teenths of an inch ; they will probably be advertised in
the spring by one of our leading bee-keepers' appliance-
manufacturers. I would recommend the wood sections
to go with each sort of glass sections as, undoubtedly,
they afford some protection, protecting the glass from
October 4, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
491
finger-marks, breakage, &c, besides enabling you to
.surprise your friends when you remove the wood cover
at the table. — T. Bonner-Chambers, F.L.S., Loud.,
7'ref Eylwys, Caersws, Montgomeryshire, Sept. 27th.
l'.S. — If the plain glass rims are east or made deep
enough they may be used singly.
[We have received from our correspondent one of
his glass sections. We can easily understand the ad-
miration they excite ; they are very sweet, cleanly, and
attractive. We understand that a patent is about to be
taken out for making glass sections : this we think is to
be deprecated in an article which very probably may be
much in request in the future ; the more so as generally
the words of a patent embrace much of the ingenuity
of those that have preceded the patentee. — Ed.]
EXPERIENCES OF A YOUNG BEGINNER.
[ 18-11.] In reading the B.B.J, every week, I notice
your columns are open to the young beginner as well as
to the experienced hand, and, with your permission,
from time to time I intend to send you my experience of
bee-keeping.
In the middle of April a friend gave me a B.B.J.,
and having some spare time I thought I would start bee-
keeping. I bought a swarm of bees on the loth of May.
When I got home with them it was too dark to hive
them, so I got up early next morning, put a sheet on
the ground and hive on it (as advised in Modem Bee-
keeping), threw them down on to the sheet, and they soon
began to rush in with a joyful hum; in about htilf-an-
hour I placed the hive on stand. I put them on five frames
of comb given me by a friend, and fed them for the first
five days, and every three days I gave them a frame of
foundation, bringing them up to nine frames the second
week in June. I putou a case of sections, but could not
get the bees in this till I took one frame away. On the
first Monday in August I took the sections off, thinking
from what I had read in the B.B.J., and what I could
see of the front of sections, there was no honey there ;
but when I opened them I found eight sections sealed
over and four three parts full, so I suppose I must think
I am well off in the year 1888. I sold six sections for
7s. Gd. In the middle of August a farmer sent for me,
and asked me if I would drive his bees. From what I
had read in Modern Bee-keeping, and my own confidence
(I had never seen such a thing), I said I would. I drove
two hives the next night, and united each of them to a
swarm of this year. 1 told him how to feed them. He
paid me for my trouble, and thanked me very much.
One hive had about three pounds of honey, and the other
about twenty to thirty pounds and very few bees. Every
comb was full of sealed honey except two, which had a
little brood at the bottom ; the only way I could account
for same was, that it was mostly last year's honey. He
told another farmer how well I drove his bees ; he sent
for me, and told me if I drove two of his skeps I could
have his bees, which I did on the first Tuesday in Sep-
tember. I united them, and put them on two frames of
comb and three frames with half sheets of foundation,
and fed them with twenty-five lbs. of syrup. I opened
hive fourteen days after and found the foundation all
drawn out, and largely added to, the combs full of syrup
and nearly all sealed over. I fed the other hive with
twenty pounds of syrup, and as the weather has been so fine
inSeptemberlfeel Ishall go into the winter pretty safely.
1 have to thank Modern Bee-keeping for being so success-
ful with my bees, and Mr. Ralfe of Cheshunt for some
good advice. I may say I have never used gloves, and I
have only been stung two or three times. — Amateur,
Bar-Frame.
First Steps in Bee-keeping. — 'Bo-ooo a-boo-hoo-o.'
'Why! what are you crying about, Bobby?' 'I
c-caught a fly, Mamma, and the naughty fly had a p-pin
in its tail.' — Communicated by Honeysuckle.
(!Erljcres frani tht |jibcs.
St. Goran's, St. Austell, September 2~>th. — For the first
time for three years I must feed mv bees if they are to
live.— C. R. S.
Dorking, September 27th. — As for honey from tlie
heather, or any other source, I have seen none, except a
few nice sections taken from my own bees in June. — W.
Hollier.
Sheffield, September 27th. — I have not an ounce of
honey from one of my apiaries (twenty hives). — W. T.
Garnett.
Jiorsforth. — As I write (noon, Oct. 1st) snow is falling
heavily, the glass registering frost during the preceding
night, barometer falling. Everything points to a bad
ending, for the bees are at home (thank goodness!), but,
alas! with insufficient stores; we shall have to feed,
the store may not get sealed, dysentery perhaps follow-
ing. These feather-like flakes will be the ' the last
straw' — to use an Ilibernicism — to many a disheartened
bee-keeper. — X-Trac tor.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS * INQUIRERS-
J.S.F. — 1. Lost Queen. — No ;do not introduce a C'amiolan\
queen until you are certain the other is lost. There
being no brood at this time of the year is no sure
reason for saying there is no queen, as where bees have
not been fed and stimulated the queens have ceased to
lav. The bees not carrying pollen is also no sign that
there is no queen. You must search well before you
venture to introduce another queen. As you have the
Bee-keeper's Guide-book you will find all your questions
answered there very fully. 2. Spreading Brood — No ;
October is too late to spreal brood. Y'ou should not
interfere with any brood you may now find in the
hives. Feed up and make the hives comfortable for
winter without delay.
W. T. Lofting. — Fesding Straw Skeps. — Cut a hole in
the crown ; this can eisily be done with a sharp table-
knife, fir^t stopping up the entrance. When a circular
cut has been made in centre of crown, the plug so
formed can be pulled out, a puff or two given to drive
the bees back ; while so doing use a bottle-feeder, well
covered up, to prevent other bees visiting it and so
starting robbing.
Horace. — Partially Finished Sections. — Y'ou must un-
cap that portion of sections sealed over, and place
them at the back of the division-board, raising the
same a quarter of an inch from floor-board, the bees
will then clean them out ; when they have done so,
wrap them up in paper and put them in a warm, dry
place. They are best preserved from the attacks of
mice by enclosing them in a box. It will not do to
use them next year ; having soma of this year's honey
in them, their appearance as finished sections would be
entirely spoiled thereby.
T. Colton. — Removing Super. — As the super is well
filled it will be no detriment to the bees to allow it to
remain on, but we should first i-euiove it and ascertain
the condition of the stock hive.
L. W. R. — 1. Wintering. — We have successfully win-
tering stocks which on Oct. 1st did not cover more
than four to five frames. Under the circumstances
detailed by you, you may succeed very well. 2.
Enamel Quilts. — Yes. 3. Absence of Brood. — We
should have preferred to see some brood, but your
experience is not singular this season. 4. Super-
seding Queen. — The weather having turned much
colder we should hesitate to change the queen now.
5. White-headed Bees. — These are undeveloped bees.
6. Bottom Space. — If your hive body is separate
from the floor-board, you can put a rim between,
otherwise you cannot adopt this device.
492
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 4, 1888.
East Kent. — 1. QueenUss Stock. — As these have been
queenless some time, we would recommend you to
unite in preference to introducing a queen now. 2.
Syrup. — We prefer boiling the syrup for a few
minutes, because, in our opinion, it saves the bees
considerable trouble in ripening it for storage. 3.
H. B. K. A.— The Secretary of the Herts B. K. A. is
the Rev. L. Seager, The Grange, Stevenage.
M, H. — 1. Feeding. — The quantity you name is about
half enough of each. 2. Rusty Feeders. — This is a
drawback to feeders made of cheap tin. There is no
way that we know of to prevent it. Bees do not seem
to relish it, but we cannot say if it actually injures
them. 3. Sugar. — Brown brewing sugar is not suit-
able for syrup, and in some seasons bees would not take
it down at all. 4. Proportion of Sugar in Syrup. — We
could not tell this except we made the syrup or knew
to which formula it was made.
J, Mighall. — Bee Parasites. — The parasites forwarded
are of a species called Braula cceca, or blind louse. It
principally infests queens, especially foreign ones. It
is difficult to catch, being so active in its movements.
According to Dr. Hess, the eggs hatch inside the
insect, and the young larvae are nourished by the
secretion of a gland ; but when they arrive at matu-
rity they are deposited on the floor-board of the hive,
when they take the chrysalis form, from which they
emerge at the end of fifteen days. The young lice
remain on the brood until they have the opportunity
of climbing on to a passing bee. Strong fumigations
of tobacco dislodge them, and cleaning the floor-
boards several times with a mixture of water and
carbolised acid is important. They are prevalent in
the southern portions of Europe, but generally in this
climate they die off. We append an illustration, greatly
magnified, of the insect in its developed and unde-
veloped states.
W. King. — 1. Locality for Bee-keeping — You would
find the place mentioned suitable for bee-keeping.
2. Properties of the Locality. — It would be good at
other times than when the heather is in bloom. It is
a pastoral country, but without much fruit. 3. Selling
Honey. — You would find no difficulty in obtaining
a sale for large quantities of honey. 4. Disposal of
Money. — The best way of disposing honey would
be to get co-operative stores or wholesale grocers to
take it. 5. Obtaining Land. — There is no doubt that
you would be able to rent the land in the manner
you propose. The approximate rent would be according
to the value of the surrounding land — from 50/. to 100/.
per annum. 0. Best time of the year to begin Bee-keeping.
— The spring. 7. How to set about it. — A personal visit
to the district and a fortnight's search for a suitable
place. 8. The Average Profit per Hive. — Thirty to
forty shillings, according to season. 9. The Best Book
on the Management of Bees. — British Bee-keepers
Guide-book, by Thos. W. Cowan (Huokle, Kings
Langley, Herts). For further information place
yourself in correspondence with Mr. R. A. II. Grim-
shaw, hon. sec. of the Yorkshire B. K. A., Horsforth,
Leeds.
W. D. — Prize-takers at Shows. — It is generally under-
stood that the gainers of prizes at shows undertake to
supply the general public with the articles exhibited,
such as hives, feeders, &c, at the prices stated by
them at the show. We are not aware that the Royal
Show at Nottingham is an exception to this acknow-
ledged rule.
P. Carter. — Sugar. — The sample is a pure cane sugar,
and we do not see that it would be injurious]to the
bees. It has, however, a coarse, rough, treacly taste ;
and we are not surprised that the bees did not take to
it kindly. Refined granulated sugar is the most suit-
able for syrup-making.
N. Preston.- — Foul Brood. — There is no doubt that this
is a case of foul brood. You should lose no time in
endeavouring to get rid of it ; please refer to previous
numbers, or to Cowan's Guide-book, page 148, as to the
best methods of cure.
Corrections. — Page 473, col. 2, line 11 from bottomt/or point read
front ; page 474, col. 2, line 19 from end, /or thin read thick.
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Koad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
British Bee-keepers' Stores, 6 George Yard, Fenchurch St.
Bdbtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey ).— Class I., Ex-
tracted Honey : 1, .Mr. Cherry, Buckby j 2, Chas. Cox,
Brampton. Class II., Honey in Comb : 1 aud 2, Chas.
Cox, Brampton. Bees-wax : 1, J. Adams, Buckby; 2,
C. Cox, Brampton.
Jfarcip.
CALIFORNIA.
The honey crop in El Dorado county this year
was an average one, being about 50 lbs, per colony.
The weather has been extremely warm the past month
at Placerville, the mercury standing at 100° to 105°
almost every day in August. This hot weather
and no honey coming in caused the bees to dwindle
down rapidly. At the Placerville apiary I lost forty
colonies out of eighty-two.
The Carniolau bees have done the best at Placerville.
It is true that they dwindled down considerably, but
nothing at all in comparison with the Italians, hybrids,
and blacks. I have not lost a single colony of Carniolan
bees. They are the best bees to defend their hivea
against robber bees, of any that I have ever seen.
Next season I shall keep nothing but Carniolan bees in
the Placerville apiary,
496
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 11, 1888.
I have two apiaries located fourteen miles above
Placerville in the mountains. At these apiaries all kinds
of bees do well. I do not see much difference in regard
to the amount of honey stored by each race — black bees
do as well as the Italians.
Bees gather the spring crop from alders, willows,
maples, dogwood, wild cherry and plum, California lilac,
manzita, chaparall, folocio, pennyroyal, &c. The fall
crop is the largest and best, being gathered mostly
from the incense cedar, which is a wonderful yielder of
honey. The spring crop averages about 30 lbs. per
colony, and the fall crop sometimes averages 100 lbs.
per colony.
Bees do not begin to gather honey from the incense
cedar until October, and it usually lasts about six weeks.
The honey gathered from this source is the thickest that
I have ever seen. The bees cap the cells with a snowy
whiteness, which gives it a very beautiful appearance.
The incense cedar is rich in both pollen and honey, a
single tree furnishing enough pollen for the wants of a
whole colony. — S. L. Watkins, Placerville, Calif., Sept.
10. — (American Bee Journal.)
NOEWAY.
It was a great disappointment to us Norwegian bee-
keepers, that we did not have you with us this year as
we had hoped, and I was still more sorry when I knew
the reason we did not meet either in Copenhagen or
Christiansand.
In Norway, last winter was quite serious to us bee-
keepers. I suppose that about three-fourths of all the
stocks died of cold and hunger, and this summer has only
very little bettered us, because the honey-harvest with
us in Norway, as well as in England and America, has
been scarce nearly everywhere. However, we will not
therefore lose heart, but hope for better luck next year.
— Ivan S. Young, Christiania, September '28th.
SWITZERLAND.
Having read in your Conduite* of the use of dis-
infectants in cases of foid brood, and as this concerns
somewhat my profession of veterinary surgeon, I should
like to say a few words on the subject in the hope of being
useful in the attempt to contend with this disease.
1. Salicylic scid is anti-fermentative, antifebrile, and
antiseptic; it may even disinfect the stomach, but as
soon as it reaches the blood, it unites with the alkaloids
of carbonates and phosphates, and loses its disinfectant
properties ; it then remains only antifebrile. It destroys
more surely than phenol micrococci and bacteria coming
in direct contact, but not through the blood.
2. Phenol is not antifebrile, but anti-fermentative
and antiseptic ; in the blood it loses nearly all of these
qualities. Its disagreeable smell does not recommend
it for bees' use. Large animals always refuse to drink
any water containing it.
3. Thymol has more powerful properties than either
phenol or salicylic acid, for preventing putrefaction and
fermentation, and has also an agreeable odoiir ; it is not
injurious if taken inwardly, whereas phenol in certain
quantity becomes poison.
4. Camphor is an excellent tonic, but in too large
doses causes paralysis ; it is antifebrile. It is a good
antiseptic, but not quite as strong as phenol. It must
be a splendid prophylactic, that is to say, as a preventa-
tive of the disease gaining a footing in the apiary.
Conclusions. — Camphor ought to come in the first
place to cure the bees of their feeble condition and fever.
It may even suffice to disinfect the apiary if the disease
is not yet too far advanced.
Thymol will come in the first rank as a disinfectant
of the apiary by evaporation, being the most powerful
disinfectant of all the four.
Conduite rfw liuchcr, by E. Bertrand. — Ed,
Salicylic acid will be excellent for fumigation and to
wash the hives; internally in food it is useless as a
preservative. It can lower fever in the bee, but wants
the tonic of camphor.
Phenol applied internally, has deceived the expecta-
tions and is useless for contagious diseases. Externally
and coming in direct contact, its disinfectant qualities
are admitted. — Albert Abebegg, Veterinary Suryeon,
Nors, Berne (Revue International I' Apiculture).
JOTTINGS BY AMATEUR EXPERT.
Mel sapit omnia.
The Cabniolan Bees. — Mb. Benton. — Queen-
baisebs' Tricks, and seveeal otheb Mattebs.
A friend from Scotland that knows my private address
writes to know ' if I have not yet recovered from the ef-
fects of Mr. Benton's last " slash " at me.' The fact is,
not only have my hands been full of other matters, but
I thought I might well leave Mr. Benton's letter in the
hands of the bee-keeping public, who have so long been
the dupes of queen-raisers.
Wonder who told Mr. Benton I only know a ' tinker's
half-dozen ' of Carniolans ? I fear I know more than
Mr. Benton would care for me to tell ; he has said pretty
much about the bad ways of queen-raisers, but he has
not told all the truth yet.
They have a rule in American bee-papers which I
wish it were possible to copy in this country. It is to
boldly name people that do tricks that are ' fishy,' so
that honest men may have a chance to live and trade
fairly, and the public may not be cheated. Here is a
piece of information that I should like to name the
parties that practise such ways. It will make ' Useful
Hints' open his eyes when he reads it, I guess.
Large consignments of virgin queens are sent to
England as fertile in late autumn, and are distributed,
and the raisers who send them trust to the chances of
their being killed in introduction, to hide the truth about
them. The few that do survive the raiser replaces, with
an apology for making an ' error,' but he has few to
replace, as most of us are aware how extremely difficult
it is to get a virgin queen accepted in late autumn ; and
so the British public are gulled not only by getting
nothing for their money, but their stocks ruined also by
being rendered queenless, and their own tempers spoiled
for being such unsuccessful queen-introducers.
But I have been wandering away from Mr. Benton
before I had quite done with him ; so I wish to ' hark
back' to him for a short time. He says all Carniolans
are 'banded.' If that is so, I wonder why it is other
dealers can supply queens that will not breed ' banded'
bees, and are as gentle as their other characteristics are
true to the old style of queen.
He still maintains the gentleness of his Cyprians. I
suppose he will give us credit for possessing some know-
ledge of handling bees ; and I know of no single disinter-
ested bee-keeper but what gives them a bad name after
they have been here a few weeks. The fact is you can
never depend on them as being gentle two days in suc-
cession.
Api for October came to hand to-day. The Carniolans
and Mr. Benton too, are 'cut up rather rough' in it.
This is what Mr. L. Stachelhausen, an able German bee-
keeper, now settled in Texas, U.S.A., says : — ' I have
known Carniolan bees since 1868, and saw them in the
apiaries of my friends, and have had a few colonies
myself. The first Carniolan queen imported into
Germany had no sign of yellow blood. . . . Since that
time some strange races may bo imported into Carniola,
and so the Carniolans are more or less mixed.' Later on
Mr. Alley, commenting on this letter, says : ' Pure Carni-
olans show no yellow bands. All the good points
possessed by those bees sold as pure Carniolans by
dealers are derived from the Italian blood by which it is
October 11, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
497
evident they are crossed. I do not believe that there
are more than two bee-keepers in this country who ever
saw pure Carniolan bees, nor do I believe there is a
pure queen of that race in the United States. I do not
care whether Frank Benton sent them here, or whether
they came from some other person. If people depend
on Frank Benton for pure queens, they will get awfully
deceived.'
Bee Flowers. — If ' Apis Hibernicus ' will send a
stamped addressed envelope to the Editor, I will fill it
for him with this year's seeds of ' Chapman's honey-
plant.' If he sows them in the spring, and when large
enough to handle prick them out where he intends them
to flower, they will bloom (D. V.) in the summer of 1889.
They are perfectly hardy. ' Canada Thistle ' I do not
know or cultivate, and my store of Echinops globosa
is very limited. I will give him a few seeds of Echinops
ritro, but I cannot always succeed in getting E. ritro to
germinate, probably they will in the Emerald Isle.
' Apis H.' may ask me for a young plant of E. globosa
next summer, and if I have one to spare he shall have it.
Do not forget to jog my memory, it is like a sieve.
' Buzz ' wants me to say something about how to find
queens, but as he must not try to find queens till next
spring I must defer that as I have already overrun my
space. — Amateur Expert.
Cnraspmiociitt,
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions cipretscd
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents arc requested to wtite on one tide of
the paper only, and give their full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Association, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Ac, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W,C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Hdckle, Kings Langley, Herts {see
2nd page of Advertisements.)
%* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondeyits, when speaking oj
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
BEE-HIVES, LONG OH SHOUT?
[1832.] I have given a fair trial to both of these, and
find the former very decidedly more convenient for use
and manipulation.
By a long hive I mean what is often called a Combina-
tion hive — an absurd name, as the principle of combining
a summer and winter hive in one is now seldom practised
— capable of holding eighteen frames on the same level ;
by a short hive, one that will hold but ten, and whose
capacity must be increased by adding one body above
another, or what is commonly known as storifying.
I will premise that, in order to get as much work out
of the bees as possible, i.e. section honey, I keep two
points steadily in view : — 1. To persuade the bees not to
swarm by enlarging the brood-nest as often as may be
necessary ; and, 2, to keep by feeding and packing up
warmly, each stock as strong as possible for the summer
campaign.
The first of these I find very troublesome to carry out
in a short hive, as a frame must always be removed, and
as it were dug out, to make room for a new one ; and
the second is more easily managed in a long hive, as the
extra space behind, when the frames have been reduced
to ten, gives ample room for syrup-feeding in saucers,
pie-dishes, &c, without the need of any expensive
feeder. Of course dry-sugar feeding can be managed
with great facility in both.
I find the materials for a long hive cost about 4s. , and
I can make one in ten hours. I think any village car-
penter ought to be able to make one, with a fair protit to
himself, for 10*., or even less. The quantities are
these :— matchboarding, 50 feet, 2s. Gd. ; 6 feet of 1-inch
flooring, 4W. ; screws and nails, say 1*. \^d. — total 4s.,
legs are not included.
The dry feeders I use are two ; one for use above the
frames, an oblong box with sliding lid and large holes in
the bottom, 15x6 x2£, holding about ;) lbs. of sugar —
this they have at all times, except when the sections are
on, to help themselves whenever they feel disposed. I
do not think they abuse my liberality, as I seldom find
many in the boxes except in bad weather. The other,
screw a frame on to hall probably do so at the proper time, and in season
for those who desire to test it another year. — Henry
Alley, Wenham, Mass. {American Bee Journal.)
SUCCESS IN BEE-FEEDING.
[1834.] Bee-keepers ought to be thankful for the
article lately written on sugars, and where the pure
article may be purchased. 1 find, by reading the Bee
Journal and inwardly digesting it, it has added to my
home-comforts in more ways than one ; even this year,
bad as it, I am on the right side of the ledger. I have
had my share of failures, which have been chronicled in
the B. J,, but I make every failure a stepping-stone to
success. While writing this letter I feel very much in a
confessional mood. When I commenced bee-keeping I
thought the most expensive thiugs were sure to be the
best, how all is changed ! I got a mouse-trap at the
same time, cost 3s. Gd. — never caught a mouse yet, believe
it never will ; then I went in for an expensive feeder, it
now keeps the mouse-trap company.
But now to my method of working. In the first place,
I don't ' fad ' with my bees. Having put the quantity
of frames well covered with bees, I put a calico cover
on, having previously cut a three-inch hole iu centre. I
then put on an Excelsior tin-feeder — manufactured by the
Tin Plate Works Co., Masshouse Lane, Birmingham —
keeping the nozzle in one corner at the back of hive,
where the syrup is run in (I keep the feeder on until I
see young bees in the spring). I next put on an empty
section-crate, then I pack with wheat straw cut into
three-quarter-inch lengths between feeder and crate to
top of feeder; on Haiti's hives I put a shallow frame on,
which is even better than a section-crate. I then place
two or three felt covers on over all. For a season such
as we have had, I fill reservoir with very warm syrup
for about a week, giving it in the evening ; after filling
I put Symington's prepared pea-Hour along the alighting-
board, almost stopping up the entrance, in a few minutes
the bees make their way through it and are as white as
miller.?, and I am rewarded by their merry hum; I give
pea-flour in the day time during the week they are taking
the syrup ; by acting iu this way I save the bees being out
in the cold so long. Pollen has been almost as scarce as
honey owing to the wet season. Before the winter sets
in I place prepared candy in outside circle as much as it
will hold, and prefer to do this if even they have plenty
of their own stores. I think the change does them good.
In the spring, should there be a few hours' sunshine (no
snow on the ground) and bees about, I fill reservoir with
warm syrup further on : here is the grand secret, 1 remove
cork float and then cut a section or two into two or
three pieces, and place in reservoir, and put pea-flour as
before. By the above treatment I have early and late
breeding carried on, — T. H.
BORGUE HONEY.
[1835.] In the autumn of 18S6I sent all the information
I could obtain from Borgue apiarians, and also some par-
ticulars of the bee-flora pasture, to that most accomplished
apiarian, who has, perhaps, done more to promote suc-
cessful bee-culture than any other gentleman in Scotland,
who is] well known in bee-circles under the nom-de-plume
of ' A Renfrewshire Bee-keeper.' He thus wrote : —
'A little actual observation on the spot would soon solve
the enigma of what flower the peculiar flavour of Borgue
honey is due. It is admitted all round the main element
is the secretion of the white clover plant, and at the
time it is in full bloom if the district where the flavour
is most marked — if I mistake not, about Borgue Village —
were visited, and which flowers the bees visit most
persistently watched, by pressing out the sweet secretion
the " smack" could be caught stronger uncontaminated.'
'A Renfrewshire Bee-keeper' sent my note to the
Rev. Mr. Sanders, minister of Tundergarth. I have the
authority of the Rev. Mr. Sanders to quote from his
reply to ' A Renfrewshire Bee-keeper,' qualified with the
remark that enlarged experience and increased know-
ledge sometimes change one's opinions. The following
is an extract from his letter : — ' I have read with great
interest the report on Borgue. It is very exhaustive so
far as information is to be obtained from practical bee-
keepers. I think we must discard the conjecture that
Borgue honey owes its superiority to the absence of
spruce, or to richness of soil, or freedom from con-
tamination. Clover honey in districts where there are no
fir-trees is not better than iu places where they abound.
When pure, it is clear, and has very little aroma, but it
is much improved in good seasons when bees have access
to meadows and other flowers, that give it somewhat of
an amber colour, so it is probably Borgue clover honey
per se is not richer than our own, and that it owes all its
virtues to contamination, to the being mixed with honey
of wild flowers found around the west coast of Borgue,
and in the unploughed dells and glens. It is not un-
likely that honey near the west coast is principally
gathered from thyme, and on that account may excel
what is got further inland.'
The Rev. Mr. Sanders, in pursuit of further infor-
mation, wrote to the late Rev. Dr. Cook of Borgue.
His reply, which follows, is dated October 7th, 1886,
and it will be of general interest far beyond the con-
fines of Borgue : — ' I am told by those who have personal
experience of bee-culture that the south, south-west, and
west of this parish are most celebrated for Borgue honey.
The flavour is very delicate, and the honey from those
parts of the parish along the Atlantic shore is peculiar
in colour, of a very pale and beautiful green. The
districts noted are very open, Inning comparatively
little wood, which is held to be unfavourable to the pro-
duction of honey. They abound in rich and in much
old pasture, with abundance of clover, especially white,
and are celebrated for the production of cattle as well as
of honey. The experienced attribute the delicacy in
flavour and colour chiefly to the rich clover pasture. I
am told that the honey produced in the eastern and
northern portions of the parish, although rich in flavour,
wants the peculiar and delicate green of the south and
south-west, and perhaps western portions of the parish.
October 11, 1888.]
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
49 9
The parish, especially along the cliffs, which extend
along the sea-shore, abounds in -wild flowers, which
possibly may contribute to the peculiar colour and deli-
cacy of the Borgue honey. I wish I could have given
you more full information, but I think what I have
stated is reliable.'
Rev. Mr. Sanders met a lady, a member of a well-
known and highly esteemed Borgue family, who said
' the coast has steep cliffs, indented, and grows natural
flowers in the sheltered parts, which are supposed to
give the green honey of Borgue its high character. One
of the varied and rare plants clinging to the rocks is
samphire.'
I venture now to give some of my own opinions on
the matter. The choicest Borgue honey is gathered in
the centre, south, and west of the parish. The first
prize going so far north this year was a surprise, and
would not likely happen in a good honey year. White
clover, we may take it, yields the main body of the best
Borgue honey, very probably influenced by soil and
climate ; these affect the quality and flavour of butter and
cheese, and quite likely have a similar effect on the secretion
of the nectaries of flowers. Natural perennial flowers that
grow on the untilled knowes (so abundant in Borgue), I
am strongly of opinion have a potent influence on the
flavour of Borgue honey — thyme probably one of these.
The richest flavoured Borgue honey I have yet tasted
was of a pale amber colour. I close with the hope that
some of our apiarians or florists may steal from the
Borgue bees the secret of their cunning blend. — A. M'N.
Greenock (Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser).
CLIPPING QUEEN'S WINGS, ETC.
[1886.] For seventeen years I have practised clipping
the wings of my queens as soon as they begin to lay, or
the first time thereafter that I can conveniently find them.
And having followed the practice so long I think I have
a right to an opinion concerning its advisability. Some
writers have presented what to them seem grave objec-
tions to the practice, but in my experience the objections
have very little foundation. It is by some supposed
that the bees are more inclined to supersede a queen
with a clipped wing. But this is certainly, according
to my experience, a mistake. I have had clipped
queens live into the fourth year, and no one can prove
that one with perfect wings will live any longer than
that. Iu fact, unless a queen is marked by having a
wing clipped or in some other way it is not easy to tell
whether she is superseded or not. Queens are often
superseded when the bee-keeper knows nothing of it.
The only real objection to the practice is that some-
times in swarming a clipped queen gets lost. I have
myself lost a few in that way. But the objection is
more apparent than real. I have lost more queens that
could fly than those that could not. And in losing a
queen able to fly, I have lost, at the same time, an
entire swarm of bees. And it is certainly better to lose
a queen and keep the bees, than to have bees and queen
go to the woods together. Of course, if one uses some-
thing like Mr. Alley's queen and drone trap, there is not
so much need of clipping a wing of the queen.
Hiving Swarms. — When I am present when a swarm
having a clipped queen issues, I find the queen and cage
her, and when the swarm is out, I move the hive to a
new location, and put in its place the hive I wish the
bees to enter. The cage with the queen may be laid on
the frames of the new hive, or kept in the bee-keeper's
pocket until the bees begin to return. They will some-
times settle, and sometimes not ; but in either case it
will not be long until they will return to the place from
which they came. Thus they are hived without Being
touched, and without the least difficulty.
Bnt suppose the queen can fly and the bees have
settled somewhere within reach ! How shall we then
proceed ? We do not need any sheet or table-cloth on
which to place the hive. Anything of the kind is not
only useless, but worse than useless. If convenient, put
the hive where it is to remain ; if not, put it convenient
to the place where the bees are clustered. Place a board
12 inches wide, more or less, with one edge resting on
the gi-ound, and the other against the front of the alight-
ing board. Now you are ready to get the bees in. If
the cluster is on a small branch of a tree that can be cut
off without injury to the tree, cut it off, and lay it clown
a few inches from the front of the hive, and get a few
bees started into it, and the rest will soon follow. But
suppose they are not on a limb that can be cut off ! If
they can be shaken off, shake them into a nail keg, or
any convenient vessel, and pour them down in front of
the hive. If not convenient for being shaken off, a large
dipper, a pan, or even a tin cup, may be used. Gently
dip off as many as convenient, and pour them down
before the hive, and repeat the performance until you
get them nearly all off their clustering place. A vigorous
use of the smoker will drive the remaining ones away,
and they will join their companions at the hive. As
soon as the bees are all, or nearly all, in and on the hiv8,
it should be placed where it is to remain.
The practice used to be to drench the bees v i h water
to prevent them from taking wing; but thai i- wholly
unnecessary. It is a serious hindrance to getting them
into the hive. Experience proves that a dry bee will go
into the hive much more readily than a wet one.
I have but little experience with bees stinging when
being hived. If handled judiciously they very rarely
sting. But as a precaution against accidents I generally
wear a veil. Having established my reputation for
courage and fortitude, I can afford to weal a veil all the
time when working with bees. — M. Mahin, Bee-keepers
Guide, Bluffton, Ind., June '20th.
PAPER QUILTS.— THE WEATHER.
[1837.] A correspondent asks if any one has tried the
above. I have for several years now, and find nothing
could answer better ; but would not recommend them to
be used next the bees, but after two or three thicknesses
of some other quilts — nothing more substantial and better
than bed-ticking. I have aiso tried them round my legs
when going a journey by rail, &c, on a frosty night ; and
especially if your rug and top-coat happen to be safe at
home you will find a good-sized newspaper a capital sub-
stitute. The weather has for about three weeks been
splendid for getting bees ready for the winter ; but on
Monday, October 1st, there was a slight fall of snow
about (J a.m., and 8° of frost. On Tuesday night there
were 0° of frost marked here. — J, W. Blankley, Denton,
Grantham.
FEEDERS.
[1838.] I am glad to see that 'Apiarist' has called
attention to the very defective ' Rapid Feeders ' sent out
under high auspices and highly commended in your
columns. I happened to purchase two from two dif-
ferent makers, and I am bound to say that both were
almost equally bad. After being placed in water for
several days, they both leaked to such a degree that
I woidd not venture to put syrup into either of them. I
am inclined to believe that there is nothing better for
those who have any number of stocks than the improved
Canadian feeder. A friend and neighbour who has a
large apiary, and who recommends this feeder, tells me
that one of his hives will take a gallon (?) in a night. But
would it not be better to adopt the dry-sugar system
rather earlier in the season? The esteemed writer of
' Useful Hints ' has hardly given this system, I suspect,
the full trial it deserves. If there is the slightest defect
at the present time in any of the syrup-feeders, so that
some of the syrup is spilt, robbing is certain to ensue at
500
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 11, 1888.
once. Should the roof of the hive not fit exactly, every
bee in the neighbourhood endeavours to find an entrance,
and the wasps usually succeed in doing so. I sometimes
fancy that a plan might be devised for filling a feeder in
the interior from a small door in one of the sides. If
any syrup is spilt on the floor of the hive, a general
scramble follows. In a few days' absence from home I
had a very strong hive nearly ruined in this way. But
in dry-sugar feeding there is no such inducement to
robbing. If a dry-sugar feeder is put on either side of
the hive, the bees will soon store a large reserve, without
exciting their neighbours or creating any fracas. These
feeders, too, can be made at very little expense.
In spring-time, a flower-pot, nearly filled with dry
sugar, with a passage made in the centre of the sugar, so
that the bees can pass up through the small hole at the
bottom, will answer almost any purpose. Mr. Simmins,
however, advises that the dry-sugar feeder should be
placed near the brood-nest, no doubt in order to stimu-
late the queen.
I venture to hope that when another season arrives,
'Useful Hints' will give the dry- sugar system a
thorough trial, and let us know the result of his ex-
perience.— E. Bartrum, D.D., Wakes Colne Rectory,
Essex.
COMBINATION HIVE.— RIGHT-ANGLED AND
PARALLEL SYSTEMS.
[1830.] Why cannot the entrance to the Combination
hive be at the side? If it started at the corners, and
continued for ten or twelve inches along the side, the
frames would be at right angles to it, and the advan-
tages, claimed by some, of this system secured as well as
those, claimed by others, of having the brood-nest and
surplus honey on the same floor. Possibly this is no
new idea, but I have never seen it suggested in the
Journal. — East Kent.
BEE-KEEPING IN GLAMORGANSHIRE.
[1840.] I am pleased to find Glamorganshire astir,
while representatives of the east and west are challeng-
ing each other and accepting the challenge for coming
seasons. Mr. Sims is enjoying the luxury of present
success, with a testimonial from the Editor as to the
quality of his honey, viz., ' It is the best we have tasted
this season.' Now, ' E. G.,' that's hard to beat ; it's equal
to a first prize at a local show, anyhow. So when
' E. G.' takes the first prize next year, as he is confident
he will, he won't he so far ahead after all. Allow me
to suggest to ' E. G.' the advisability of joining the
Glamorganshire Bee-keepers' Association, when he will
be able to meet Mr. Gibbins and Mr. Sims at the County
Show in competition for the silver medal of the
B. B. K. A.; and I feel certain the Association will be
pleased to appoint him local adviser for the district of
Pontypridd, where his experience would be of value to
the Association, and the present members of the Asso-
ciation would good-humouredly do their best to prevent
him taking any prizes. But I wish him every success,
and would like to see many more in the county fired with
the same determination to go in and win, so that it will
really be an honour to take first prize in a local show. —
W. Gay, Cathays, Cardiff.
NECTAR.
Do Bees Hear ?— Swarming and Science.
[1841.] There are many questions pertaining to bee-
culture that are not directly of practical utility, but
interesting nevertheless.
Have Bees the Sense of Hearing? — This is a
matter, it seems to me, capable of demonstration. That
bees do hear in some sense which answers to the sense in
which other animals hear, I have ever}' reason to believe.
That bees pay no attention to the ordinary din and
clash of the outer world about them, proves nothing at
all, for the same is true in a limited sense, with all living
creatures.
My grounds are bounded on the one side by a rail-
road, and from ten to fourteen trains pass by every day.
My stock graze in the pasture undisturbed — they rarely
ever raise their heads when a train thunders by. The
same is true with my bees — they work right along as
though all was silent. But if I drop some young bees
on the ground, they will find the entrance to the hive if
they are in hearing distance of the bees at the entrance ;
if not, they will wander about, crawl into some other
hive, or perish in their lost condition.
Sometimes when hiving a swarm, I dip up a cupful of
bees, and pour them into the prepared hive ; they
immediately set up aloud 'roar,' and the swarm promptly
answer ; and they rush into the hive with that joyous
hum which thrills the heart of the true lover of bees
with joy, that is difficult to describe. Do you say that
vibration guides the bees, and not sound'? What is
' sound ' but an impression made on the subject by con-
cussion or vibration of the atmosphere ?
To say that sound is not the same thing identically to
the insect that it is to animals of higher order, proves
nothing, because it cannot be proven that sound is
precisely the same thing to the lower animal that it is
to the intellectual being. Bees hear in a sense which
answers all their purposes, and this is all that can be
said of other animals.
Selecting a Home before Swarming. — This is an
old doctrine. It has age on its side. It had its origin
away back in the ages of bat-eyed fogyism as pertains
to bees. There is such a touching story here, about the
sending out of ' scouts ' to locate a future home while
the swarm waits with patience and hope. There are
among these ' scouts ' some good Joshuas and Calebs — -
they will bring in a good report.
It is hopeless, perhaps, to try to be an educator along
this line. Mr. Youngman, on page 5G7, publishes a case
of ' sending out scouts,' which appears conclusive to him.
But to me it is easy to see what attracted those bees
which he took for scouts, ' cleaning out a new home.'
The 'chunks of propolis and fragments of comb' adhering
to the hollow tree is what attracted the bees there.
They were foraging for bee-glue, and doubtless they
unwittingly answered as a decoy to the homeless swarm
as it passed that way. I once saw a swarm enter an
empty hive in my apiary, directed there by the same
cause.
No evidence that will bear investigation has ever been
published, to warrant the belief that bees locate and
' clean up ' a home in advance of their takiug actual
possession.
Honey is not Digested Nectar. — Since writing
the above items the Bee Journal has come to hand, and
Prof. Cook's reply to my article on page 668, has been
noted. I am as much astonished and grieved at the
Pri >f essor's reply, as he was surprised and pained because
of my article. What have I said against ' true science '
that justifies the heated and spontaneous defence of
Prof. Cook ? No man has a higher appreciation for
what 'true science' that has done for the 'nineteenth
century ' than myself. But vagaries and absurd theories
are not science. Against these (not true science) I hurl
ridicule, because no other weapon can reach them. True
science is not the child of one father nor of one ' mother,'
hence the ' base ingratitude ' which so stirs the Professor
is a thing of his imagination.
Yes, ' there are more things in heaven and earth ' than
I ever dreamt of, and the remark is true when I apply
it to my honoured friend, Prof. Cook, or to any other
living man ; but I am pretty certain that no man can
lift himself by the straps of his boots.
October 11, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
501
Our learned author says, ' that honey is more or less
perfectly — (what words are these ?) — digested nectar is as
certain as the world is round.' This is at par with his
dogmatic assertion that, ' bees never hibernate.' The
one as well as the other rests alone on his ipse dixit.
' That all honey is equally digested is very likely not
true.' Yes, I should think so; and it is a thousand
times more safe — more in accordance with the evidence,
with reason and common observation — to say that it is
not digested at all in the meaning of that word when
applied to the assimilation of food in the stomach.
I have before me a fancy little card,]' Why Eat Honey ?'
sent me by that shrewd and practical apiarist and honey-
dealer, Chas. F. Muth. I quote from it as a sample of
good common-sense : — ' What is honey ? It is a vege-
table product, not made, but gathered from the nectary
of flowers, where it is secreted according to the rules of
Nature's laboratory.' These common-sense words whet
the appetite for honey, while Prof. Cook's ' more-or-less-
perfectly-digested ' vomit makes every fibre of my being
recoil.
I am not able to make the large reports of great yields
of honey as some bee-keepers seem able to do — perhaps
my locality will not admit of it; but I had one colony
of bees to gather and finish up 300 lbs. of the finest
quality of honey in less than thirty days. The density
of raw nectar varies so much that it is hard to say how
many pounds of raw nectar that 300 lbs. of standard
honey would represent, but certainly not less than
600 lbs. of freshly-gathered nectar. Now I say that it
would be as impossible for a colony of bees to digest
(assimilate) in their stomachs 000 lbs., or even 300 lbs.,
of raw nectar in less than thirty days, as it would be
for Prof. Cook to lift himself by the straps of his boots.
The presence of invert sugar in honey argues nothing.
Chemical changes going on during the process of
evaporation are sufficient to account for that. — G. W.
Demaree, Christiawburg, Kg. — {American Bee Journal.)
WINTER STORES.— IF SUGAR IS USED IT
MUST BE FED EARLY.
[1842.] In the last Review Prof. Cook says: 'We
know that sugar syrup is safe ' for wintering. I arise
to remark that last winter my bees were supplied almost
entirely with that article, having been fed 2800 lbs. of
granulated sugar, and they made the poorest stagger at
wintering that they have in a number of years. I am
not calling in question Prof. Cook's veracity, I am
merely stating a fact, and I do it, not to pick a quarrel
with the Professor, but to show how careful we need be
to avoid misunderstandings, and how difficult it is to
draw conclusions that will always hold good, when the
bees are allowed to have any hand in the matter. It is
probable that Prof. Cook is correct that sugar fed at the
right time and in the right way is always a safe
food. If I had from experience learned that the source
from which my bees obtained their winter stores was
such that I could with some degree of assurance consider
such stores unwholesome, I should extract and feed
sugar syrup. Or if, for any reason, my bees were short
of stores, obliging me to feed for winter, I think I
should, as I have done in the past, feed sugar syrup.
And before going farther I will say that the mortality
among my bees last winter, I think, would have been
equally as great if the best honey had been fed in the
place of the sugar. I say I think, for I cannot be
entirely positive about anything connected with bees, as
I have already hinted. I did not feed till very late,
hoping that a flow of honey from fall flowers might
help to fill up ; and I very much doubt if a colony,
entirely destitute of stores, and then fed as late as
October, will ever whiter perfectly in this climate.
After a good deal of experience in the matter, I
would advise any one who thinks his winter stores un-
wholesome, to try extracting and filling up with sugar
syrup, but I would strongly advise that the feeding be
done early. Just how early may vary with the latitude.
In this latitude — 42° — I should like to have the feeding
all done in August ; later than this, I am afraid the bees
do not have time to properly ripen it.
As to taking away wholesome honey — and allow me to
say that I think unwholesome honey is not so very plenti-
ful— -and feeding sugar in its place, that is another
matter. It may be profitable if sugar is low and honey
high enough, and time not too valuable. Allow me,
however, to mention some objections, for I imagine that
the favourable side will be fully enough presented.
The editor and others will tell you that pollen, as clearly
shown by scientific analysis, is at the bottom of the
wintering trouble, therefore take away everything and feed
pure sugar syrup, and wintering bees is as safe as winter-
ing horses. But who that has followed this teaching has
wintered with unfailing success ? I have seen colonies
that starved with abundance of pollen in the combs easy
of access, with no sign of diarrhoea, and I have never
seen any satisfactory explanation of this, if pollen is so
disastrous in its effects. I need not tell you of the
labour of feeding, although I have tried to reduce it to a
minimum, and have no great difficulty in getting a
colouv to take twenty pounds in twenty-four hours; still
the word ' feeding ' in my family is heard with no little
unpleasant feeling. Then I have found it difficult to
strike the happy medium as to consistency. Sometimes
the syrup granulates in the cells, when, so far as I
kuow, there is just the same amount of acid as at other
times, when it seems to attract enough moisture to run
out of the cells. If you feed sugar syrup, there is
danger of your yielding to the temptation to wait
longer than you should in the hope that the bees may
fill up from late flowers. Better feed up early enough,
and then if a flood of late honey should come, you can
extract again. I do not say how much, but at least
some weight should be given to the objection that a
pound of sugar fed to bees helps just so much to raise the
price of sugar and lower the price of honey. If you are
inexperienced you may gain a considerable amount of
experience in a short time by starting the bees at
robbing when feeding at a time when they are not
gathering from the fields.
In spite of the real gain there may be in having all
the light honey stored in sections, and having the bees
winter on cheaper stores, it is not at all impossible that
I may go back to the old plan of allowing eight frames
in the hives at all times, and encouraging the bees to
keep these heavily provisioned with stores of their own
gathering. — Dr. C. C. Miller, Marengo, III., Aur/. 27th.
Sagacity of Insects. — If we were better acquainted
with those insects that are formed into societies — as the
bees, wasps, and ants — we should find that their arts
and improvements are not so similar and uniform as
they now appear to us, but that they arose in the same
manner (from experience and tradition) as the arts of
our own species, though their reasoning is from few
ideas, is busied about fewer objects, and is exerted with
less energy. — Darwin.
(!£rljacs frant tbc ||tbts.
Denton, Grantham, October 4th. — Not having seen an
echo from this part of late, I send you one. There has
been no exception here from the general state of things
elsewhere, feeders, food, and starving bees, instead of
honey for sale and where to find a market for it. We
in this part will have no trouble under that head this
year. All the same, allow me, though late in the day,
to thank Mr. Woodleigh and ' Beeswing ' for telling us
how they successfully send 1-lb. sections by rail (1717
502
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 11, 1888.
and 1710). Such knowledge is sure to be of service
sooner or later; though with hut a few exceptions all
my honey has been sold at home, as I believe in a home
market. Also allow me a line to apologise to Mr. ' Sher-
borne ' for charging him wrongfully — my memory was at
fault. Never were my bees in such condition for storing
surplus honey as this year. It was, indeed, a sorry sight
to see hives crowded to excess with bees, abundance of
honey-yielding flowers on every hand, but withering
away one after the other without scarce a visit from our
bees. Of course I feed in spring to get bees in condition,
but not in summer — no, not whilst the honey-glut is
on. No ! plenty of mouths to feed without stimulating
for more. The weather took up just as the limes came
in, and the bees got about a ten-days' run and gathered
a nice lot for winter stores, but not quite sufficient.
After they failed I fed up quickly on good thick syrup,
made from pure granulated sugar, having previously re-
duced space to what the bees could well cover. An
empty tomato or apricot preserve tin, with a round
wood-float, and about six inches of pantile lath fastened
on top to keep the quilt from lying flat on top of tin is
as good a feeder as can be, and holds about two pints :
set on the top of frames and cover down warm. These
are the times to economise. Never buy what you can
make yourself. Cost of feeder like the above — nothing !
I began feeding on tho day the weather took up in earnest,
about 7th of September, and had all finished and packed
away snug by October 1st, that means far more than can
be pressed into an 'Echo.' All sections, separators,
frames, crates, &c, thoroughly free from propolis, &c,
wrapped neatly in paper and stowed away in a dry, cold
place. Extractor thoroughly cleaned and dried, feeders
ditto, all, or nearly so, by October 1st. I have not been
idle, as the only time that I have is at night, after
six p.m. In every bee-keeper's hut there should hang
this motto, to be put in practice — ' Never put off till to-
morrow what ought to be done to-day.' I fear hundreds
of cottagers about nere will lose their bees this winter.
Many are nearly destitute of stores. One cottager here
lost all his swarms, about five. ' Did you feed them ? ' I
asked. ' No, I never bother,' and so they die. What a
pity ! says — A Lincolnshire Novice.
Kesivick, Cumberland, October 6th. — I am not able to
send any better account from the Lake District than
those which have been so general and gloomy, nil through
the past season, from other parts. The season here has
been an entire failure from beginning to end. I only
took about J50 lbs. of extracted honey, and no comb honey
in a saleable form. Through the weather being a failure
I find my stocks much stronger than they usually are at
the close of the honey season, in consequence of their
not having had to make long flights ; this in some seasons
is the means of reducing their numbers nearly one-half ;
when this is the case it puts them in a poor state for
facing the winter. At the commencement of the season
I went in for the non-swarming system of management,
but when the time came the bees only made sport of
me and my non-swarming practice ; extra space in the
hive made no difference, swarm they would ; and,
worse still than that, several of them bade me good-
bye, and I have not heard of them since, but have
an idea where they went to, as scores of swarms
have gone to the same place. This is a gentleman's
mansion at the foot of a mountain about half a mile away.
During tho first week of the fine weather we had in
September — it put new life into the bees — heather seemed
to be exhausted on the hill-sides at a distance, but they
were able to work on some plant, as they brought home
and stored a good quantity of honey after I had taken
off the sections, which added greatly to their winter
stores. They were so anxious to make the best use of
the last opportunity, that scarcely a robber was to be
seen, though they had been very troublesome before.
It has been a splendid time for feeding. I gave eleven
stone of sugar liquid in less than a week to sixteen
hives. Since October came in we have had a very severe
change in the weather, it has been nothing but snow
and frost all through the week, and scarcely ever a bee
on the wing. Snow is still lying thick on some of the
highest hills. I heard a farmer say the other day that we
have had snow eleven months out of the last twelve.
Let us hope for somethiug better in 1889. — K. P.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
Letters or queries ashing for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt of their communication.
Alfred Wilson. — Queen Fertilised, or not? — A dissec-
tion and microscopical examination of this queen con-
clusively shows that she had been fertilised, the
spermatheca containing large quantities of sperma-
tozoa ; an examination of the ovaries, however,
showed thern to be atrophied, leading at once to the
conclusion that she was old and exhausted, and the
inability to lay more eggs probably led to her expul-
sion from the hive as described. The workers appear
to 'be healthy, so far as can be ascertained from an
examination of the contents of the abdomen.
Inquirer, and J. W. Abbot. — Bee Flower. — Both the
flowers are the Giant Balsam. This plant is a very
ornamental autumn garden flower, and is also much
valued as a bee plant.
John Pearson. — Uniting.— -Your letter has suggested
our Editorial of this week, and we think a careful
perusal of it will enable you to solve your difficulties.
John Stuart. — Linconshire has always had the repute
of being a honey^delding county. There is no bee-
keepers' association, we regret to say, in the county at
present, but the former hon. sec, Mr. R. 11. Godfrey,
Grantham, will be pleased to give you every infor-
mation you require.
Atom. — Feeding. — If your bees are healthy they require
no ingredients in the syrup beyond those given in
Cowan's Guide. You should give each stock thirty
pounds of syrup. You can do nothing to urge them
on to feed up quickly beyond covering them up
warmly.
X. Y. Z. — Packing. — Sawdust well dried will do, but it
is by no means so good as either cork-dust or chaff.
It can also be used to fill trays.
L. W. K. — 1. Queen. — The bee sent is a black queen.
2. Large Insect. — Queen wasp. 3. Winter Stores. —
The sealing of winter stores depends on the consis-
tency of the syrup fed, the temperature of the air, and
the strength of the colony. You might reasonably
expect to find a good bit done in a week or so. 4.
Winter Quarters. — Leave your bees in their present
positions.
It. Philipson. — Dead Bees. — With the information
given we should say this is a case of starvation.
Bee Sting. — 1. Feeding. — It is getting late to feed with
syrup, but you may even yet get them to Btore more
by giving it to them in the evening as warm as new
milk. AVe should not care to risk them on tho small
quantity they have stored. 2. Fucking. — Five frames
of sealed food and two empty combs for the bees to
cluster on should do nicely. Pack up warmly now
so that you can remove the feeder, and cover the
feed-hole without having to disturb the bees. 3.
Swarming next Year, — We are unable to forecast
this.
Correction.— Page 488, col. 2, line 1, for bi-carbonatc read bi-
chromate.
liTSSH
Communication to the Editor to be addressed ' Strangeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 330. Vol. XVI.]
OCTOBER 18, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
'NIL DESPERANDUM.'
We are right in presuming that the bulk of our
readers in Great Britain are amateur bee-keepers,
who do not depend upon honey-raising for a liveli-
hood, therefore to the majority, first, a few words
of comfort may be fitly addressed now that the
season 1888 is ended.
One of the great recommendations of this pursuit,
one of the principal reasons for the growing popu-
larity of our hobby, has been that it pays. ; this has
been proved over and over again, the question has
only been one of doubt as to whether or not one
could, in our fickle climate, devote the whole time
to bee-keeping and obtain a living by it. On this
point the consensus of opinion is that bee-keeping
should be combined with some other occupation,
such as fruit or poultry farming ; alone it could
not be recommended. The occurrence of a dis-
astrous succession of fruit, clover, and heather
crops, such as we have experienced this season, but
adds weight to the advice we have repeatedly given
in these columns in answer to inquirers who have
thought of making a business of bee-keeping per se.
Keeping bees will then pay, because we have more
strings than one to our bow, and a single bad
honey season does not mean disgust followed by
collapse.
' Tis not in mortals to command success,
But we'll do more, Semprouius : we'll deserve it.'
So let those with whom our bee-keeping is but an
agreeable pastime, a true labour of love, take heart
of grace, and, with true British courage, fight the
harder the more we seem to be surrounded with
difficulties. It is only by such an exhibition of
pluck that we can show our so-called love for bees
and bee-culture to be a sterling feeling and not an
empty sentiment, lasting only so long as the couleur
ile rose of the hobby — only so long as lasts the golden
light gleaming through well-filled honey -jars.
Quite a number of proverbial sayings spring into
the mind when we urge our readers to have ' a
patient continuance in well-doing;' this, by the way,
being only a more ancient way of telling us that
' Everything comes to him who knows how to wait.'
(We will allow the cynic to get in his jeer edgeway,
that ' whilst the grass is growing the horse is
starving.') We have often found ' the darkest — the
coldest hour, the one before the dawn;' we have
found, too, the mere effort to 'take arms against a
sea of tri ml iles,' as Shakespeare tells us, 'and by
opposing end them.' Who has not felt braced up
by a firm determination to get comfort out of
disaster by sheer force of will1! Why, the oldest
amongst us — old stagers, the steady coaches whose
wheels have placidly revolved with the years in an
uneventful round of monotony — the monotony of
mere routine, these can remember how many of the
happiest passages in life have been developed and
perfected when there has been no single gleam of
hope on the horizon, all dark and dismal everywhere.
Be sure we may find much pleasure in sympa-
thising with such of our fraternity as have found
the year's transactions a loss, all too keenly to be
felt perhaps ; we can try to infuse iuto them a little
of the spirit of Mark Tapley, who played ' Away
with Melancholy ' on a one-key'd flute. We recently
saw a couple of bee-keepers returning from the
moors with a waggon -load of hives, plodding
through a drenching rain for eight miles on a
black-dark night ; one of them wheeled a broken
tricycle, and both were as happy as sand-boys, wet
to the skin as they were, bringing home a dozen
hives from which they had not taken a single pound
of honey during either clover or heather harvest —
on the contrary, they had been forced to feed the
bees. England is not in danger (not even of a
decline in bee-keeping) so long as we have hearts of
this mettle in our midst. Traly, nothing can damp
such ardour, and a mishap only makes them
' thankful it's no worse,' sheer animal nerve carries
them through breakers into the smooth waters of
contentment.
Our warmest sympathy is offered to those in the
trade who have pluckily launched out in the effort
to live by combining bee-keeping with the making
of appliances used in the craft. These have had
blows with a two-edged sword : — their own bees
have earned little or nothing, and there has been
very little demand for hives, sections, extractors,
and other requisites of the bee-garden. It would
be, we believe, a recompense to the trade, if those
who have the means would, next season, purchase,
instead of making for themselves, such articles as
they can. The goods are now-a-days very cheap
and well made ; competition has given us many
things at low rates, so that it would pay us in the
504
THE BKITISH BEE JOUENAL.
[October 18, 1888.
long run to keep the competitors in the field until
brighter days come, as come they must, when they
and we may be repaid for the privations and
pinches one has to put up with in such ayear as 1888.
THE PAST AND FUTURE.
After such a summer (?) as the bees have passed
through, it behoves every bee-keeper to see that a
disastrous season is not followed by an utter collapse
of his army of workers — workers who, unfortunately,
have not had the opportunity to store either for
their masters or themselves.
Already we hear of many stocks dying of starva-
tion, and not a few skeppists declare their intention
of feeding no more, as they have already fed all the
summer in the hope of a turn for the better, and
now the bees must go to the wall. Of couse this
is only false economy with sugar at present rates.
Take, for instance, a common skep, well stocked
with bees, and hardly an ounce of food. Rather
than let them perish, suppose we give them fifteen
pounds of syrup, which, at the outside, will cost
not more than three shillings. With a fair prospect
of wintering, the following season such stock will
be worth at least fifteen shillings, without counting
its swarm, and almost certain crop of honey. Is
there any question about feeding being a good
investment ?
The oldest bee-keepers do not remember such a
honeyless season as we have just experienced, and
it is more than probable that the present generation
may not see another such. Apiaries of fifty to one
hundred colonies have not given a surplus in total
of one hundred pounds ; skeps have been ' taken
up ' by the score, and not half-a-dozen pounds of
honey have been secured. Many beekeepers have
had to feed through the summer, while it has been
the exception to find some favoured locality or
apiary where the bees have managed to get a living
all the time. Such we know of where a small surplus
has been given, and some stocks have even stored
themselves for winter during the warm spell of
weather experienced in September.
The past summer has been remarkable in that
not a single honey-glut occurred while the main
crops were in bloom. We have, of course, ex-
perienced poor seasons, but with the present excep-
tion we do not ourselves remember when there was
not at least one honey-glut, whatever the prevailing
weather may have been.
There can be no question but that bees will be
more valuable next season ; neither can there be
any doubt that in the future honey will command
a better price than lias ruled for the past year or
two, more particularly as American producers have
also to complain of a very short crop. It will be
remembered that the Americans tried a few years
back to swamp our honey market, and more recently
the Canadians attempted to establish a demand for
their produce. Both ventures have failed, not
simply because the efforts put forth were prema-
ture, nor that there was no market to supply, but
because the producers of neither country were
aware of the fact that their own home-markets
were not, and never will be, over-stocked with this
article when offered in its purest and most attractive
fonns.
AIDS TO SUCCESS.
Having regard to our concluding sentence in the
foregoing article, we must confess that there is free
scope for honey-producers in this country, notwith-
standing we are writing at the close of the most
disastrous season on record. We have already
shown that prices will improve for another year,
but the present experience will not be lost in other
ways. Greater economy will be induced, the apiarist
will pay more attention to the breeding of his stock,
and will want to find why one apiary did fairly
well while a hundred others were in a starving con-
dition. Was it because of any peculiarity in the
location, in the surrounding crops, in the manage-
ment, or, what is more than likely, in the strain of
bees employed ?
We base our calculations upon the latter, and
while we consider that the production of honey
should be a profitable undertaking, we do not hesi-
tate to say that success or failure depends almost
entirely upon securing the right kind of bees for
the purpose — a strain that will gather aud store
honey even in such a season as this has been. Of
course a suitable locality is another great point ;
and before extending his plant, the bee-keeper who
determines to increase his business should con-
sider well whether he is in the right situation
to warrant him in doing so. It is not simply a
question of good honey flora, or of shelter for the
apiary. A man may struggle on for years with his
bees often too late for the first honey-flow of the
district, finding out at last that there is a scarcity
of pollen in his district. This item is of far more
importance than is generally supposed, for unless a
colony has its combs well stored with it, the spring
will arrive with stocks dwindling away, while had
they a good store of pollen young bees would have
been hatching out by thousands.
The bees which answer better than any other
pure race are without doubt Carniolans, and
when crossed with natives, we get workers com-
bining the good qualities of both races with superior
working capabilities. Unlike the hybrids produced
by crossing blacks with Ligurians, the introduction
of Carniolan blood into an apiary renders the dis-
position of the resulting crosses more amiable than
that of the natives.
We have repeatedly recommended the intro-
duction of these bees, judging from our own
experience that the few shillings expended upon a
good queen is about the best investment a bee-
keeper can make.
Apart from the fact that there is greater comfort
in handling them, we do not lose sight of their
excellent wintering qualities, having known them
to come out in spring ttronger than when covered
up before winter, while, when crossed with blacks or
Syrians, we secure the bees which store while
others may be starving. This is no bare statement,
but the result of knowledge gained from a con-
siderable experience is here presented to the honey-
producer of the future.
October 18, 1888. J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
505
THE WEATHER.
Most bee-keepers will admit that one of the
greatest hindrances to the bees gathering stores
this season has been want of sun. Our readers
will therefore be interested in the following extract
from the Daily News on the sunless summer we
have this year experienced : —
' The publication of the last weekly report of the
Meteorological Office enables us to review the weather
of the season with regard to the prevalence of bright
sunshine. Taking the past thirteen weeks as a whole, it
would appear that the total amount of this most essential
element has been very deficient in all parts of the
country with the exception of Ireland and the north of
Scotland. In the former of these regions, the aggregate
duration of sunshine has not been more than from 2 to
4 per cent, less than the average of the previous eight
years ; while, in the north of Scotland, it has actually
been 11 per cent in excess of the normal. Over England,
however, matters have been very different, the deficiency
varying from 20 per cent in the north-western district,
including North Wales, to 28 per cent in the north-
eastern and midland counties, and to as much as 34 per
cent over the southern and eastern counties. Over all
the more central, eastern, and southern parts of England,
in fact, the sun has not shown on an average for more
than from four to four and a half hours per day, instead
of a possible fourteen or fifteen hours. In Scotland the
daily average has been about five hours, and in the
Channel Islands about six. A comparison with the bril-
liant weather of last year gives some very striking results.
t >ver England generally the quantity of sunshine regis-
tered during the season which has just elapsed has been
little more than half the amount recorded a year ago.
In the eastern counties the average daily amount this
year was 4"3 hours, against 8"5 hours last year ; and in
the southern districts 43 hours against 8"4. Owing to
the marked absence of sunshine, the deficiency of neat
noticed duringthe past summer has been relatively much
greater during the daytime than at night, in London
the mean of the midday readings for the entire period
has been more than 4' below the average, while the
deficit in the night values has not amounted to as much
as 1°. Notwithstanding the general coolness of the
season, the absolute minimum temperature, or, in other
words, the lowest reading observed in London on the
coldest night, has been higher than any similar value
recorded during any summer since the year 187-'!. During-
the past three months the thermometer has not descended
below 43°. Last year the summer, although so fine and
warm, gave us a minimum temperature of 39°, while
in the summer of 1880 the sheltered thermometer on
one occasion fell as low as ;55°.'
Jvebictos.
VoORDRACHT OVER HE OoRDEELKUNDIGE BlJEN-
teelt, door Karel De Kegel, Brussel. — During the last
year or two bee-keeping has taken a start in Belgium, and
owing to the interest taken by a few leading men modern
methods are coming into vogue. The Revue International
has for some time had a considerable circulation, and many
copies of our Guide-book, translated by M. Bertrand,
have been sold, and latterly his Conduite du Rucher has
been eagerly sought for. All this shows that a real,
earnest endeavour is being made to improve bee-keepino-
in Belgium. These publications are all, however, in
French, and, as most of our readers know, every one in
Belgium does not speak or read French, so that they are
of no use to a large number of the inhabitants. Flemish or
Dutch is spoken by these, and in order to bring modern
bee-keeping before them the above work by M. Karel
De Kesel has been prepared. It does not treat of bee-
keeping as a guide-book, but gives a general account, or
report, of the modern methods, and the great advantage
to bo derived from the proper use of moveable comb-
hives over the old-fashioned straw skeps. At the end
of the work there are four pages illustrating the hive
recommended by M. De Kesel. This is a double-storey
hive with frames 44 cents, by 28 cents, for the body,
and a slightly shallower frame for the upper storey.
The hive is of wood, covered outside with straw, and over
the top there is a sloping roof. The frames are made to
slide in at the back like in the German hives, and they
are kept the right distance apart by nails driven in the
top bar near the ends. The moveable back forms the
fourth side of the hive, and is pushed up to the frames.
It has a roll of felt tucked in all round to keep all warm.
These hives can be placed on shelves one above the other
and their contents examined from behind. Between the
two storeys there is an adapting-board, with an oblong
hole in it to aliow the bees to pass up. Although this is
a great improvement on the straw skep, we wish M. De
Kesel had gone a little further and adopted a hive open-
ing from the top, which presents many advantages over
the one he has selected. Manipulations are much easier,
and enlargement of the hive to the full force of the
colony may be effected without limit. M. De Kesel is
doing a good work, for he travels the country, being em-
ployed by the Government to give lectures on bees.
With liim he has a van containing hives, appliances, and
different races of bee-s. These form an exhibition, and in
every village he visits they are used to illustrate his
lectures. This little work, which was felt to be a want,
will bring the knowledge of modern systems of bee-
keeping witlun the reach of all, and we wish it every
success and a large sale.
Bee-keepers' Guide, or Manual of the Apiary.
By A. J. Cook, Professor of Entomology in t he Michi-
gan State Agricultural College. — We are pleased
to welcome this the thirteenth edition and fifteenth
thousand of Professor Cook's Manual, which first made
its appearance as a modest pamphlet in 1876. So much
was t his at that time appreciated that it sold rapidly, and
Professor Oook has from time to time enlarged it, until
it has grown to contain nearly 450 pages. In the present
edition there are 110 added pages and 31 illustrations;
and it has been in a great measure re-written, to
bring it up to the knowledge of the present day. Not
only has the Practical part been brought up to the
present time, but also the First part — treating of the
natural history of the honey-bee — has had full justice
dune to it ; for the works of Schiemenz, Schonfeld, and
others, have been mentioned, and the reader is made
acquainted not only with the progress made in the
science connected with bees, but also with the names of
those to whom we are indebted for the discoveries.
Just fancy any one writing about Parthenogenesis, and
not mentioning that to Dzierzon we owe its discovery in
connexion with bees made in 1835, and published by him
in 1842 ; yet hard as it is possible to believe it, an author
has recently done so, and only ment i< ins 1 >zierzon casually
in connexion with the introduction of the Italian bee in
1853, which enabled him to prove his discovery to be
true, yet never once is lie mentioned as the discoverer.
This is the way many books are made ! So conscientious
is Professor Cook in acknowledging where he gets his
information and giving due credit, that in the preface
he even mentions where every woodcut is taken from ;
and this is in striking contrast to the ways of com-
pilers of the present day, who copy right and left
without even so much as alluding to those from whose
works they copy.
It is in the first part of Professor Cook's Manual that
we find most of the additions, and it is heie that it
contrasts favourably with Vol. I. of Cheshire's work. In
referring to Cheshire's book, Professor Cook has dis-
covered— although perhaps he is not the first — that this
506
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 18, 1888.
is a compilation ; and says that ' many of the pages and
illustrations are taken bodily from such writers as
Schiemenz, Girard, Wolff, &c, and, we are pained to
say, generally without any credit whatever. The
author gives as original many views which others have
previously advanced ; and worse, his quotations — un-
marked quotations — show that he knew he was claiming
what was rightfully another's.' Those who have Ches-
hire's work have only to compare, for instance, pages
149 to 151 and 200 to 205, with Girard's pages 56 to 58
and 80 to 93, to judge for themselves. The same ap-
plies to many of the illustrations, and it is funny that
in one of these Cheshire commits the same error he
so severely criticises in Cook's eleventh edition. The
sections on Plate III., although nothing is said of this,
are taken from Wolff 's monograph ; and in copying
Section F it has become reversed, so that the hairs are
to the left side, whereas in Wolff's (Plate IV., fig. 31)
they are to the right, otherwise they are identically the
same. Another curious error is made when he is copying
from Dujardin — although his writing would lead one to
suppose it was original research — the sizes of the brains
of insects. Dujardin gives the sizes in letters, and states
that in the red ant the brain is ' deux cent quatre vingt
si.iieme,'1 or -jisth part of the whole body. Cheshire gives
it as tjJu, and this in French would be ' deu.r cent quatre
vingt seizieme,' — an error easily committed by a person
not thoroughly conversant with the French language.
Looking through the book before us, we find, amongst
other things, that in writing about the races of bees
Professor Cook appends the following chart, which he
thinks represents pretty accurately the species, races, and
varieties of the genus Apis.
Species.
Apis Indica, Fab.
Apis florea, Fab.
Apis dorsata, Fab.
Races.
f A. dorsata nigripennis,
I
Varieties.
Apis mt'llifiea
r Caruiolan or
Krainer.
■^ Heath.
| Austrian.
LCommon black.
Latr.
, A. dorsata bicolor,
1 King-
, A. dorsata zonata,
^ Smith.
rA. mellinea nigra. G
man bee.
A. melliiica fasciata.
Egyptian bee.
Syrian ?
South Palestine ?
Cyprian ?
Italian ?
Greek ?
Bonnat ?
Caucasian ?
China bee.
A. melliiica umcolor,
Latr. Madagascar.
A. melliiica Adansonii.
African bee.
Where a race is followed by an interrogation point, there
is a question if it should not be considered a variety of
the last preceding race not thus marked. He thinks
lOssibly through the law of variation each race might
:ave originated independently, or possibly all — such as
Italian, Cyprian, Greek, Sec. — as varieties of the Egyp-
tian bee ; although Vogel considers, after a long series of
experiments, their origiu is a cross between the yellow
and black races.
In Chapter II. The Anatomy and Physiologyof Insects,
and the Honey Bee in particular, are treated. Here we
find many new illustrations, and much fresh matter.
Describing the antenna;, he agrees with those who,
like Leydig, Erichson, Hauser, and others, consider
these the organs of smell, and tells us that ' while
Erichson first discovered the pits in the antennae,
Burmeister discovered the sensitive nerve-ending hairs
at their bottom, and Leydig the perforated pegs or
tooth-like hairs.' Further, he says, ' We may state,
then, that the antennal organ of smell consists of a free
or sunken hair-like body, which opens by a pore or
canal to a many-nucleated ganglionic nerve. We thus
understand how the bee finds the nectar, the fly the
1"
n
meat, and the drone and other male insects their mates.
That the antenna; are organs of smell are generally
admitted, but some have from time to time endeavoured
to show that they also contain the organs of hearing.
Taking this view, we find Dr. Braxton Hicks, Graber, and
Mayer, but the evidence they bring forward is not suffi-
cient to satisfy scientists that these depressions are really
organs of audition. This also is our view, and is the
one taken by Professor Cook, for he says, ' Mr. Cheshire
speaks of small pits in the antenna;, which he regards as
organs of hearing. He gives, however, no proof of this,
and the pits that he describes are not at all ear-like in
their structure. Dr. Packard says that there is no proof
that any insects except crickets and locusts have real
organs of hearing. He here refers to the ear-like organs
situated on the sides of the body of these insects. Dr.
C. S. Minot, in reviewing Graber's work, says that it
has not been demonstrated that even these tympanal
organs are auditory, and adds that all attempts to
demonstrate the existence of on auditory organ in insects
have failed. That insects are conscious of vibrations,
which with us cause sound, I think no observing
person can doubt. . . . Every apiarist has noticed the
effect of various sounds made by the bees upon their
comrades of the hive, and how contagious is the sharp
note of anger, the low hum of fear, and the pleasant
tone of a new swarm as they commence to enter their
new home. Now, whether insects take note of their
vibrations as we recognise pitch, or whether they just
distinguish the tremor, I think no one knows. There is
some reason to believe that their delicate touch organs
may enable them to discriminate between vibrations
even more acutely than can we by the use of our ears.
A slight jar will quickly awaken a colony of hybrids,
while a loud noise will pass unnoticed. If insects can
appreciate with great delicacy the different vibratory
conditions of the air by an excessive development of the
sense of touch, then undoubtedly the antenna; may be
great aids. Dr. Clemens thought that insects could only
detect atmospheric vibrations. So, too, thought Linneus
and Brunet. From our present knowledge this view
seems the most reasonable one, for nothing answering in
the least to ears, structurally, has yet been discovered.'
We are ourselves inclined to the same view, and do not see
any reason why bees should not be sensible to vibra-
tions which produce no effect upon us. Our ear is so
fashioned that it is sensible to vibrations reaching at
the outside to 38,000 in a second. The sensation of red
is produced when 470 millions of millions of vibrations
enter the eye in a similar time. But between these two
numbers vibrations produce on us only the sensation of
heat, for we have no special organs adapted to them.
There is, therefore, no reason why bees should not be
sensible to vibrations even with their touch-organs which
do not affect us. We have examined the antenna; re-
peatedly with the microscope, both superficially and
section by section ; and although using instruments second
to none in efficiency, we have failed to trace any con-
nexion between the organs described by Graber and
Mayer and an auditory apparatus. The title of Graber's
work above referred to is Uber neue otocystenartige
Sinnesorgane der Insecten, 1878; and Mayer's Supra
certi organi di senso nel/e Antenne dei Ditteri, 1878.
{To be continued.)
THE POLLINATION AND PERFORATION OF
FLOWERS.
The perforation of flowers by insects, and in a few
cases by birds, to get at the nectar by fraudulent
means, is a matter of common observation ; hut in a few
cases this is the normal way of procedure, as has been
shown by Darwin and Muller, for insects are obliged to
perforate the lax inner membrane of some orchids
(nearly all of the British Ophrea;, according to Darwin)
October 18, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
507
in order to get the nectar, 'which lies within their
tissues ; and in the case of Laburnum, &c, Muller has
shown that insects puncture the thickened bases of the
standard petal in order to get nectar. I ought also to
call attention to the destructive work of species of
Megachile, which cut out parts of the petals of roses,
pelargoniums, &c, and use them to line their nests.
A century ago Sprengel noticed that flowers were per-
forated. Since his time many European as well as
American observers have noticed perforation. Among
them I may mention Darwin, Delpino, Ogle, Kerner,
Loew, and Hermann Muller. To Loew, and especially
Muller, are we greatly indebted for painstaking labour
in giving lists of flowers and their visitors, and, with the
exception of these and a few by other investigators, we
have no statistical tables on the pollination of flowers
and their insect visitors, so that we have little accurate
information as to what insects perforate flowers.
It is of value to know not only that a given flower is
perforated, but also what relation the insect bears to the
flower which it perforates. It is, indeed, interesting to
follow out these relations from Muller's tables. . . .
Darwin, in his 'Cross and Self-Fertilisation,' &c,
states that out of many hundred specimens of red clover
examined by him, nearly all were perforated, and he has
even seen whole fields in the same condition. Thos. Belt,
and others, have noticed the same thing. It is quite as
common for red clover to be perforated in this country
as it is in Europe.
Italian Bees and the Red Clover. — In the
summer of 1883, in the vicinity of La Crosse, Wis., I
noticed large numbers of honey-bees on the flowers of
red clover, and wondered whether they made perfora-
tions, or what they were doing. In some cases they
obtained pollen, but in a vast majority of cases nectar
was collected through perforations made by some other
insect. Among bee-keepers there is a notion that the
Italian bee is able to get nectar from red clover. I
doubt whether this is true, for, in my experience, I never
found them collecting nectar in the normal way ; they
seemed to collect only through perforations made by
some other insect.
One thing will show, in part at least, why honey-bees
go to the red clover at certain times and not on other
occasions. It is a well-known fact that the amount of
nectar secreted by a plant varies according to seasons
and locality. There are periods, as I have had occasion
repeatedly to observe, when hive-bees cannot collect
enough to supply their young, and they then freely use
the perforations made by Bombus, and other insects ;
but when there is an abundance of nectar they pass over
fields of red clover, and when Monarda punctata is in
flower, and has a good supply of nectar, they will pass
over fields of white clover, and fly some distance to fields
of wild bergamot.
Although the rule seems to be that honey-bees do not
perforate flowers, there seem to be exceptions, for no
less an authority than Hermann Muller states that they
perforate the flowers of Erica tetralix, using their
mandibles to bite holes in the tube of the corolla.
The tongue of the honey - bee is only 6 mm. long, so
that it is not able to get the nectar otherwise in these
early flowers. Later he found honey - bees collecting
nectar in the normal way, but he failed to observe
whether these late flowers were smaller or not.
It is not always an easy matter to tell whether an
insect makes the perforations, especially when these are
in the form of longitudinal slits, or whether it is merely
looking for the perforations of some other insect. In
flowers where the tissue is firm, these slits close over
quite effectively, and are not readily seen. While the
honey-bee makes, at most, few perforations, Muller re-
cords many cases in which it uses perforations made by
other insects ; but it is sufficient here to refer to his
works for these.
In this country, Meehan believe3 that the honey-bee
perforates the flowers of Salvia splendens. Delpino,
Comes, and a few other observers, also state that the
honey-bee perforates corollas. I think, however, that,
generally, honey-bees only usj the perforations made by
other insects, and they are certainly quick to perceive
these perforations. Muller records the most interesting
case of Salvia Sclarea, in which the tube of the corolla is
so long that the honey-bee is not able to get the nectar
in a normal way. It made several attempts, but did not
try to perforate the corollas. When, finally, it found
several in which the corollas had just loosened, it imme-
diately began to sip the little drops of nectar which still
remained attached to the base of the corolla. It is cer-
tainly a clear case, for the insect tried in every way to
get nectar, except by perforating the corolla.
The examples of flowers perforated by Bombus terres-
tris show that it mainly pierces those from which it
cannot get nectar in a normal way. Muller has found
this interesting difference between its visits to flowers on
the plains and valleys, and to those of alpine and sub-
alpine regions ; that while in the lower regions it per-
forates man}' flowers where the nectar is in part accessible
to it . . . others are visited in a normal way in alpine
regions.
Muller also found a constant difference in the length
of its tongue. In the Alps its tongue was usually
8-11 mm. long, while in the lowlands only 7-i> mm.
long. Bombus terrestris is one of the most abundant of
European humble-bees, and this is perhaps one reason
why it uses these illegal means to get nectar. But
B. mastrucalus, as Muller's investigation shows, is the
worst enemy to alpine flowers. Notwithstanding that
its tongue is of sufficient length to enable it to reach the
nectar of some flowers ... it perforates them, and only
pollinates such flowers as ... it could not well perforate
unless it were to go to more trouble than getting the
nectar in a normal way involves.
Cabi'ENTEr- Bees and Flowers. — The carpenter-
bees, belonging to the genus Xylocopa, do considerable
injury to flowers in more southern latitudes, where they
abound.
Xylocopa Virginica, according to Cresson, is found in
the middle, southern, and western States, and of the
twenty- seven species of this genus mentioned in his
catalogue, this is the most northern, and has the widest
distribution. The species no doubt cause considerable
annoyance, as Mann, Ryder, and Miss Murtdfeldt have
shown. Mr. Mann was the first to describe one method
which it uses to perforate flowers, in which ' the insect
applies its sharp and wedge - shaped maxilla? to the
grooved surface of the tube, and slits this open 3 or 4 mm.
from the base.'
Dr. Schneck and Mr. Van Ingen each records several
cases in which the tube of the corolla had longitudinal
slits, but as perforators they found humble-bees {Bum-
bus?). As these slits correspond so well to the slits I
found on the tube of the corolla Phlomis, I bring them
up in this connexion. I frequently found this Xylocopa
in the act of making longitudinal slits in the tube of the
corolla of Phlomis tuberosa. The insect applies its
powerful mandibles against the tube of the corolla until
it gains entrance, then, thrusting its maxilla: in as far as
it can in a longitudinal direction, the tissue yields easily,
so that longitudinal slits are the result. At other times
the mandibles are drawn backward and forward, thus
causing longitudinal slits. The number of slits varied
from one to three. The insect did not take much trouble
to find the old slits, but went directly at making new
ones, as it seemed to be easier for it to do this than to
waste time in looking for the old ones.
Wasps Perforating Flowers. — Wasps also per-
forate flowers, especially such as are adapted to this class
of insects. . . . Mr. Robertson has reported to me several
interesting cases where wasps use perforations, and, at
508
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 18, 1888.
least in one instance, make them. At Orlando, Fla., he
found tive species of wasps which sucked the flowers
through perforations, which are at first very small, but
finally large and irregular. At Clinton, Mo., he observed
that Odynerus boraminatus made perforations in the tube
of the corolla of Monarda Bradburiana, which, as he
thinks, were made by the wasp taking the tube between
her jaws and cutting towards the mouth of the corolla,
thus loosening a triangular piece which could be closed
over the opening. In the Botanic Garden I frequently
found the flowers of this species perforated, but the per-
forations were in the form of longitudinal slits.
While wasps do not generally perforate flowers, they
are not above using those perforated by sp?cies of Bombus
and other insects; for these, in their rapid visits to
flowers, are certain to leave some nectar. Insects much
lower in the scale than wasps frequently use the perfora-
tions made by species of Bombus, as Muller has shown
to he the case in a small Ichneumon fly, which eagerly
sought the nectar left in the flowers. — L. H. Pammell
(Shaw School of Botany.)
(To be continued.')
JOTTINGS BY AMATEUR EXPERT.
Mel Sapit Omnia.
Mel. — Time was when there was a feud between the
clan McNally and myself. I am a most unlucky chap :
if I do not get into the wars by some remarks from my
own cranky brain, some one is certain to point out some-
thing to me at which I am bound to rush if it is an
abuse, and down comes the trouble on my poor devoted
head. But we always manage somehow to make matters
straight, be it amongst Britishers or Americans. Well,
the McNallys and myself have sworn peace, — at least till
next time, and so Mr. John McNally has sealed the truce
with some real heather honey. The railway people
managed to smash some of it as a matter of course, but
apart from that it was extremely good ; in fact, nothing
like it can be ' got out of Scotland.'
Mel (?) again. But yesterday I received a glass bottle
containing a substance that was bought in Norfolk this
summer as 1887 honey. It looks like greystone colour
paint ; it is in a frothy ferment ; it stinks horribly, and
tastes like the combined essence of all the yeast and
bottoms of stale beer-barrels rolled into a concentrated
viscid mass. The vendor of this is known as ' Honey
Mary' in her country-side. The history of the stuff I
much wish to learn. I certainly never met with any-
thing fit to compare with it.
Presents. — The post brings me a variety of things
because I 'jot' from time to time in this column. My
last present was a large photograph of our Canadian
friend Mr. McKnight's stall at the Toronto Honey Fair
last month. The display reminds me of our own at
South Kensington in 1886 ; it is composed chiefly of run
honey in 1-lb. screw-stopper glass bottles. There are a
few sections and a few square tins, containing probably a
dozen or twenty pounds each, but the whole erection is
capped with flowering plants in pots, and over all a group
of national flags. At the end of the stall, which is sur-
rounded with crush barriers, stands Mr. McKnight him-
self. He looks well and ' at-home ;' and the scene recalls
the ' Honey House ' at the Indian and Colonial Exhibi-
tion in 1886 very vividly. On the walls of the building
are placards — ' Honey, some reasons why it should be
eaten,' showing the Canadians have the same ' push ' at
home as they displayed with us. I am very grateful as
well as flattered by our friend's remembrance of me, and
sincerely hope the stall showed a different appearance at
the end of the show.
Dry Sugar Feeding. — I see the lazy bee-keepers — I
beg Dr. Bartrum's pardon — are recommending this system
at this season. ' Useful Hints ' told us the other day
how to make syrup in bulk. If that is too much trouble
people only deserve their bees to die. This season, above
all others, bees require all their energies being conserved,
and yet people give their bees hours of labour carrying
water to save themselves a very little trouble. When I
read their letters I wish I could put them on a pump
crank for as many hours as they give their bees ' penal
servitude' carting water to mix with dry sugar.
Rapid Feeders. — I have been using llutchings', which
is made of zinc. I can get each stock to take syrup
given warm at the rate of 1 lb. per hour. I have fed
them through the day and given them rest at night, and
have had no robbing ; but I have been careful and not
gone slopping the syrup about, and kept the entrances
closed to about one inch only.
Giant Globe Thistle. — When attention was first
called to this plant I had seeds sent me from three
different localities — one in the far north, a second from
Mr. Cowan, and a third from ' across the pond.' I find
they all produced the same plant, and it undoubtedly is
one of the first bee-plants I have ever grown. I have
been cleaning and drying the seeds during the past week,
and as I broke up the large globular heads the house was
filled with a honeyed sweetness. If any one cares for a
few seeds I shall be happy to extend my offer made to
' Apis II.' last week. Send a stamped addressed enve-
lope to the Editor, and I will send you some seeds as
long as they last.
The Jews and Honey. — Mr. Neighbour called our
attention to the consumption of honey by the Jews a
short time since. ' Honey Mary's ' sample referred to
above led me to look into the subject in Scripture. I
find honey was not only considered a blessing and a
symbol of fruit fulness and pronounced 'good' (Prov.
xxiv. 13), but was coupled with ' leaven,' and forbidden
in sacrifices. Leaven, we know, is a symbol of malice
and wickedness ; but why should honey be classed with
leaven ? Was it because it symbolises mere human
kindness, which, like malice, is corrupt, and drew from
the lips of the Saviour the rebuke to Peter, ' Get thee
behind Me, adversary t The sample sent that has led
me to these thoughts are as highly fermentable as any
leaven and far more offensive. I commenced with ' Mel,
I will end with it — ' Pleasant words are as an honey-
comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.' May
these ' Jottings ' be not only sweetened with Mel, but
savoured with Sal .' '—Amateur Expert.
Rattle-Snakes and Honey. — Near Fayetteville,
Ark., two young farmers named Young and Stewart
were out hunting a few days ago, and discovered bees
passing out and in through a hole about forty feet from
the ground in a large black oak, which was some four
feet in diameter. Of course they thought that they had
made a rich discovery. They were not then prepared to
cut the tree, and started for home. On their way,
Young bought Stewart's interest in the find, paying one
dollar cash for it. Xext day Young invited several
friends to help him cut the tree and share the treasure it
contained. So, supplied with axes and buckets, they
proceeded to the woods, and cut down the tree. After
it fell crashing to the ground, Young ran with a handful
of leaves and stopped the hole through which the bees
entered the tree, but soon they came swarming out at a
split made in the trunk by falling. One of his friends
pulled the plug out of the hole, and immediately a rattle-
snake came crawling out, coiled himself, raised his flat
head, and gave out that paralyzing sound with his rattles
which, when once heard, is never forgotten. He was
soon despatched, and the work of discovery went on.
They then chopped into the log, split out a long block,
and there found two other rattlers, which were promptly
killed. What promised to be a delicious feast only proved
to be a mass of dry comb. The tree was perfectly covered
at the stump, and the snakes to reach the hollow had to
climb forty feet. — Globe Democrat.
October 18, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
509
OLamtyariiiMtt.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should,
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Saoios, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Jtc, must be addressed only to *The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.G.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
Ac, must be addressed to Mr. J. Hockle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*m* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
PREPARING FOR WINTER.
[1843.] At last a fine change in the weather has
allowed the bees to work here on the ivy, which is moat
abundant, and now is covered with bloom. It has
opened later than usual this year. The 22nd of
September was the first day on which I saw bees on it.
A cold snap, with frosts every night, kept things very
quiet, but yesterday and to-day they are as busy as on a
June day. Numbers of bees in straw skeps have died
out already of starvation ; bar-frame hives would have
done the same but for constant looking after. The
number of sections taken everywhere must be unusually
small. One gentleman near this actually smothered
seventeen hives, would not have them driven, and had
only two of those with any honey in them. What a
cruel waste of innocent and useful life, when it has been
proved to demonstration that bees need, not be smothered
to take their honey ! Smothering bees should be con-
sidered and treated as cruelty to animals.
Large breadths of plants affording bee-pasturage should
be largely planted. Of Limnanthes an acre would not
be at all too much, if one had a fair-sized apiary and the
land todo so ; is easily propagated — in fact, if once sown, it
needs but to have the land renewed year by year, and in a
fine season would give a good account of itself. Berberis
Darwini, a beautiful shrub, Buddlea globosa, Ribes
sanguined, Helleborus niger and its varieties, called by
some the Lenten Christmas rose, blooming from mid-
January to April, in every shade of colour, from purple
to white, many of them most beautiful, and affording
pollen when crocus cannot be touched. Of these I propose
planting out at least 200 for spring blooming. I do not
think I ever saw any mention of this as a bee-plant in
the B. B. Journal, except in Abbott's list of bee-plants
given some years since. A plant of Helleborus Abschasicus,
measuring four feet across, threw up thirty-six bloom-
spikes, which give, on an average, six blooms. That
will show what one may expect from established plants.
Each bloom is good for three weeks, as the pollen
ripens in succession, one set of anthers falling when
ripe, and being succeeded by another. Those plants
spoken of above, also all spring bloomers, should be
planted in quantity. Trifolium incarnatum, vetches,
mustard, aie all most valuable, especially the latter, as
it can be grown in succession. Buckwheat is a great
forage plant, but'gives the hives a most unpleasant smell.
Small quantities of bee-plants are valueless when honey
is the object ; they cannot give a surplus unless the
supplies are near and in quantity. Any one thinking
otherwise is only deceiving himself. Anemone blanda at
catalogue prices would not leave much profit on honey,
nor woidd Scrophilum nodosa, that stinking and per-
nicious weed, leave much either. — John J. Smyth,
Rathcoursey, BallinacHssa, Cork, October 11?A.
rather ' bumptious' epistle which appeared in your issue
of the 20th September. If ' A. E.' is correct in his con-
clusions— and I have every reason to think he is,
judging from his wide connexion with most of the bee-
keepers in England — I think they have got their eyes
opened so far as trading in foreign queens is concerned.
I for one should like to see this subject probed to the
root ; and I have no doubt in the hands of such a writer
as 'A. E.' the matter will be goue into in right ernest.
The opinion I hold now I have always held, that the
craze for having foreign queens would lead to such a
state of matters as now disclosed. Those trafficking
in foreign queens, &c, have done well in the past,
and at the same time the parties who were reaping
the benefits spare no pains in tilling the columns of our
bee papers about the great qualities of Oarniolans,
Cyprians, and other sorts. Why have British bee-
keepers been so long and so easily deceived in the
matter? Mr. Benton will require to make his remarks
more easily understood ; and if he has not been guilty
of the charge now made against his queens, he must not
try and bring in the names of others, even though they
are opposed to him as brothers in trade. We shall wait
patiently until Mr. Blow returns and hear what he
has got to say in the matter. — John D. McNally,
Springburn, Glasgow.
CARNIOLAN bees.
[1844.] Mr. Benton v. ' A. E.' — I was very pleased to
see in last week's issue of the B.B.J, our respected
friend, 'Amateur Expert's' reply to Mr. Benton's
DO QUEENS EVER LAY EGGS IN ROYAL
CELLS ?
[1845.] I see by the replies to Query 669 that some are
still in doubt that a queen ever lays eggs in qneen-cells.
Formerly there used to be many such, but I had supposed
that at this late day and age (after such men as Gallup,
Grimm, Shuck, and others, had testified that they had
seen queens deposit eggs in queen-cells) the doubting
ones had given up the old theory of the queen hating a
rival so badly that she would in no way contribute
toward the getting of such an one ; but in this I see that
1 am mistaken.
It seems to me that the way an egg is attached to a
queen-cell should be enough to convince any one that
none but a queen could so put the egg, occupying the
same position that it occupies in a worker-cell.
I never saw a queen in the act of laying in a queen-
cell, but my hired man did, which gave me positive proof
that what I had long considered as a fact was a literal
truth. God said to all of His creation, after He had
made it and pronounced it good, ' Multiply and replenish
the earth ;' then why should not the queen perform her
part of tins work as well as the mothers of all else
living ?
That one queen will kill another, when two come in
contact, does not positively argue that the mother- bee
should not do her part in keeping the colony provided
with a means by which it could exist after she had left
with a swarm. What difference could it make with her,
after she had left, how many queens sprang up, so long
as none of them could possibly harm her ?
I am well aware that the workers do once in a great
while carry eggs from an ordinary cell to an embryo
queen-cell ; still this is not done nearly so often as larva;
are so carried, and when eggs are so cavried, it is very
easily 'detected by the experienced eye, for they are
placed in the cells in almost any shape, save the manner
in which the queen does her work.
I once had a strong colony swarm, and before I could
get around to do my part of the work they returned, the
queen having her wings clipped. Thinking that I would
be already for them the next day, I did not try to
divide them in the afternoon, as I sometimes do, to save
time for the swarms of the next day, but left them as
they were. The next day, when they came out again,
I was on hand, but before they were fairly out of the
hive another swarm came tumbling out of a very popu-
lous hive and went with them.
510
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 18, 1888.
No sooner were they all in the air than the whole of
thern were re-inforced by another swarm from another
hive, which I had said was not to swarm that year on
account of their having- a failing queen. This last hive
had been opened an hour previous, and all queen-cells cut
off, so as to keep them as I wished for a few days, till I
could get some queens fertilised which I had under
headway; and one can imagine my surprise and chagrin
when, before this last swarm had got two-thirds out, the
whole mass went piling into the hive of the colony that
I had determined should not swarm. After a few
moments' thought 1 concluded to leave them as they
were (only I put on section room to the capacity of 100
pounds, or over) to see what would become of it.
The next morning, before 8 o'clock, out they came, and
were hived in an empty hive, after giving them one of
the good queens which were kept back the day before.
Having secured them, and having the old queen that I
had said should not swarm in a cag'e, I went to the hive
to inspect it before I let her go back in. Now came the
greatest surprise of my life in the way of queen-cells, for
by turning to my diary I see that by actual count there
were 423 — 270 of them having eggs and larvae in, when
less than eleven hours before there was not a queen-cell
in the hive.
Here was where I first detected the difference between
eggs carried to a queen-cell by the bees and those placed
in them by the queen. I decided that 188 eggs had been
laid by the queen in these cells, by their being attached
by the point to the bottom of the cells, and 17 were
carried there by the bees, as they were in all positions in
the cells ; 71 cells had larvae, which the bees must have
carried there, of course. These larva; were from two to
three days old, as nearly as I could judge, and all of
them were literally swimming in royal jelly, as much so
as any I ever saw of that age in my life. Here is a point
worthy of note for those who claim that no queen can be
really good unless started from the egg and fed as a
queen.
Since then I have a few times had eggs and lame re-
moved from the comb I had given to a queenless colony, to
a dry comb at its side ; but in all these instances the queen-
cells were built first, and the eggs or larvae deposited in
them, the position of the eggs resembling that which I
have described above ; but as I said near the beginning,
the cases are quite rare where either eggs or larva? are
removed from one cell to another, and three larva? are
removed to where one egg is removed ; for the bees can
get a queen more quickly from the larva? than from
the egg.
The usual way of working in a queenless colony to
secure a queen is, to float the royal larva when chosen,
out to near the end of the worker-cell in which it is, and
when there, turn a queen-cell down over the ends of the
cell. Nearly all writers tell us that the bees when made
queenless tear down adjoining cells so as to build a
queen-cell over the larva which they have selected for a
queen ; but this is not done once in one thousand times,
according to my experience, and not then unless the
combs are new, not having any cocoons in them, or the
selected larva is near a hole in the comb, or the edge
thereof.— G. M. Doolittle, Borodino, N. Y. (American
Bee Journal).
DISPLAY OF HONEY AND HONEY-COMB.
Suggestions fob Futtjee Schedules.
[184G,] These should be confined to a given weight, say,
two classes,one under 50 lbs., the other under 100 lbs., this,
in my opinion, would bring out more competitors, and at
the same time give small bee-keepers an opportunity of
competing with those who probably could stage 500lb.
as easily as a small bee-keeper could stage 1001b. Two
distinct classes, and those competing in the one debarred
from entering in the other would, in my opinion, be a
marked improvement, and give a chance to small bee-
owners that hitherto they have had no choice in the
matter.
Sections.
I see no good reason that twelve or twenty-four
sections should be required for a class if three or six will
do the same purpose. A small bee-keeper may be able
to pick out three excellent boxes from his limited supply
while he cannot manage twelve or twenty-four the same
way as those who have hundreds to select from. The
same applies to run-honey as the foregoing, and I have
no hesitation in saying that increased entries would be
the result if such a rule was adopted.
I would suggest that there should be two distinct
classes for comb and extracted honey — i.e., a class for
comb-honey of a previous year, and one for the current
year. There would then be an opportunity given of
showing the superiority of the one season's produce over
the other, if any ; also two distinct classes for run-honey,
the one in liquid state, the other granulated. This would
give all a chance, and specially those whose honey
granulate twenty-four hours after being extracted.
The reason I ask for consideration of these points is to
check the great risk that is connected with carrying such
a large quantity of honey, say, from 300 to 400 miles,
and also the expense of carriage, while those who reside
within a certain radius of where the competition is being
held can stage the whole produce of their apiary without
much expense or risk either. When the quantity is
plainly stated on a schedide we will then know what to
work for, and be able to compete with our friends. —
John D. McNally.
WHY SOME HONEY IS NOT SAFE AS A
WINTER FOOD FOR BEES.
[1847.] Some kinds of honey contain a great part of
indigestible substance ; for instance, honey from the
bark louse, or from some kinds of pine trees in Ger-
many. This honey is clammy and smells like rosin, and
has been known to cause dysentery in every hive of a
large vicinity. The trouble is that the intestines of the
bees are too soon overloaded.
If late-gathered, thin and watery honey is the greatest
part of the winter food ; it may absorb some more
water, may ferment, and the acetic acid may cause a
sickness of the alimentary canal that will lead to dysen-
tery. If the bees can have an occasional cleansing
flight, they may recover in both cases, but long confine-
ment, or very low temperature, and the consequent
increased consumption of unsuitable stores, may prove
fatal to the colony.
Some honey candies very easily, especially very thin
and watery honey of some spring flowers or rape. I
know such honey candies in the summer-time. Such
honey freshly gathered contains much cane sugar and
little reducible sugar. By-and-by this cane sugar will
be changed to reducible sugar, and thereby some water
is bound chemically, and this causes the candying in
warm weather. If the bees have no other honey for
winter food, they can't eat it except they have some
water to make a solution of the honey. They uncap the
honey and try to lick out every particle of the fluid from
the honey, while the hard sugar part will drop down on
the bottom board. The bees get very uneasy, and in a
short time they will show dysentery. A quart of water
given in a proper way would save the colony.
Other kinds of candied honey may be safe for winter
food, because the bees cluster on this honey and make it
liquid by animal heat. Good basswood and clover
honey is surely as good for winter food as sugar. So
we see unhealthy honey is easily to be determined
without any analysis.
Pollen of itself will not cause dysentery. The bees do
October 18, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
511
not eat pollen before they commence to breed, after this
they need pollen and get uneasy if they have none. So
the absence of pollen can cause dysentery, not vice
versa. I think winter losses are caused 99 cases out of
100 by starvation. The next cause is dysentery, and
this is again caused by — 1, Bad honey ; or, 2, too cool a
winter quarter; 3, too wet and mouldy hives and combs;
4, want of water ; 5, too early breeding ; and 6, too
high a temperature, by which the bees get uneasy. All
this will do no harm, if the bees can have a cleansing
flight, but will be fatal if the bees are confined very
long. This, briefly, is my opinion on the question. —
L. Stachelhausen (American B. Journal).
A VISIT TO THE ROYAL BERKS APIARIES,
WORLD'S END, NEWBURY.
[1848.] Not having seen Mr. Woodley since the show
at the Colonial two or three years ago, I wrote to him in-
forming him I should be pleased to pay him a visit some
time this autumn. I received a reply saying that he
should be very glad to see me, but that he hud no honey
to show me. Accordingly I dropped him a line to Bay
that I would be at his place on Monday the 24th of
September. We had had nearly a fortnights tine weather
previously. I started about 7 a.m., and had scarcely
got half way to Leamington before it began to rain, and
it did come down most of the time I was in the train.
However, it cleared off just before I arrived at Hamp-
stead Norris Station, and found friend Woodleywaiting
there for me. After mutual congratulations we got
outside the station, when to my surprise I found he
had a trap there. He told me he was going round to
Hermitage to fetch some stocks of bees in skeps, and
this enabled him to meet me, thereby killing twobirds
with one stone.
We accordingly went. I noticed that the tees were
the old-fashioned English bees, and as the season up
there had been nearly as bad as we have had it, the
stocks were very light, and would require a deal of
feeding. On our way to WorkTs End we came up
with a young man, who I afterwards found was some-
what of a dealer in bees. He expressed rather strong-
opinions against bee-keepers' associations, saying that
he, and others had told him the same, did not reap
any benefit by them for the half-crown subscribed ; he
rather seemed to think it was through them that the
price of honey was lowered so much last year. He did
not seem to realise that so many more people had become
bee-keepers, and by this means so much more honey had
been obtained. After a little discussion, we proceedi-d
on our way up a road that, Mr. Woodley said, was an
old Roman road, leading one way to Winchester. The
mile or two that we went up it was very sandy, and I
could not help remarking that if the Romans had had
cannon in their day they would have made it a better
and more solid road. Presently we emerged on to a
good road, and not very far up it was Mr. Woodley 's
cottage, and a little on one side, on a nice little lawn,
stood three stocks of bees in bar-fi-tnne hives, which Mr.
Woodley said were his trade-mark ; while from the road,
as we went up in the trap, could be seen many of his
stocks of bees further back in the garden.
When we arrived, I was introduced to Mrs. Woodley
and their daughter : they have a son who is away from
home now, and was shown a little hive that he had
made, and kept humble bees in when he was at home.
I was ushered into a nice cosy room, and having dined,
we went out into the garden taking a look all round the
apiary, and discussing many points of bee management.
The afternoon was very dull, but I noticed a great
many bees on the sunflowers and borage, which were
flowering about the garden in great profusion. On taking
a glance round, the preponderance of the Combination
hive is quite marked, though comb honey is Mi-. W.'s
forte. I asked Mr. W. how many stocks he had got,
and this is something like it : — Fifty-six in Combination
hives, four in makeshift hives (all these have frames
parallel to the entrance), also twelve stocks in Woodbury
chaff hives, part with frames parallel to entrance, and
part at right angles to entrance, also six colonies in
twin hives, frames at right angles, also twenty colonies
in straw skeps.
Mr. W. said he had taken especial notice of something
like forty stocks in skeps this season, outside his own
apiary, and had found combs built at every conceivable
angle to the entrance, proving, to his satisfaction, that
bees are not guided by any rule in the matter, and that
they are guided by convenience of attachments of comb
to domicile to which they build ; and as far as he was
able to judge by his eye, the stools were level on which
the stocks stood.
Speaking of brace combs, and the means of preventing
their attachment to the bottom of the sections, we
should like something (more particularly myself) that
would not hinder the bees, like, as we think, the ex-
cluder-zinc does; however, I have got one of the Raynor
honey-boards, and hope to be able to test it another
season. As regards honey, Mr. W. had a better honey-
flow the early part of the season than I had in my
locality, some of his stocks not requiring to be fed
very much.
After looking all around we went into the house, and
Mrs. W. showed me her plan of glazing sections, which
I consider very expeditious. We then went up into the
room where the crates of sections, extractor, foundation,
wax, &c, are stored. Mrs. W. said that it took her four
days scraping propolis off the sections and crates, and
rearranging them, remarking to me that they will be
first-rate to put on hives another season.
On going downstairs again Mr. W. showed me his
silver and bronze medals and certificates, of which he has
a large and varied number, and last, but not least, a
beautiful silver cup, out of which I had some mead or
metheglin, which was first-rate. Then, looking at the
time, we found that the afternoon had slipped away so
fast there was only just time to get tea and be off. So,
having wished Mrs. Woodley good-bye, there was an
hour's walk to the station, to which Mr. Woodley ac-
companied me. We had many matters to discuss by the
way, and got to the station just in time ; and having bid
Mr. W. good-bye, off I went at 6.33 p.m., and got to
Leamington about 9.30 p.m., and had a five-mile walk
home in the rain (which had commenced again), arriving
about 11 p.m., rather tired, but much gratified by my
day's outing. — John Walton, Honey Cott, Weston,
Leamington.
A JOURNEY FROM THE MOORS.
[1849.] Having decided to fetch our bees from the
heather on Saturday, September 29th, we made arrange-
ments accordingly, and having engaged a pony and
borrowed a rully, we took the pony to fetch the latter,
and found that some one had been before us and borrowed
it on French leave, so we had to go and hunt it up : and,
having found it, we commenced our journey after a
delay of three quarters of an hour, reaching the moors at
half-past four. We commenced at once to pack our bees,
tying tape round the frames and placing pieces of wood
between the frame ends, wedging all up tight to prevent
the frames rocking, as we had to go over four miles of
rough road and finish with three miles of good. The
frames we covered with perforated zinc tacked to a
frame to allow a space over the top bars, and screwed
down to the hive sides. Darkness came upon us before
we had finished, and, to make matters worse, rain began
to fall pretty fast ; however, as we had got zinc on all
the hives, the bees were none the worse for the rain.
We loaded the rully, placing the hives upon a good layer
of ling, covering them with the hive-covers, so they had
512
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 18, 1888.
plenty of ventilation, and were kept dry at the same
time; the section crates (alas! almost empty) we placed
in the outer cases covered with old bags. We finished
loading about 7.45, and the night was so dark that we
could not see our hand before us, to use a nautical
phrase ; and the rain came down rather too fast to be
pleasant, which made the roads in a fearful state. We
had not provided ourselves with a lantern, so were com-
pelled to proceed very cautiously, my friend, Mr. C r,
walking a few paces in front of the horse so that he
could inform us when we came to a turn in the road,
myself walking beside the rully, whilst Charlie W s
(also a bee-keeper) led the pony ; and it took us all our
time to keep the road. Twice were we brought to a full
stop through Mr. C. shouting — ' Stop ! or we shall be in a
a dyke ! ' Charlie and the driver did not require to be
told twice, I can assure you. We then went and had to
feel for the road with our feet and umbrellas, as it
turned suddenly to the right, on the left of which ran a
dyke ; but by careful navigation, and a good look-out,
we reached the turnpike road without any mishap, and
having now a good road it was more easy travelling.
We reached our destination, unloaded the dray, set hives
in position, took zinc from entrances, covered up warm,
and left our bees to go and look after ourselves, as we
were wet through, and thoroughly tired with our weary
tramp.
We examined them on the following Monday, and
were pleased to find no combs broken. The bees had
stored very little in the sections, but the stock combs
were solid slabs of honey, except one or two in the
centre, which were three parts filled, so they will
require no feeding, and will give us a little surplus ; but
what a pity that we have to destroy the combs to get it !
—A. Woodhead, Ooole.
KUSSIA.
Wintering Bees.
Being sure of the interest you will take in whatever
relates to wintering bees on their summer stands with
us in the north, during an exceptionally cold time, I am
prompted to give you particulars.
The hive for your colonies which you described in
your British Bee Journal (page 535, vol. xiv., 1886) re-
mained in its place in the garden the whole winter, and
this gave me the opportunity of observing the effect of
wintering out of a cellar during great cold ; also the
effect of the entrances upon the well-being of the
colonies and the difference in the spring between the
hives which were wintered in a good cellar and my
quadruple hive which bore the brunt of all the four
winds. The results have surpassed my greatest ex-
pectations. My large hive, furnished with dry leaves
above the woollen quilts and at the sides, and protected
under the floor-board with straw, has not only withstood
the severe and prolonged cold of last winter, but it has
also surpassed the other fifty hives (both Berlepsch and
horizontal twin hives) which remained in the cellar in
vigour and activity. During this very late summer the
bees of this hive gave the first swarm on the 9-21 June,
whereas the others did not commence swarming for
twelve days later. The first swarm came from the
colony whose entrance faced the north. One of our old
bee-keepers (Witzwitsky) was right in favouring this
direction for the entrances of hives. I am not sure that
my hive could have consumed less honey if it had been
put in the cellar, but I find in the autumn that it con-
tained no less honey than the others. — A. de
ZoubAREFF, St. Petersburg, Sept. 19, 1888.
MeNally, has also to be removed. Mr. John D.
McNally, who has now become sole partner in the con-
| cern, has resolved, and we think wisely too, to clear out
entirely from Rutherglen, and is at present negotiating
for a site in the vicinity of Bishopbriggs or Lenzie,
where the locality abounds with everything favourable
to make bee-keeping a success, and being within sight of
the Campsie Hills, we should expect to see fine specimens
of honey from that locality in a good season. We wish
our friend good luck and success in the new adventure,
and shall be pleased to have a report from him at a
future date.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
W. Lovkday. — The hon. secretary of the Essex B.K. A.
is Mr. F. H. Meggy, High Street, Chelmsford.
A. Tukkington. — The sample of sugar forwarded will
be found suitable for making syrup,
J. B. Blundell. — Foul brood.
T. Nixon.— 1. ' Lift' for Winter.— Close hive entrance
and let entrance be through lift. 2. Strength of Stock. —
Fairly so. 3. Mice. — Try heavily peppering the
coverings. 4. Quilts. — Sugar-bags will do if cut to
size, but we prefer cushions. 5. Enamel Quilts. — We
know of nothing as cheap that answers the same pur-
pose so well as American oil-cloth. C. Spare Queens. —
The bee-world generally would be glad to know of a
satisfactory way of preserving these.
A. W. — Ileathei- Honey. — Sample forwarded is a fair
specimen of English heather honey. It is on the point
of granulating. If the bottle is left open the bubbles
will rise to the surface, and will in time form a white
crust. The air-bubbles may be prevented by placing
the bottle in warm water, or by frequently stirring the
honey, but it is questionable whether this latter mode
would be desirable.
business directory.
Change op Apiary.— Owing to the removal of Mr. E.
McNally across the Border to join the ranks of our English
friends, and also the removal of Mr. Ferguson's nursery to
another district, the apiary situated in the nurseries known
as ' Berelands,' the joint property of Messrs. E. and J. D.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Eoad, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neota.
Godhan, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hdtchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Caruiola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Siumins' Bee Company, Limtd.,Eottingdean, near Brighton.
==g^
British
Communicationt to the Editor to be addressed ' Stranoewayb' Pbintino Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 331. Vol. XVI.]
OCTOBER 25, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(flfoitorial, Itflitres, #r.
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The Finance and Exhibition Sub-Couiuiittee met at
2 p.m. at 17 King William Street, Strand, oil Thursday,
18th inst. There were present Hon. and Rev. II. Bligh,
in the chair. Rev. Dr. Bartrum, Rev. R. Erriugtou, J. M.
Hooker, Captain Bush, Rev. J. L. Seager, and the Secre-
tary. The Exhibitions Committee fully considered the
Prize List for the Bee Department of the Royal Agricul-
tural Show to be held at Windsor next year. Several new
classes were added, and considerable improvements made
throughout the entire schedule.
The General Committee subsequently met at 10o
Jermyn Street at 4 o'clock, the Hon. and Rev. II. Bligh
in the chair. There were also present the Rev. Dr.
Bartrum, Rev. J. L. Seager, Captain Bush, and the
Secretary. Communications were read from the Rev.
F. S. Sclatev, Captain Campbell, Rev. George Raynor,
H. Jonas, and the Rev. R. Errington (the last having
to return immediately after the Sub-Committee meeting),
regretting their inability to be present.
The Finance Committee's Report having been con-
sidered, the accounts as entered were ordered to be paid.
A letter was read from Mr. Walter Martin requesting
that, in the event of the Lincolnshire Agricultural
Society continuing the Bee Department of their annual
exhibition, the B.B.K.A. should give some support
towards the undertaking. The Secretary was instructed
to inform Mr. Martin that the Committee would give
general support to the proposal.
The Prize List for the R. A. Show at Windsor was
considered, and after some discussion approved and
passed. It was resolved that the sum of 501. be awarded
in prize money. Dr. Bartrum called attention to the
fact that the financial position of the Association hardly
justified so large a sum ; but inasmuch as the event of the
next year's exhibition being an exceptional one, and par-
taking somewhat of a metropolitan character, he con-
sidered that the Association should act liberally, and
that an appeal should lie made to bee-keepers generally
for support in the undertaking.
It was resolved that steps be taken for the publication
of a leaflet on the treatment of foul brood.
Quarterly Mketing of County Representatives.
The Hon. and Rev. 11. Bligh in the Chair, the follow-
ing Representatives being present : Mr. \Y. Lees McClure
and Mrs. Currey, Lancashire and Cheshire; Mr. W. B.
Webster and Mr. A. Woodley, Berks; Mr. Crimshaw,
Yorkshire; Mr. H. Cudd and Mr. Jesse Garratt, Kent ;
Mr. Taylor, Surrey. The Minutes of the last quarterly
Conference were read and confirmed.
Mr. McClure reported that the Representatives had
held their usual preliminary Meeting.
1. The Representatives wished to express their regret
at the absence of the Rev. W. E. Burkitt ("Wiltshire),
through illness, and to express their hopes that he will
speedily recover.
■J. The Repres ntatives expressed their disappointment
iu not having a corrected proof of the amended regula-
tions for third-class examinations submitted for their
consideration.
The Secretary pointed out that the proofs were in the
hands of Mr. Raynor, who had been ill and unable to
complete it. Resolved that a proof copy be sent to each
Secretary, to be returned within one month.
Mr. McClure further reported that in reference to the
proposal made at the last Meeting of the Committee of
the B.B.K.A. for receiving Associations (other thau
Counties) into affiliation, the Representatives had con-
sidered the matter, and had drawn up various suggestions
in regard to amendment of the conditions and privileges
of affiliation. After some discussion it was resolved
that the consideration of these suggestions be postponed.
The prize list for the Bee Department of the Royal
Agricultural Show at Windsor was read, the Repre-
sentatives expressing their unanimous approval of the
amendments introduced.
Oil the motion of the Rev. J. L. Seager, seconded by
Captain Bush, it was resolved, ' That the British Bee-
keepers' Association do apply to the Royal Agricultural
Society to allow the Berkshire Association to give a sum,
not less than 10/., towards the schedule of prizes, two-
thirds to be offered in prizes for honey produced in
Berkshire.'
On the motion of Mr. McClure, it was resolved that
the next Quarterly Meeting be held on the same date as.
the Annual General Meeting of the B.B.K.A..
The last Quarterly Conversazione of the present year
was held at the offices of II. S. 1'. C. A., 105 Jermyu
Street, St. James's, on Thursday, October 18th, at 6 p.m.,
when among the large audience present were the Hon.
and Rev. Henry Bligh, Mr. Hooker, the Rev. J. L.
Seager, Captain Bush, Mr. Grimsbaw, Mr. Webster,
Mr. and Mrs. Garratt, Mrs. Currey, Mr. Neighbour, Mr.
Met 'lure. Mr. Henderson, Mr. Graham, Mr. Cooper, Mr.
Bailer, and other ladies and gentlemen.
Mr. Grimsbaw. having been voted to the Chair, opened
the proceedings by calling on the Rev. Mr. Seager to
favour the meeting with his opinion on the subject of
County and District Associations, and certain proposals
in reference thereto, which the latter gentleman had
undertaken to submit for consideration that evening.
Mr. Seager's address was delivered viva rocc, and we
had prepared a report of it, but in a communication
wc have received he suggests that, in order that the
subject should be fully brought before our readers, he
should himself write out his paper at length, and he
considers it is desirable that we should ' hold it over ' till
the following week. As the matter treated is one of
great interest and importance, and indicates a new
514
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[October 25, 1888.
departure iu the conduct of associations and districts,
we readily accede to Mr. Seager's suggestion, and post-
pone the paper to our next issue.
The Chairman, Mr. Grimshaw, had purposed to read a
paper on the Sting of the Bee on the same evening, but, in
consequence of the length of time occupied in the dis-
cussion of Mr. Seager's paper, it was found impossible
to do so. Mr. Grimshaw has kindly placed his paper
at our disposal, and we have much pleasure in subjoin-
ing it : —
The Sting and its Poison.
Some three years ago I had the pleasure of reading
you a paper on the ' Identity of the Bee's Sting with the
Ovipositor of other Insects;' and at this time, without
desiring to refer at too great length to the opinions I
then expressed, I may recall to your minds that I con-
sidered the sting of the worker-bee a modified or aborted
ovipositor, utilised by the insect as an offensive and
defensive weapon (the only one at its command), exactly
in the same way as other insects have been known to use
their ovipositors, depositing iu the wound a quantity of
corrosive poisonous fluid, similar in its toxical properties
to that pumped under the skin by the bee.
"When we expect the perfect use of the different parts
of any animal, we presuppose that we have a perfect one
to deal with; and as we know the worker-bee to be an
imperfect example (inasmuch as its reproductive organs
are aborted and undeveloped), is it an unfair assumption
that the anatomical structure of the sting, being so iden-
tical, mechanically, with the ovipositing organs of other
insects, its use_ of this organ as a sting is, on the face of
it, faulty and imperfect, especially when we observe the
astounding fact that such a use' of it ends in death,
tearing from its fixing and base, in a rude repulsive way,
part of the abdomen and its contents? This always
seem3 to us a cruel and somewhat unnatural arrange-
ment. Depend upon it that when we find an untimely
death resulting from the exercise of such a natural
impulse as self-defence, there is outrage on, or inter-
ference witli, Nature's laws ; and an inquiry into such an
abnormal state of things may assist us in finding the
true uses of the parts under consideration. If the
ostrich by using its two claws, the deer its antlers, the
bull its horns, lost their lives as a necessary sequel of a
defensive effort by a coarse rending away of these very
weapons, we might, I think, very properly come to the
conclusion that they were intended originally for some
other use; in the case of the reindeer, for instance, the
horns are modified in form to plough up the snow in a
food search, or to clear a way for the herd through the
bush, as in the ease of many other deer.
I know you may quote against my assumption the
fatal effect on the drone of a somewhat similar rending of
its structure, but the analogy scarcely holds good, for
with him we are dealing with an admittedly perfect
insect perishing after having successfully played its part
in the world, illustrated many times in both vegetable
and animal kingdoms, whereas with the worker we are
dealing with an imperfect one — imperfect because of its
inability to take part in reproducing its kind, however
well it may indirectly aid others in so doing, just as the
worker is a necessary help in reproduction, by nectar
and pollen-gathering, brood-rearing, cell-building, and so
on, yet after all she is only an adjunct.
We find the queen humble-bee performing all these
labours herself until she has a family of workers round
her as deputies, still they are only reliefs, lady-helps.
We must, I think, consider the sting of the queen,
with its curved form and barbs differing so much from
those on the worker's sting as a true ovipositor, the per-
fect instrument in the perfect bee, exactly corresponding
(as it does) to the saw-like ovipositor of other nymen-
optera; we must put it in opposition to the imperfect
instrument either faultily used by the worker for another
purpose than that originally intended, or in process of
adaptation or modification. We find the ovipositor of
the queen curved towards the under part of the abdomen,
the barbs fewer in number, and not so sharp and formi-
dable as those on the worker's sting; the ovipositor (or
sting) may thus be withdrawn when used in queen-
fights. Here, again, is another bit of evidence against
considering the instrument as a sting: — The queen not
using it when attacked by workers or any enemies such
as ourselves when we handle or even injure her.
One cannot think, then, of the queen and worker
being provided with such a complex and beautiful piece
of mechanism, attached to which are the highly sensitive
palpi; the toothed sheath, the marvellous rods and
slides, the barbs and poison apertures, the poison-bag,
with its valves and admirable pumping arrangement, the
oil-glands providing a lubricant which prevents the
poison from clogging the darts, and (mark 'this) thus
enabling them to be brought into use again and again at
the need of the insect, the delicate poison-glands
secreting the wonderful preparation from the blood and
storing it in such an intricate reservoir, — I say we cannot
think of all this work remaining dormant and useless in
the queen, excepting on the occasion of a few fights
spread over a few years, or in the case of the worker
existing only as a standing menace of death if brought
into play, especially when we remember that for every
one bee using its sting as a sting iu its wild or natural
state, very many thousands die without ever so using it.
It is not, I hope, blasphemy to say the Creator does not
waste His work in any such way.
We must look around for as regular a use of this
whole apparatus, as we find when we regard the tongue
or the pollen-clearing and collecting contrivances. We
cannot attend the queen iu her movements on the cell-
base during egg-laying, but we may clumsily try to
imitate her. In this effort I take a piece of foundation;
and make a scratch with a needle. I next apply strong
sulphuric acid, the same diluted, and poison from a
bee's sting, to different parts of it, and I find the joint
action of the wax and acid produce a stickiness of the
surface, to which my little bits of white thread (re-
sembling bees' eggs) adhere,and remain fixed by their ends
quite as firmly as if placed there by the queen herself,
though the implement of the queeu is much in advance
of mine, inasmuch as she can apply the corrosive fluid at
the time of making the scratch by slightly bending the
abdomen forward, or with her curved ovipositor she can
use the side barbs as the saw-fly uses its saws, depositing
in the groove her poison just as the saw-fly does. This
discovery filled me with delight, for I could by analogy
now see the use for what had hitherto seemed almost
useless organs in the mother bee. I could also dispense
with the generally received notion that the egg is pro-
vided with an adhesive secretion on its extrusion (but
by what glands secreted we are not told). The necessity
for the extremely sensitive palpi of the sting, so as to
enable the bee to feel about on the ridges formed by the
lozenges of the cell-base for a suitable spot on which the
egg may be placed, thus becomes evident. Let the
queen use her sting and poison in a contest with an
opponent if you like, but we can no more call that its
true office than we can say the true use of the hind-legs
of a horse is as a means of attack and defence. Well,
as the horse uses its heels, the worker-bee uses its sting,
its old ovipositor, for which it has no use other than
those it can adopt it to. My idea that the sting is used
by the queen as a groove-former, and the poison spread
on wax as an adhesive compound, to which the egg is
attached on being laid, is somewhat borne out by the
experiment of Mr. C. N. Abbott. This well-known
practically scientific bee-keeper found that when he gave
wooden-based foundation, the queen refused to lay in
cells.
If we now experiment with bee-poison, we find we
can use it as a capital varnish and mixing medium, a
October 25, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
515
varnish at once antiseptic and complete, so that the
cell may not after all be polished and varnished with
the orthodox mixture of propolis any more than we
ourselves need polish timber, fetching and carrying the
materials, when we have a varnish ready made. The
worker's sting, then, may be a tool used for macerating
wax by the aid of the secretions upon it, a moistening
gum-like secretion being all the while pumped out
through the openings in the rear of the barbs by each
muscular movement of the darts, the palpi of the
sting being used as a bru.-h or spreader of the acid
secretion — our bees, perhaps, diligently working when
we have been crediting them with the idleness of wax-
secretion.
Dr. A. Von Planta (B. B. Journal, p. 410) throws some
light on the value of bee-poison as a preventive of fer-
mentation when mixed with honey ; on this subject I
have nothing to add to my remarks made in a recent
paper on the medicinal properties of honey. It is
generally understood that the active principle of the
bees' sting is formic acid, and that a hypodromic injection
of this acid is poisonous to the bee and other animals ;
this is not the case, the result of this act is only a local
irritation and inHammation. Now formic acid corre-
sponds to methylic alcohol, just as acetic acid corresponds
to ethylic alcohol (wood spirit or spirits -of wine) ; these
are the two simplest acids, and are most nearly related.
Acetic acid(dil) is prescribed as a subcutaneous injection
for cancer, so there cannot, after all, be much danger
from formic alone ; indeed I have experimented on my-
self with it and find little harm in it. This acid alone
produces upon wax, on the skin, or in the blood — (1)
effects quite different from those made by bee-poison ;
(2), it is very volatile, giving off an odour much re-
sembling that from acetic acid, not leaving a crystallised
or gummy residue as does bee-poison ; (3), its colour is
different; (4), it is not poisonous; (5), it does not mix
with, soften, or varnish wax, as is the case with bee-
poison. Now, although tho bee requires formic acid it
does not gather either it or the oxalic acid from which
it may be derived, it is a secretion of its body from
(in all probability) some other more complex acid which
it may gather (I refer to uric acid, from the very mention
of which some hypersensitive natures seem to recoil).
From this acid oxidising agents may give the bee com-
pounds containing oxalic (or, oxalic may be secreted
from nectar, honey, or other carbon compounds acted
upon by nitrogenous substances), l'or the matter of
that, the decomposition of the liquids said to be much
sought after by bees will give them their formic acid : I
prefer, however, to lean to the pleasanter formula : — the
oxidation of hydro-carbons into the simplest of the fatty
acids, say, for instance, a hydro-carbon CH4 is oxidised
into C H4 O, again into C IL 0, and, finally, into
OIL 02, the formula of formic acid (at least this is a
process of the laboratory), bow much more simple or in-
tricate in the alembic of the bee we may never know —
the conversion of floral perfume into what we find it —
we know this, however, it is secreted copiously and used
plentifully in various ways, least of all as a venom or
poison. 1 have come to the conclusion that the truly
toxical (or poisonous) principle of the bee-sting is an
animal alkaloid, a virulent poison secreted in its body
from the volatile and essential oils found in nectar,* that
this alkaloid is collected by glands and stored in the
poison -sac mixed with a gummy, non-saccharine sub-
* It has recently been proved that alkaloids are the pro-
ducts of organic decomposition, that they can be artificially
induced by the decomposition of vegetable matter, that
alkaloids of the most toxic kinds exist even in the human
economy during life, existing in the kidneys, viscera,
muscles, and brain matter, in the sweat, blood, and saliva,
an interesting study may then be made of diseased con-
ditions of the body ending fatally from a bees' sting. — Life
Lore, p. GO.
stance, and heavily diluted with formic acid. What is
this gummy substance, this residue left by a dried-up
drop of poison ? TakiDg the temperature of the bees'
body at something near our own ('J0° being required in
the hive for wax-secretion) I find Canada balsam and
formic acid soon give us a suitable gum ; fir-wool oil,
terebine, and preparations of turpentine do this also, but
in my experiments with formic acid and sugars I fail
altogether. Now, if the bees gather turpentine (a
resinous substance exuding from trees of the pine tribe,
which we call propolis), oxidation of a small quantity of
this taken into its system converts it into various acids,
or, having undergone a slight change, it may be stored
in the poison-bag for use in wax softening; thus giving
our bee its furniture-polish, varnish-pot, and gum-pot, in
one. We are often told about bees mixing propolis and
wax together, doing this, that, and the other, but we are
not told wdiether the tools are at the tail or the head of
the insect ; neither have we been informed where the
flux or mixing medicine is found. I think we know
now. Triturating wax with formic acid produces no
perceptible result so far as softening it is concerned, but,
on the other hand, treating wax with an alkaline gives
us a soft, plastic mass, which, in turn, by the addition of
a little acid becomes a similar froth-like substance, such
as we find in the bees' first process of preparing wax-
scales for cell-building.
While agreeing with Mr. Cheshire that the offices of
Nos. 2 and 4 glands are of a digestive nature, secreting
brood-food from honey and pollen, I am inclined to the
belief that the system No. 1 (or No. 3) gives an alkaline
salivary secretion, converting cane into grape sugar, and
dissoh ing gluten, oil, &c, while starch-granules may be
converted into dextrine by dilute acids secreted by the
glands of the other system — ferments and yeast.
I may, however, remark, transform cane sugar into
dextrose (glucose or grape sugar), and into levulose or
fruit sugar; such a ferment is Myeoderma aceti. Pollen,
the nitrogenous flesh-former of bees, requires a different
digestive secretion than that necessary to convert nectar
into grape sugar, but until it be changed it cannot, of
course, be assimilated by the bee. If we ourselves have
two distinct digestive secretions — tho alkaline of the
mouth and the gastric of the stomach — we are not going
beyond the bounds of reason in ascribing a similar
arrangement to the bee's salivary secreting organs, nor
in attributing to the sting, the barbs, the palpi, and the
poison other and truer uses than those usually attributed
to them in the grand scheme of economy, the great and
glorious Harmony of Nature.
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather. — During the first ten days of the present
month we read of 14 degrees of frost being registered
in Westmoreland. The mean of the lowest night temper-
ature for the same period was only 81"7 degrees, the lowest
of which there is any record. The centre of the anti-
ex clone (the cause of this unusual degree of cold) was
over Ireland, and the winds, in consequence, were
westerly in the northern districts, and easterly in the
southern, but light in force. This early winter is
another straw added to the already heavy burden which
bee-keepers have to bear, since it has effectually pre-
vented the bees carrying down and sealing over the
supplies of syrup, whether offered in rapid or slow
feeders. May it not be that last straw which breaks the
back ?
Sugae Cakes will now be the safest food for bees in
frame-hives. If well made they are readily taken by
the bees, and there is no danger of deliquescence, so that
the cake may be laid over the cluster of bees and be
covered by impervious, and woollen quilts. In cases
where sufficient store of syrup has not been laid up, in
consequence of late feeding and cold weather, we advise
516
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
the use of these cakes. If used on skeps it is well that
the feed-hole should he from 3 to 4 inches in diameter,
and the cake should be slightly raised above the hole
to allow passage for the bees, and must be well and
warmly covered up. We prefer the 2-lb. size, but others
consider the 1-lb. cakes more handy, especially for
skeps.
Sugar Candy used to be in the olden times a favourite
winter food, but we hear nothing of it now. We have
saved the life of many a ekep-colony by turning up the
skep and pushing in between the combs all around the
cluster of bees the sticks of sugar candy. It is a food
of which the bees are very fond.
Feed, feed, must still be our uarnest exhortation,
especially^ to the cottager whose bees must otherwise
perish. Feed with sugar cake or sugar candy.
A Comb-Filler, the invention of Mr. J. H. Howard,
is a most useful appliance, and, although we should
hesitate to describe it in the inventor's phrase as
' enabling the bee-master to dispense with every other
feeder, in apiaries large or small,' nevertheless in a
season of dearth like the present, it certainly enables
him to feed rapidly (at a great saving of time and wear
and tear of bees) almost any number of colonies. It
consists of a syrup-tight box, in which a frame of empty
comb is placed. The syrup is heated to 10 or 15 degrees
above the surrounding temperature, and the box is tilled
within an inch of the top-bar of the frame. The lid is
then placed on and secured, when some half-dozen jerky
up-and-down motions of the whole, till the comb with
0 or 4-lbs. of syrup. With wired frames, or combs
built on wired foundation, there is little danger of break-
age, but with combs unattached tu the bottom frame-
bar much care is required, particularly in using syrup
of the proper temperature, otherwise, when filfed, the
weight of the syrup is apt to break down the comb.
Perfect Rest should now— from the preseut time
until the middle of March (five long months)— be the
motto of the apiary. All winter preparations should
be speedily completed, and no disturbance of any kind
to bees or hives should be permitted. Safe wintering,
in a very large degree, depends upon strictly observing
this principle. The colonies which come out best at
spring are invariably those which have been spared
unseasonable— i.e., too late or too early— manipulations.
East Africa.— The territory of 'the British East
African Company (which lias obtained a Koval Charter),
as described by Mr. Johnston in an article in the current
number of the Fortnightly Review, is an El Dorado for
emigrants, and especially for bee-keepers :—' There is,'
we are told, 'a great Quantity of delicious honey
produced throughout the district. ' The wax is of very
good quality, but the natives have no use for it, and
merely throw it away. Cattle, sheep, and goats, are
most abundant; the latter, a small and plump variety
and great milk-givers. Most important in their influence
on the present and future of this territory are the niaiiv
continuous mountain-ranges, and the high cool plateaux,
which form such a large proportion of "the land's con-
figuration, and which afford districts of considerable
extent endowed with a temperate climate and a temperate
flora, well watered, richly wooded, sparsely inhabited,
and offering most suitable localities for the establishment
of European settlers. Nowhere in Africa is there such
diversified and remarkable scenery offered to one's gaze.
The climate is superior in its salubrity to many other
parts of the Continent, In the neighbourhood, and near
the east of Kihma-njaro, the greatest heat I registered
was 81 ; in the warmest part of the interior, 91° The
average night temperature in hilly districts is 00 '; in
the plains, 08J. Except on the loftiest mountains, and
on the Victoria Nyanza Lake, where it rains a few days
in every month, the seasons in Eastern Equatorial Africa
are regular in their divisions of wet and dry. From
June to the end of October there is almost no rain, and
[October 25, 1888.
from November to May there is an abundant rainfall
during certain months. On the lofty mountains the
climate, at an altitude between 4000 and 8000 feet, is
that of a Devonshire summer. Above that elevation
you may have it as cold as you like the higher you go.'
We believe Mr. Burdett-Coutts is one of the chief pro-
moters of the Company. To those thinking of emigrating
we recommend a perusal of this highly interesting
article.
Single Judging.— From a Report of the banquet
celebrated at the Freemasons' Tavern, previous to the
late Dairy Show, held, as usual, at the Agricultural
Hall, Islington, we quote the following: -'The Hon.
and Rev. A. Baillie Hamilton strongly supported the
opinions of previous speakers as to the desirability of
entrusting the awards in each class to one judge only,
instead of, as usual, to two or three.' And from a peru-
sal of the awards in each class, with the names of the
judges attached, we find that in all, except the Jersey
class, the one-judge system was followed and gave per-
fect satisfaction. The advantages of the system are
evident if the judges are capable and experienced.
When two or more judges are engaged in judging the
same class, the probabilities are that differences of
opinion will arise, especially if the competition is close
and severe. Then a compromise follows, necessarily,
contrary to the judgment of one or more judges. On the
next difference of opinion we fancy we hear a judge
exclaim, ' You had your way in the last case, it is my
turn now ! ' At our largest apiarian exhibition— that of
the late Royal Show at Nottingham— the entire work of
judging was assigned to three judges only, and occupied
them fully for two long days. Here there was ample
employment for six judges' at least. Had one judge
been appointed to each principal class — Collections,
Hives at 15a., Hives at 10s. 6d., Section. Racks, Useful
Inventions, and Feeders— we venture to think that the
result would have been more satisfactory to all con-
cerned, and certainly the responsibility would have
been undivided and individual. The judging of these
classes being completed, by mutual agreement) the
judges could have arranged for making the awards in
the remaining classes on the same one-judge system.
When an award in any particular case has been called in
question, and a judge has been asked his reason for
making it, often have we heard the reply, ' My collealeton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bdrtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Kdet A Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B. , Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baker, W. B., Muskham, Newark.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 Higli Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bkos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, .London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BAKER, W. B., Mnskhani, Newark.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BROWN, C, Bewdley, Worcestershire.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenlnce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RTJDKLN, F., Belton, Upptngham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail.
way Bookstalls.
W1THEMSHAW. A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
TIEUE
Britisli Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS.
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting our Home Industries, to become Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of tbe
Association's work.
Subscriptions, 5s. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £'•">.
Tbe Association carries out its work by —
Tbe holding of Annual Exhibitions ;
Assisting Count}' Associations;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture;
The disposal of Bee-produee, &c, &c, &c.
Secretary : John Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
ADVERTISEMENTS TO THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL. [Oct. 25, 1888.
Special prepaid ^Ldvertisements.
Exchange Column; — Sales of Honey and Second-hand
Goods. — Intended to aid Bee-keepers in the disposal of Bee-
produce and Appliances for which they have no further use.
Terms : Twelve words and under, Fourpence ; for every ad-
ditional Three words, One Penny extra.
Situations, Publications, Bee Plants, die. — Twenty words
and under, One Shilling; for every additional Three words,
One Penny.
No reduction made for continuous insertion.
Now Reapy.
t-jIMMINS* NEW BOOK.— 'A MODERN BEE-FARM,
O AND ITS ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT.' Popular
Edition, limp cloth cover, 3s. 9d. Special Edition, stiff
covers, 7s. 6*• bound up with that
county. He had already alluded to the imperfect rail-
way communication extending throughout different
counties which often rendered intercommunication next
to impracticable; and be would therefore say that it wm
highly desirable to draw up a system of Associations
quite independent of geographical boundaries, and he
recommended that a sub-committee should be appointed
for the purpose of doing so.
He hoped he had said enough to induce the members
present to throw out some suggestions. It seemed to
him that the chief reasons why these new Associations
should be formed were that the cause was not sufficiently
gaining ground, and that signs were not wanting of the
gradual decay of the branches as at present constituted.
That was a most important point. He felt sure they
would all recognise the necessity of the existence of the
B. B. K. A. The fact was that unless the B. B. K. A. was
supported more liberally by the outside world than it
had been hitherto its usefulness would to a great extent
be curtailed, and he believed that by extending the
number of Associations, in the way indicated, old interest
would be revived and new interest created, from which
the whole body would undoubtably reap some benefit.
As a matter of course, there would be an increase in the
number of affiliated Associations. In that way new life
would be given to the cause, and it might be the means
of bringing new blood to the parent Committee. That
would perhaps be an advantage. There was no necessity
that the new Committeemen should all be practical bee-
keepers. Practical apiculture was tolerably sure to be
well represented. What they wanted was shrewd busi-
ness men. He hoped all present would endeavour to
persuade their friends to become subscribers to the
B. B. K. A., so that it might be enabled to extend its in-
fluence more widely than at present was possible.
He believed the time would come when the work of
organization, especially in the matter of shows, would be
carried on almost entirely by the B.B.K.A. in connexion
with Agricultural and other societies. Local Associations
would exist in the future rather as Natural History
Societies, than as the promoters of public industry
throughout the country. He very strongly believed that
in a short time technical education in bee-keeping would
become general in the schools of agricultural districts,
but that this must be brought about by the efforts of
the Central Association, whose annual income must first
be augmented before any appreciable advance coidd be
made in the cause they advocated.
The Chairman expressed his thanks to Mr. Seager for
528
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 1, 1888.
the practical suggestions he had made, and begged the
meeting carefully to consider them.
The discussion which ensued will be given in our next
issue.
JOTTINGS BY AMATEUR EXPERT.
Mel sapit omnia.
Foreign Races or Bees. — Mr. John McNally
evidently thinks I condemn all foreign bees. That is
not so. There are good points about them all, and
there are bad. The stinging powers of some of them
are such that they become at times positively unbearable
to the average bee-keeper. I imagine, if I tried, I could
put up with the naughty ways of either Cyprians,
Syrians, or Holylanders, but they are not worth ' it.
They are too capricious and uncertain, aud the difference
between the amount of surplus they and the average
British bee will store, will not compensate one for the
extra pain and trouble it costs to work them. The
greatest recommendation for the Carniolans has been
their gentleness, and I feared their tempers would be
ruined by cross breeding, as all the other Eastern races,
as well as the Italians, have all been ' mongreled' by the
queen-breeders until it has become practically impossible
to get a pure-bred queen of either race. But I wish to
remark 1 did not blame Mr. Benton for doing it ; it was
he who ' fitted on the cap.'
Cahniolans again. — During the past two seasons I
have had access to a ' tinker's half gross ' — not dozen —
stocks of the ' banded ' Carniolans, and I will confess this
freely about them, they were all very amiable in temper.
I believe they are all a first cross with pure Italians, a
cross which does not seem to affect their tempers nor
their working qualities, and I must learn something more
about them than I have yet been told before I am shaken
in that opinion.
Late <^ueen Introduction.— The 13th and 15th of
this month found me introducing young Carniolan queens.
A batch of thirty imported queens arrived healthy and
alive, and not a ' banded ' queen or worker amongst the
lot. I introduced seven of them to as many of my own
stocks, removing the queens they contained to make place
for them, my own strain being a mixture of all the
races imported. I should not talk about queen intro-
duction thus late in the season if it was not too late for
others to copy my example, as many would fail, and
probably wish I ' were kicked to death with butterflies.'
How it was done. — I will tell you how I managed
it. I had the help of a sharp lad, which was a great
boon. I used some stages that I made of deal some five
years ago. They are very simple, and this is how they
are made. They are 1 in. thick, aud 4 in. square. In
the centre of these I bored a 2-in. hole ; one side of this
hole I covered with wire cloth or perforated zinc. Into
the recess thus formed I placed a foreign queen and
about a dozen of her attendants, and a small piece of
' Good' candy, and covered all with a pipe-covered cage,
which just fitted down into the recess. I let them
remain in-doors in the warm, aud fetched them one by
one as required. We next proceeded to find a queen
and removed her from her colony of bees, dropped a
small lump of camphor into the hive, and closed all up
again, leaving open the feed-hole in the top of the
quilts. Over the open feed-ho'e I placed my stage con-
taining the foreign queen, so that the bees in the hive
were able to communicate with her through the wire
cloth or perforated zinc. I then covered up the stage
warmly, aud left them thus until the next evening. By
this time the whole colony were impregnated with the
odour of camphor, and the fumes had ascended and
perfumed the stage and foreign queen as well.
I liberated the queen thus. Remove the stage, bluv?
a puff of smoke into the feed-hole to drive down the
bees ; remove the pipe-coyer cage, being careful the
queen is not in it, but'on the bottom of the stage. I
then carefully turn the stage upside down oyer the feed-
hole, and the queen and attendant bees are at liberty to
go down when they please. I cover up the stage again
till next eve, when I find it empty and remove it, and
cover all up snug-. I reserved three of the best queens
that I removed — they were all this year's — in case of
failure, so that I had them to fall back upon ; but they
were not required, as all were accepted freely. Some of
the hives had eggs aud brood, but none of them attempted
to build queen-cells. Don't try to do likewise ; it is too
late !
Giant Globe Thistle Seed. — So many have accepted
my offer that this has been one of the liveliest of my bee-
keeping experiences, — reading the letters, packing np
the seeds, aud starting them off. Most wish to know
how to sow them. One went so far as to hint that I
was remiss in my duty b}- not giving a full description as
to culture ; while another wanted a ' few seeds of a strain
of bees that will gather honey when it rains.' Several
asked 'if they are weeds;' a 'cousin Jacker' remarking
he had an abundance of ' dissels' already. Others, again,
sent a stamp but not an addressed envelope ; while yet
others sent their communication to Mr. Iluckle, and not
' the Editor.' Now I will try to satisfy you all.
I have seen Carniolans at work on Canadian balsams
on a chilly evening in September long after sundown. I
have also seen Cyprians at work in a cold drizzling rain,
when all other bees have been at home. The fault this
season has been there was no hmey to gather. My bees
have worked hard enough, but got very little for it.
No ! Mr. Cornishman, they are not weeds like ' dissels'
(Cornish for Echinops) ; when the seeds are ripe the
globular heads will fall to pieces and the seeds fall to
the ground, and many of them will spring up next year,
but they will not fly about so as to taint the surrounding
country like the common thistle.
How to Grow them. — They ore perfectly hardy; they
will not bloom till the second year, consequently seeds
sown next March or April will bloom in 1890. I dig
and prepare a piece of ground the usual way as for seeds.
I then take a small iron dibble and make holes in rows
six inches apart; into these holes I drop a seed and rake
all smooth, when I have done. When the young plants
are large enough to handle I set them out where I intend
them to bloom, at least half-a-yard apart. Do not let
them get too large before setting out, as they soon root
very deeply, and I choose a rainy day for the job, or
water well and shade them, as they very soon wither and
take some time to recover it.
If any more wish for seeds send on your envelopes ;
there is enough for all !
The ' Royal' at Windsor. Judges. — So our Com-
mittee have responded to the call made upon them, and
introduced ' amendments,' and are going to spend more
money into the bargain. ' Useful Hints ' has caught the
spirit of the thing, and hopes the show will be a ' decided
advance ' on all former attempts. We only require one
thing, and that is, a vigorous and united effort, and the
thing is bound to be a success, especially if it please a
bountiful and wise Providence to send us a good flow of
honey. ' Useful Hints ' also sees we require more judges
and a different method of judging. I have got in awful
hot water for sticking to this contention, but the time has
come at last when the need for change is "admitted. But
I cannot see it is so great a calamity as he does, ' when a
less experienced judge at some provincial show (ah !)
reverses the awards of more experienced and capable
judges (Good! good!) made at more important shows.'
Does it follow as a sine qua non that all shows must
follow the lead of the Royal? If so, local shows need
not appoint judges for hives and appliances. The winner
at the Royal simply walks through all the provincial
shows, and other exhibitors had better stay away.
Bacillus.— So we are physicked to death to kill the
November 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
529
bacilli, and treat the bees on the same method. Once
more I wish to tell the readers of these 'Jottings' I never
bought or owned a pennyworth of salicylic, phenol,
thymol, creosote, or carbolic. Throw away the physic
and poison, and be cleanly and bid foul brood defiancy !
' X.' wants a taste of Scotch heather honey, I guess,
and that accounts for half the envy he has towards me
over the Scotch truce. He is evidently unaware that
honey gathered from horehound contains not only the
odour but a very strong flavour of horehound, so strong,
in fact, as to make horehound honey unfit for ordinary
purposes of food ; consequently, if there are any medi-
cinal virtues in horehound,horehound honey is not hum — ,
but a good medicine. Gwr-yn-erwyn-y-byd.
One little piece of good news and I must close. The
peculiar species of heather known as Erica car/am is only
found (in England) near the Lizard, in Cornwall, where
there are some hundreds of acres of it. A local paper
says a swarm hived early in August stored .'SO lbs. of
surplus honey from it. That shows the possibilities of
bee-keeping under favourable conditions. — Amateur
Expert, Oct. 25.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
On, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Words
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
See glue. n. (fr. L. gluten.) — Propolis ; a resin-
like substance obtained from buds and limbs of trees
and used to seal up every small crevice about the hive.
Bee glass, n. {Sax. ylaes, shining.) — A glass used
formerly as a super, bell-shaped, also flat-topped, and of
various shape and pattern.
Bee-guard, n. (Fr. garder, to keep.) — A perforated
metal contrivance placed at the entrance of the hive,
which allows workers to pass while preventing the
queen and drones.
Bee-gum, n. (Sa.v. goma.) — A term used in some
parts of the United States for bee-hive, because formerly
the hollow trunks of the black gum-trees were employed
for this purpose. In a general sense applied to a hive
made from a hollow log or tree ; that part of a hollow
tree which is, or has been, occupied by wild bees.
Bee-hawk. n. (Sa.v. hafoc.) — A bird called honey-
buzzard (Pentis aviporus) which preys on hvmenop-
terous insects; also a clear wing moth (Sesia fociformis)
resembling a wild bee. In America the dragon-fly is
also called bee-hawk.
Bee-herd. n. obs. (Sa.v. hyrd, holder or keeper.) —
Old name for one who took care of bees. (See Bee-
keeper.)
Bee-hive. n. (A.-Sa.v. hu/e, a bouse.) — Term
applied to the habitation of bees, made of wood, straw,
or other materials. In some countries even earthenwaie
cylinders are still in use.
Bee-hood. n. (M. E. hod.)— See Bee-cap.
Bee-house, n. (A.-Sa.v. hus.)—A. bouse for shel-
tering several colonies of bees, the hives being placed on
shelves; also used by German wiiters to signify a hive.
Bee-hunter, n. (Sa.v. huntian, to bunt.) — A per-
son who pursues wild bees with the object of finding
their nests and taking the honey and wax.
Bee-keeper, n. (Sa.v. cepan, to keep.) — See Apia-
rist, Apiculturist.
Bee-keeping-, vbh sb. — See Apiculture.
Bee-killers, n.pl — Flies belonging to the family
Asilidas, of which there are several in the Western and
South Western States of America that prey upon bees.
Jforctign.
ITALY.
At the Exhibition recently held at the Vatican, on the
occasion of the Jubilee of Leo XIII., Cav. L. Sartori, of
Milan, was awarded the large silver medal and diploma
for his exhibits of honey, wax, and plates illustrating
apiculture.
SWITZERLAND.
The Revue Internationale d' Apiculture states that, in
consequence of the want of honey in most parts of the
country, the committee of the ' Societo Komaude d'Api-
culture ' has decided unanimously to put off until next
year the inauguration of the honey market which they
had intended opening late this season.
GERMANY.
A race between bees and pigeons took place at
Hamme, Westphalia, a short time ago. The distance
'run' was a good mile. One afternoon, at 4 o'clock,
twelve bees and twelve pigeons were set free at Rhynern,
the competing bees having been rolled in flour before
starting. The bees won the race, the first of them, white
all over with flour, having arrived at the hive entrance
a quarter of a minute sooner than the first pigeon, whose
nest was situated close to the bee-stand. The rest of the
competitors arrived within another second a little while
afterwards.
Coraspcmbcncc.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken oj anonymous .coin-
munications, and correspondents are requested to wiite on one tide of
the paper only, and give their fall names and addresses, not noecssonhi
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
M drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
Ac, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c'o Messrs. Strangcways and Sons, Toiccr Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
,iv ., must 6c addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd pafle o/ jldugrtisements.)
*t* In order to facilitate reference. Correspondents, when speaking oj
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning tlie
number of the letter, as xcell as the page on ichich it appears.
CARNIOLANS.
Mr. Amateur Expert and ' Your Humble Servant ;
THE LATTER, AT LEAST, NOT AT ALL ' CUT Up.'
[1854.] Mr. 'Amateur Expert' says of himself; 'I
fear I know more (about Carniolans) than Mr. Benton
would care for me to tell.' Not at all, Mr. 'Amateur
Expert.' I am anxious to learn all I can about them.
Out with- it ! Tell us all you know about them, if you
can find time for so much, and an indulgent editor will
grant you so much space.
No, I do not claim that I have told all the truth yet
about certain queen-raisers or queen-dealers, but only
that what I have said is true. About some that Mr.
'Amateur Expert' quotes^and apparently upholds I could,
if I deemed it meet, tell some very homely truths which
would make some ears tingle, and Mr. 'A. E.' conclude
never to take up his pen in their defence. He evidently
does not know some of these as well as he ought ; does
not know how well, in more ways than one, they might
be compared to that very crooked thing called a boome-
rang, a weapon which, I have heard, will, when directed
by the hand of one not fully acquainted with it, fly back
and crack the skull of the sender instead of that of his
opponent.
But, dear Sir, do you mean to insinuate — to hint, even
remotely, that my name is to be included in that bl.ick
list (if list it be — something I must doubt) of those who
send out virgin queens as fertile ? Do you mean even to
530
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 1, 1888.
says that I send virgin queens at all ? If so, then out
with it in plain English — in hlaek and white, with not a
shadow of equivocation. It was, indeed, a right clever
thing you did when you sandwiched that rich paragraph
about virgin queens in between Benton and his Car-
niolans, and then hinted only that I was not meant as
one of the condemned ! 1 fancy lyou wrote this ' that
he who runs might read,' well knowing, too, how such
are likely to read. Please tell us in the next number of
the Journal just what and how much you mean. I have
sent queens to nearly every county — if not every one — in
England, and also to many parts of Scotland and Ireland,
and I believe their merits are such as will recommend
them. Most of the Oarniolans sent out by me are ac-
companied by workers, which are their own progeny,
and none are sent away until I have seen their brood.
But in the case of Italians sent from [here I cannot
always tell whether the workers sent with them are
their own progeny or not. They come to me in small
nucleus-boxes, and, in so far as it is possible, I use, in
mailing these queens, workers from the nucleus, which
came from Italy with that queen. I have received
altogether large numbers of queens from Italy, and from
Carniola, before I located here; and, [though I have
repeatedly received poor queens — old ones, crippled ones,
and runty specimens — still I do not think it was ever
my lot to receive an unfertile queen, and I have
carefully tested many of these purchased queens. It
was but a few days ago that from twenty-four queens
that arrived from Italy two were picked out that I
would, under no circumstances, accept, and were re-
turned, carriage -paid, to the sender. The remaining
twenty-two were separated into two lots, marked first-
grade and second-grade, the latter including some six or
seven out of the twenty-two. Yet all of these queens
were sent me as first-grade. It could only be in my
own interest for 'Amateur Expert' to name parties who
sell virgin queens as fertile.
But now, Mr. 'Amateur Expert,' 1 must denounce you
most severely as guilty either of malice aforethought or
of gross blundering; let me believe the latter, the more
easily pardonable. You say, " Mr. Benton says all
Carniolana are 'banded,'" (The italics are mine.) I
positively deny ever having said this, and I hereby
challenge you to show where you derive authority to
say I ever said it, or wrote it, or printed it. I did say
in the leaflet, Bees, No. 5, Jan. 20th, 188G : ' In all parts
of Carniola some queens are found which produce bees
having the first segment of the abdomen somewhat rusty
red in colour, and they are as often seen among the finest,
most prolific queens, as among those of any other grade.'
And again in a private letter to S. W. Morrison, M.D.,
of Pennsylvania, a prominent American breeder of
Oarniolans, from whom I have annual!}-, for four or five
years past, received orders for breeding queens, I wrote
last July as follows : ' Two intelligent bee-keepers from
the northern part of Carniola, who were at my residence
to-day, stated in answer to my inquiries that an occasional
tendency toward orange or rusty-red bands was always
the case with all Carniolans.' An extract from this
letter appeared in the American Bee Journal, August
8th, 1888, and was copied, I believe, by the British Bee
Journal. Likely it is on this that 'A. E.' bases his state-
ment. But surely to say, ' an occasional tendency toward
orange or rusty-red bands ' is by no means to affirm that
' all Carniolans are banded,' as ' A. E.' would have it
appear. Again in this same letter I said ; ' There is in
the race (Camiolan ) a tinge of yellow blood that crops
out every now and then, do the best one rnay.' What
better proof do I need to bring forward to show the
absurdity of one's attributing to me the statement that
' all Carniolans are banded with yellow or orange ? '
But let me cite still another sentence from my letter to
Dr. Morrison. It is as follows : ' I breed only from such
queens as produce yrey workers, such as show no yellow
or orange bands, not even a tinge of orange, and I
permit no drones to be reared in ni}' apiary except
those from Carniolan queens, whose workers and drones
are quite grey.'
Then Mr. 'A. E.' goes on to ' wonder why, if it is so
(that all Carniolans are banded), that other dealers can
supply queens that will not breed banded bees, aud
are as gentle as their other characteristics are true to the
old style of queen.' Plain enough it is why they furnish
such ; because they, as well as I, would find it trouble-
some, even were it desirable, to supply only ' banded '
(yellow or orange) Carniolans, since yreyness and yenile-
ness are the most striking characteristics of the bees of
Carniola. And even though in every native apiary in
Carniola, of any size, a few stocks may exist, some of
whose workers are ' banded ' more or less, that is no
reason why every dealer here cannot supply queens that
produce grey bees that are at the same time gentle ; and,
though probably many that produce workers showing
some 3'ellow are sent out when no preference is stated, I
do not doubt but that each and every one jiow in the
business here in Carniola does, for the greater part, send
grey bees, and, in the main, he could not but send yentle
Carniolans, whether they showed a trace of yellow or
not. It must be that I too have, for the greater part,
some of Mr. 'A. Expert's' ' old style of queens,' for I
wear no bee-veil at all when manipulating Carniolans,
and my nice silk-net veils stored away in a box are
getting all mildewed for want of an occasional airing.
It is a pity, too, for I am likely to need them in Italy
soon !
Recently I have been breaking up some second and
third swarms that, for want of empty frame-hives at
the time they issued, had been thrown into native box-
hives. The latter are long shallow boxes, about 36 inches
long, 14 by 8 inches. Turning one of these bottom
upwards at anytimt — even during unfavourable weather
or towards nightfall — with a hatchet I pry off the
bottom board, which is nailed firmly with nails about
2i to 3 inches long, often wire-nails that hang well,
and immediatel}' proceed to cut out combs. Sometimes
a few bees dash out at my face, but I dodge their first
onset, and seeing their mistake they apologise by going
back and standing up on all sides and buzzing lustily, an
' old style ' song. Say, Mr. 'A. E.,' are not these the
'old style' sort? Mind you, this is all without a veil.
I haven't much use for such a nuisance around
Carniolans, and as to smoker, it is half the time too
much bother to pay to light up my Bingham, which
came all the way from my native pines.
'A. E.' must needs help out his lame argument by
dragging in ' Cyprians.' It is not worth whilo to tight
with him on this score, for if I convinced him it would
' be against his will, and he'd be of the same opinion
still ! ' But ' stick to your text,' Mr. ' A. E. ;' aud to the '
Editor I would suggest -that, when I bring in anything
as irrelevant to the subject under discussion as is the
paragraph about ' Cyprians' in Mr. ' A. E.'s ' letter, the
pencil or scissors should be used on my manuscript — and
perhaps lie will show his impartiality by treating Mr.
' A . E.'s ' in the same manner.
Well, now, Mr. ' A. E.,' are you simple enough to
suppose anything whatever that Henry Alley can write
would ' cut me up rather rough,' as you put it? And as
to the Carniolans (bees), they are sure to take it good-
naturedly. Do you remember, or did you know, how,
when I wrote about Apis dorsata, some ten or twelve-
years ago, Bro. Clarke of classic (!) I meant, Canadian,
bee-poetry fame, quoting nearly the words of Father
Langstroth, said, ' Wanted, some bee-keeper, not too old,
nor too young, &c, and,' he added, ' eery thick-skinned,
to emigrate to Java, &c.' ? And if you are aware of
these things you will also no doubt know that 1 was not
afraid to let them pinch and probe my hide then ? and do
you suppose that, after all the punches and pricks I havu
November 1, 1888. J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
531
gotten since thou, and after having run the gauntlet with
Hymettus bees, Tunisians, and the Eastern races, on one
hand, and the giant Apis dorsata on the other — do you
suppose after all this that my hide is any tenderer — that
any ordinary fellow is going to make any impression on
it, say nothing of ' cutting me all up rough'? At the
time 1 was unsophisticated enough to suppose Mr. Clarke
was poking fun at that valuable bee, Apis dorsata, but
now I am sure he wanted some one thick-skinned enough
to be able to survive the javelins, not of the Javans nor
their wild bees, but of envious, ignorant, seltish, and un-
principled bee-keepers and dealers who, Mr. Clarke knew,
would soon overwhelm a thin-skinned chap.
Mr. Stachelhausen says, ' The first Carniolan queen
imported into Germany had no sign of yellow blood.'
Very likely, Mr. S. And there are plenty more of the
same sort "here in Carniola. But your one queen could
never, no more than coidd the traditional ' one swallow
make a summer.' And hundreds of bee-keepers here who
have nearly reached the allotted time of man, can testify
that yellow-banded bees existed in their native Carniola
when they were but striplings. But in your imagination
all this is because, as you put it, 'some strange races may
have been imported into Carniola, and so the Carniolans
are more or less mixed.' Strange reasoning, that is, if it
he reasoning at all. Stick to your chemistry, friend S.,
or your bee-botany, or microscopy, and get Professor
Cook to coach you up in it, but don't meddle with what
you evidently know little about.
Mr. Alley's statements — some of them, at least — are, I
fully believe, so plainly absurd to anybody who reads
them, that I do not need to waste many words as com-
ments. He says,' All the good points possessed by those
bees sold as pure Carniolans by dealers are derived from
the Italian blood, by which it is evident that they are
crossed.' Exactly the reverse of this is true Every
breeder of Carniolans realises that, in so far as his Carni-
olans approach Italians in their characteristics — I mean
in those features in which they most widely differ from
Italians, and which, therefore, must be those that give
them the superiority claimed for them over Italians — just
so far they are inferior to the type of Carniolans he
wishes to have. If Mr. Alley's statement were tin.',
why should so many who have tried Carniolans by the
side of Italians be rejecting the latter in favour of the
former? I could cite many instances, but a couple
will do.
In Gleanings for Sept. 10, page 682, Mr. E. E. Ewing,
Rising Sun, Md., after a paragraph in strong commenda-
tion of Carniolans, says, ' My bees are Italians, but they
will not be after this season.' Mr. Hoot says to him, ' I
suppose you know you are giving the Carniolans a
pretty big recommendation.' And elsewhere in the same
number (page 696), Mr. Root, the strenuous opposer of
Carniolans, says, ' We have no Carniolans, but expect to
test them again.' No doubt he sees the tide has turned,
and proposes to ride with it easily, instead of trying, like
Mr. Alley, to drive it back by throwing himself square
against it.
Mr. S. L. Watkins, Placervillo, CaL, says, in the Ame-
rican Bee Journal (copied by B. B. J., p. 495, Oct. Hth),
that he has Carniolans, Italians, blacks, and hybrids, and
' that Carniolans have done the best,' &c. ; adding, ' Next
season I shall keep nothing but Carniolan bees in the
1'lacerville apiary.' I have selected these because the
parties are not, so far as I know, breeders or dealers in
queens, except Mr. Hoot, who handles only Italians.
Mr. Alley does not believe, so he says, ' that there are
more than two bee-keepers in America who ever saw
pure Carniolan bees, nor that there is a pure queen of
that race in the United States.' Hence it would appear
that he does not believe pure Carniolan bees exist any-
where in the world ! for certainly as pure Carniolans as
exist or ever have existed in Carniola itself, have been
sent, not alone by me, but by others also, as I have reason
to believe, to the United States, and are now incolouies
of bees there in nearly every state in the Union. It was
this same Alley who brought forward a race of bees
which he claimed to have imported from Hungary, and
which he called Hungarian bees, but which he discon-
tinued rearing when he found he could not get others to
accept them readily, and then when he found that
Carniolans were fast gaining friends in the western world
largely through my efforts to make their merits known,
wrote, a year or two ago to Gleanings : ' You will find
Carniolans described in my " Handy-Book " under the
name of Hungarians. They are worthless,' etc. Fine
authority one who writes such stuff ! It is of this man
that an Ohio correspondent had purchased queens, and
then wrote me: ' I'd rather pay you $15 for one queen
than give Alley IS cents for a whole bushel of his.'
And to a customer on the Pacific coast — one of the most
courteous and honourable men I ever had to deal with —
to whom Mr. Alley had sent unsatisfactory queens, he
wrote, when asked to make the matter right, and sent
an equally valueless queen, saying : ' You may call her
Carniolan, Italian, or Holy Land; whatever you d n
please.' It was of this same man that I purchased just
fifteen and a half years ago, a number of his so-called
'fine Italian queens,' and received the poorest lot of
queens, without excepting any, that I everknew anybody
to Mini out: most of them absolutely worthless and all
dark, small, inferior, runty queens. When I wrote him
that three or four were wholly valueless, lie sent me a
couple little, if any better, than the first.
You see his old sins, like ghosts, rise up to accuse
him, and there are many more for which he has yet to
answer. I venture that Mr. Alley's words will not
receive one-tenth the attention in my native land where
we are both known, that they will get in < Ireat Britain,
where his full history is not so well known. I might
tell you some twenty-two years of it, but then in the
end l fear, even if it did make a ' handy book for bee-
keepers,' it would not be very ' scientific' It would be
too much like taking a-back Alley! — 1'ha.nk Benton,
M.S. Michigan State Agricultural College, Laibach,
Carniola, Austria, October 19th.
CARNIOLANS AND OTHER RACES.
L855.1 I have known the Carniolan bees since about
1868 and saw them in the apiaries of my friends, and have
had a few colonies myself. The first Carniolan queen im-
ported into Germany had no sign of yellow blood, and
they were very similar to the brown German bee, only
the hairs of the young bees were more grey or white;.
Since that time Carniola has exported a great many
colonies, swarms and queens, and some strange races
may be imported there, and so the Carniolans are more
or less mixed. The proper Carniolan bee is certainly
nothing else but a variation of the so-called German bee.
The difference in the exterior markings is not more plain
than with other variations of the same race, and so it is
wil h the other characteristics. In the north of Germany,
in 1 lannver, we have another variety of the German bee,
quite alike in habit to the Carniolans, but more black.
They breed well and early in spring, breed drones all the
time, and swarm as often as anybody can wish, exactly
like the Carniolans. In the middle and south of
Germany you can find a strain of bees more brown than
black, slow in breeding and swarming. A colony with
a young queen will not build any drone-comb or swarm
out the first year, and some colonies, and strong ones, too,
did not swarm for many years. But now this variety of
the German bee is mixed with all the different imported
races, and you can hardly find a pure colony. Why is
this difference ? The answer is, that the Carniolans and
the northern German bees are varieties of culture, and
to a certain degree fixed by a certain management for
more than one hundred years. In both countries the
532
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 1, 1888.
main honey flow is late in the fall. In the spring the bee-
keeper does all he can to get early and many swarms.
To get as many colonies as possible for the crops, in both
countries very small hives are used. In the fall all the
surplus colonies are brimstoned, the heaviest and the
lightest colonies are killed, and in the selection of the
stock for the coming year the bee-keeper is very careful.
He selects colonies witli young queens only, mostly
after-swarms; a colony which cast no swarm at all is
surely brimstoned. It is easy to see that in this way
queens with a swarming impulse, only are selected, and so
by the run of the years this impulse got more and more
fixed. The Carniolan and the German bees rear too
many drones and build too much drone-comb, but this
characteristic is necessarily in connexion with the
swarming impulse, and every race possessing this swarm-
ing impulse will do the same.
In both the so-called races you see a strain of bees bred
and fixed by the hand of men by selection and not by
crossing. This fact will show us the way by which we
can get ,a race of culture. It can be done by selection
of queens to breed from witli the desired characteristics ;
but this selection has to be done, and carefully, too, for
many generations before a certain characteristic may be
more or less fixed.
I do not believe we can get a fixed race by crossing two
different races, because in a couple of generations the
markings of the one race will more or less disappear. I
believe that the Italian bee is a cross between the
Egyptian and the black bee, but it is no fixed race yet.
In the time of Virgil it is known that in Italy there
were black and yellow bees, and so it is to-day. The
first bees exported from Italy looked quite mixed up,
some nice yellow bees, some of them we would call
hybrids now. Dr. Dzierzon imported the first Italian
colony to Germany about 1854, and bred from this one
queen all his queens for many years. For breeding he
selected the most yellow queens or better queens with
the most yellow daughteis, and in a few years his
Italian bees looked nicer than any of those imported
directly from Italy. Soon a big trade sprang up in Italy
for queens, and the breeders were more careful to select
for colour. More than this, they imported some Cyprian
queens to mix with and better the colour. This selection
and breeding in one direction can be done as easilv here
in Germany, and so every dollar spent for an imported
queen from Italy is, in my judgment, lost.
The Italian bee is as nice a bee as any, and if we breed
not for colour only, but look for other good qualities, too,
we can surely breed a strain of bees adapted to our
purposes.
What is a bee good for like the Carniolan that sends
out swarms and after-3warmsin an unlimited number at
least containing a dozen and more young queens and
about two dozen worker bees ? (I have seen such after-
swarms not quite as large as a child's fist.) Mixing this
race with a good strain of bees on the one side, and every
year inventing another management to prevent swarm-
ing, is merely nonsense. These bees are very good for
their location and for certain purposes, but not for
American apiaries.
Further, I know, and proved it too, that the Italians
are better honey-carriers than the black bees — at least,
better than our black bees. I had them side by side
during a couple of yeais, and the hybrids are as good for
working quality as the pure Italian, but not better. But
to get hybrids I want some pure Italians to breed from,
and will get hybrids more than I want by themselves.
If I breed from the hybrids without later selections I
have black bees, with the same bad working quality
again very soon. I know what I talk about, I have tried
it.
Disproved that the Italian bee can be bred by careful
selection to a more yellow colour ; in the other direction
the same bee can be bred to a dark-coloured one. I
think this is proof enough that the Italian is no fixed
race, but a cross of two races that may be more than one
thousand years old. If we breed a race or strain of bees
by crossing or selection, we can keep this race by constant
and careful selection only ; and the same bees coming to
other circumstances will lose their characteristics in a
few generations.
So it seems very improbable to breed a fixed race for
any purpose. The best way will be all the time to
select from the best stocks, and we can improve our bees
as long as we select, and shall go backward if we stop
selecting. — L. Stachelhausen, Selma, Texas {The
American Apiculturist).
REPORT No. 2.
[1856.] My first {B. B. J., Jan. 12th, 1888) was a
chapter of accidents and blunders, of which I had my
share, and was satisfied as to the cause. We are over-
anxious, perhaps, as beginners, especially if we are alone,
I.e., without the advantage of another's advice and
experience now and again. To use a trite saying, we
have bees on the brain — night as well as day. Having
removed all I could during last winter of the cause of
ray first wrong-doings, I was sanguine of success during
the season just gone; then, when all were ready, the
weather was wrong, and consequently, hope was less.
According to all accounts, many will feel sorely
patience-tried, and the purses of the poorest of us have
been emptied that the hives might be filled. Still some-
tiling within urges us to yo on; for, although this year
the labourers have been many and the harvest small, next
year, we hope, will more than satisfy the most sanguine.
I am not far wrong in reckoning this my first season
with bar-frame hives, although 1 had one hive last
summer ; but as a result of my ignorance it yielded me
nothing, and had to be strengthened by uniting and
feeding to pass the winter.
I began the spring of this year with an old straw
skep and three frame-hives. From No. 1 (Cowan) I
have extracted 40 lbs. and taken 18 completed sections ;
from No. 2, 28 lbs. and 24 sections : and from No. 3,
extracted 84 lbs. The skep swarmed June 24th (Sun-
day), and have stored enough to winter upon ; and the
Sunday but one following a cast issued, which, with
those driven from the skep, have stored enough for
wintering.
In B B.J. for August 10th, the ' Selected Query' was,
'Can honey be obtained from a swarm the same season!' '
&c. The Rev. George Raynor replied, ' Not in seasons
like the present.' But from a swarm which I purchased
from a neighbour about mid-June and hived, I have
taken 20 completed sections, and several partly sealed
over only. As near as 1 can guess, I left about 20 lbs.
in the hive. Considering the few and brief honey-flows
we have had, I think, Mr. Editor, you will, say with
me, to this swarm — ' Bravo ! '
As I had never taken a section till this summer, I was
anxious to begin well, as I could not afford to stock
myself with crates, &c, and then throw them aside for
something new and improved ; so, contrary to the
advice of the more experienced, I went in for the very
latest invention, viz., Lee's hanging-frame section crate.
We regard this invention of Mr. Lee's as a real and
genuine advance, the result of much patient thought
and labour. When completed these sections are very
beautiful.
My best-built combs, too, are those in Lee's frames,
being perfectly regular. I venture to predict for Lee's
frames and sections a great success.
Having a wish to try shallow frames, I knocked
together a crate and ten frames, and placed them under
aerate of sections on hive No. 2. July 10th I had a
peep, and found sealed comb in all of them, but as the
queen was using eight of them, I removed two only,
Norerabei' 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
533
which weighed 3 lhs. each ; replaced these with two
more with starters in, and on August 29th removed all
ten, splendidly filled and finished, and extracted 23 lhs.
of sainfoin honey. My honey has been mainly gathered
from sainfoin, white clover is not grown hereabouts.
September loth I had a new experience — it was a case
of desperate robbing. I had cautioned my neighbour
some days previous about sprinkling sugar in front of
the skeps, and now the fatal consequences were seen.
Under the circumstances driving seemed to me the best
thing to do, and we commenced at once. There were
6ix skeps, and the robbers were just in earnest on the
second. One had been emptied of every drop of honey,
and when I lifted the next the sight was shocking.
Lumps of well-filled comb lay on the hoard, and thou-
sands of bees, black as beetles, lay weltering in honey.
Inside the skep was just as bad, scarcely a bee could fly.
By cutting the skep in twain, several pounds of comb
were secured. What was mo?t strange was that those
which I drove from a skep on the shelf above, and
placed there again till evening, were all gone when I
went for them. I found that the board underneath,
which was still wet with honey, had attracted the bees
from above, and in the evening, being too fidl of honey
to fly, I suppose, they united with another driven lot a
few inches distant. The two skeps left have not been
molested since.
I am glad to tell you, as others have done, that wasps
have been comparatively few this summer. 1 must
have killed about thirty queens amongst the raspberry
canes. I don't know whether others have noticed it, but
the robber wasps (I will not call them worker-) seem to
me to be smaller this year.
I have increased my stocks by uniting in three hives
eleven lots of driven bees. So now I have nine hives,
lavender, [salmon, blue, green, stone, brown, slate, and
plain, the last named being in my new hut.
Most cottagers about here prefer the old way of
taking up their bees, as, if driven, they contend that
they return and rob those left for winter. For all the
robbing this autumn, my bees have to bare the blame ;
for, as several have told me, if yon take the honey from
the bees, they will proceed to rob wherever possible !
The fact that my bees are a mile from the village goes
for nothing, as the cottager says bees go for miles and
miles. 'Why, I kept bees afore yow wos born,' said
one ; ' and I tell ye tha ont ate sunup ; tha rob the
tothers. Yow ma think yow know a lot about bees, but
other fouks know as much as yow, an' yow arn't agoin' to
make me b'leve that yar way is the best.'
We must not forget that but very recently we shared
the darkness with our neighbours, and one by one they
will emerge into the light of modern bee-keeping, and
share its pleasures and profits. More than this we can-
not expect, as the expense alone of commencing with
frame-hives is too much for the cottager who has to
support himself and family upon 10s. a-week. And
most bee-keepers hereabouts are of the farm-labourer
class. If I could afford it, my plan would be to present
a hive to each cottager in the spring, and assist him till
he could manage alone. This, I think, would be the
quickest way, and the best, too, of bringing about a
change. — F. Goodrich, MethwuM, Norfolk.
THE B.B.K.A. AND AFFILIATED
ASSOCIATIONS.
[1857.] The time has now arrived for a thorough
ventilation of the subject of the relations existing, or in
future to exist, between the County Associations and
their mother Association. Without doubt there is a
strong feeling pervading the County Associations that
their affiliation with the B. B. K. A. is not of a character
to warrant a continuance of same under the existing
regime. I am sure all would deplore that the relations
should be in the least strained. There seems to be a
want of confidence, which any one regularly attending
the meetings of the county representatives will readily
observe. This feeling must be removed at once, and a
thorough fraternal co-efficient one take its place. I take
it that the B B. K. A. exists for the County Associations,
and these, likewise, for the British ; if one fails the other
does likewise— if the counties flourish, the mother must,
and will, do the same. Our aims are identical. We
must, to accomplish the ends for which our Associations
were formed, be perfectly syuergetic : when this takes
place, all stumbling-blocks and difficulties of every kind
must certainly be surmounted, and the aims of every
Association be successful and appreciatingly received.
All the Associations being, or ought to be, as taught by
the mot her Association, co-operative and united under one
standard ; it seems to me, and I know to most others, a
direct contradiction to the teachings of the mother Asso-
ciation, that the affiliated Associations should not have
an atom of voice in the matter as to the working of their
own family. We, speaking on the part of most of the
affiliated Associations, have now grown to manhood, and
so, as a matter of course, as in all families, desire to have
some control as to the manner in which the family is
governed. We do not desire ' Home Rule,' but we surely
can expect to have some voice, practical voice, in the
management of our own affairs, these being identical
with the B. li. K. A. The P.. B. K. A. issues regulations,
for instance, the Show rules, but the affiliated Associa-
tions have no voice in the framing of same, they are only
allowed to suggest — whether the suggestions will be
carried out rests entirely with the ideas of the B.B.K.A.
Committee. In no more striking manner was the fact of
the office of a county representative being quite a sinecure
more fully illustrated than at the last meeting of county
representatives ; when, upon a proposal being made by a
county representative that the B. 15. K. A. should ask "the
Royal Agricultural Society to allow of certain prizes to
be given, the proposal, without any comment, was at
once takeu from the county representative's hands, and
proposed and seconded by two members of the B.B.K.A.'s
Committee. I had an idea at the time that it looked
rather impolite ; perhaps I was wrong.
An idea is prevalent that as the affiliated Associations
pay only the modest sum of one guinea to the parent
Association as an affiliation fee, they cannot expect
more than they get for the money. I think we fairly
get our money's worth, but that sum was the proposal
of the B.B.K.A., and I don't think if the funds of the
B.B.K.A. urgently wanted increasing, that any of the
affiliated Associations would say nay. The money part
of the question is not the correct way to look at the
matter ; we must ignore that, and study the moral
aspect. After when the B.B.K.A. has a truly repre-
sentative Committee, each affiliated Association being-
represented on the same, can the money question be
more equably and no doubt satisfactorily solved.
A county representative ought, and eventually will
be, an ex-ofjivio member of the Committee of the B.B.K.A.
Now is the time for such a motion to be carried.
Between now and the annual meeting of the B.B.K.A.
there will be plenty of time to ventilate the subject for
and against in these columns, so that the question, which
I must allow is of the very utmost importance both to
the B.B.K.A. and each affiliated Association, may re-
ceive its proper share of consideration, to be gained only
by mental co-operation. — Wr. B. Webster.
NOTES OX BEE HIVES.
Glass Sections.
[1858.] Perhaps another way to make up glass sections
maybe interesting: — Take a block '.if x 3J" x J", place
this within a 4j" x 4J" x 2" wood section, cut a piece of
glass i" x In", and place it in at ("), and another similar
534
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 1, 1888.
piece in at (b), cut a slip of glass 4" less twice thickness
of glass used x 5", and place it at (c), another similarly
at (d). Cut a whole sheet of foundation, 4" x 4", less
twice thickness of glass used, and place it upon the block
which is within the wood section at b f. Cut another
wood block same size as bf, and place this wood block
-wood section
upon the foundation ; place a slip of glass at e and d to
complete this glass section. These latter slips must be
pressed down ' home.' The blocks may now be with-
drawn, and sections put on hives or into supers. The
bees will soon fix top and bottom and the sides of the
foundation quite securely.
The dimensions of the bloeks and glass slips are
quite correct, but will serve to indicate how they should
be made. The tops and bottoms of the glass slips may
also be cut or divided so that the foundation is held
firmly all round in a vice-like grip. — T. Bonneii
Chambers, Tref Eglwys, Caersws, Montgomeryshire,
October 15th.
P.S. — One, two, three, or four of the glass sides may
be divided to suit the tastes and convenience of those
using them. If the slips are prepared within the wood
section, as illustrated in the B.B.J, on page 490, the top
and bottom rails divided, full sheets may quickly be
inserted by using the above bloeks. I will also state
that I have forwarded full working drawings of one or
two other methods for making blocks for glass sections,
and they will appear in the manufacturers' catalogues in
the spring. I might also state any one wishing for an
invisible glass cement will find gelatine dissolved in
gin and applied warm will answer efficiently.
NOTES BY AN AMATEUR CARPENTER AND
BEE-KEEPER.
[1859.] Although I should hesitate, with my present
limited experience in bee-keeping, before advising any one
who has to purchase his hives to commence forming an
apiary, I recommend all who have plenty of space and a
carpenter's shop to begin making hives on the first rainy day,
and filling them with bees as soon as they conveniently
can. Two years ago I bought a hive for 32*,, and hired
the services of a neighbour to manipulate what I then
thought from tradition to be very dangerous insects; but
in a short time I saw that, with the aid of my carpenter's
shop, a veil, and smoke, ' Fumosque maim prsetende
sequaces,' I could get much pleasant employment at a
very small cost. In the whole range of amateur carpen-
tering I know nothing so satisfactory to make as a bee-
hive. Amateur defects, imperfect sawing, planing, &c,
can be satisfactorily remedied by their ' friends ' putty
and paint.
Having learnt from my model the theory of modern
hives, I, during the wet days of winter, turned a dozen
Stores ' non-returnable cases ' into an apiary, which my
neighbours view with astonishment and delight. But
the hives have one considerable fault — they are all shapes
and sizes, from the gigantic ' Bees' Castle ' to the ' Little
Wonder,' — names bestowed upon them by my gardener^
who works under me. Buying a case of Tate's cube
sugar, however, I determined to make these boxes my
future hives, as they are all the same size and of a very
convenient shape. I put extra interior walls to the ends,
and 8i-ineh boards on the sides, which make a warm
residence for the bees in winter, and form a support for
regulation-sized bars and section-boxes. My grocer sup-
plies me with these empty boxes at Gd. each, and without
counting my labour, or rather pleasure, in making them,
I calculate each hive, when ready and painted, costs me
about Is. 6d. I should like to take an order for 10,000
at 8s. each. The four legs are very easily cut out of
ordinary rafters and screwed on. I put an extra bottom
on the box, allowing the end piece of wood to project, in
order, when bevelled down, it may form an alighting-
board. All crevices are filled up with putty, and exte-
rior strips of wood nailed over them for further security.
I much prefer hives of my own make to those purchased,
as they are deeper and admit of better manipulation.
The latter have the bars level with the top of the sides,
and unless great care is used the carpet coverings are
liable to get on the top, where the roof has to sit.
In my hives I can keep the lower storey warm by
using very little besides paper for a covering, as the sides
are high. I made wdndows in two of the hives, but I
don't see much use in them, as very little is to be seen
through the glass, and it is much more satisfactory to
look in when the roof is off than in at the sides.
In order, however, that others may have a good view
of my bees, I made a couple of hives to fit into my
workshop window, and formed all the sides of glass, with
moveable wooden frames, so that any one can view what
is going on inside with perfect security. I show them
to all sorts of people, and am often amused by the
remarks which are made. The second of these hives was
only filled with bees last month ; I bought two stocks of
condemned bees at 9d. each, and put them both into one
hive ; and now they are apparently in a very thriving
condition, having filled the whole place with wax and
Jamaica sugar syrup. A friend of mine wdio has estates
in Jamaica sent me a barrel of sugar, and the bees have
had it all. This year I have taken no honey, but I hope
my stocks will pass the winter on the large amount of
syrup I have given them.
I regret to say, however, there has been a good deal of
robbing going on. A neighbour, who has twenty or
thirty stocks, does not feed them, and I believe they are
the robbers. A law might bo passed compelling people
to feed their stocks, so that they may not rob their neigh-
bours.
The mortality among my bees during the year was
certainly very great. Incautiously I allowed a pair of
swallows to build a nest close by, regardless of Virgil's
sound advice : — ■
' Absint et pieti squalentia terga lacerti
Pinguibus a stabulis, meropesque aliseque volucres ;
Et manibus Proene pectus signata cruentis.
Omnia nam late vastant, ipsasque volantis
Ore ferunt duleem nidis imrnitibus escam.'
And they fed their young ones almost entirely on bees.
Unfortunately I did not discover the fact until it was
too late.
One advantage I have derived from keeping bees is
that I have had my attention drawn to the beauty of the
fourth Georgic, and I have lately read it so often that
I nearly know it off by heart. The lines I admire most
are those beginning, 'Ac veluti lentis,' where the bees
are compared to the Cyclops. These lines, to be fully
appreciated, should be learnt off by heart, and repeated
whilst watching a pair of blacksmiths hammering hot
iron.
But I am wandering from my subject, and will con-
clude with the remark that it appears/in this neighbour-
hood at least, bees will be very scarce next year. — L.
November 1, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
535
STOKING APPLIANCES AWAY.
[I860.] Now that the time has come round once more
when we should be storing away sections, racks, spare
combs, doubling boxes, extractors, &c, &C, I thought I
would give my way of doing the same; and if I differ
from our esteemed friend, ' Mr. Useful Hints,' a trifle in
some things, I hope he will forgive me and correct me
where I am wrong, as I have gained most of my know-
ledge from various writings in the B.B.J., and those
from ' U. Hints ' have mostly been particularly looked
after by me. I have often thought how glad I should
have been to have had the pleasure of seeing the B.B.J.
years before I did, but it had been in circulation years
before I thought there was likely to be such a publication.
I have always been very fond of bees, and for a long
time I had wished I could decide upon some better way
of keeping them than the old straw skeps afforded.
And about the mouth of February, 1883, a friend of mine
came from America and brought a model of a frame-
hive with him. He said it was quarter-size ; so I made
one from it, but when 1 had finished it it was very
awkward-looking, and still worse handling, as the top
bars of frames were about '22 in. long and 10f in. deep.
I had never heard of comb foundation, so 1 put melted
wax along the under side of top bar to guide the bees in
building their combs. The top of the bar was Hat on the
upper side, and the bottom an angular or V-ahape on
under side. The next trouble was how could I get the
bees into it, as I had never heard of driving ; so I placed
my frame-hive close up to the entrance of a strong sksp,
so that the bees were compelled to go through the frame-
hive before they could fly, and as they required room
they took possession of the frame-hive and built their
combs very nicely ; but all were drone-combs, and when
the fall of the year came all the bees retired back into
the skep and left a very good surplus of honey in the
frames for my trouble ; but it was so awkward to handle
that I considered a modification necessary. The frames
ran ends on to the entrance, which I now think is the
best.
I considered what size I should make my next hive,
which took me some time before I could start. At last
I decided to make it 15 x l'O inches inside, but before I
had proceeded far I saw a friend who had purchased a
frame-hive, and be told me it was sold to him for the
standard size for England, which was 14 x 16 inches
from back to front, so I altered my size for that, which,
after I had made six good, substantial hives, I found to
be wrong. I could not afford to set them aside, as the
difference of the standard size was so small, the depth of
the hives being the same as the standard and being im-
portant to have all frames one size. I have always kept
to the above size, so it will be seen that my size is
three-sixteenths of an inch longer than the standard,
although in speaking of them I call them the standard
size. My way of storing away and preserving for winter
is as follows : —
After the extracting from combs and partly - filled
sections is completed, they are all returned to the hives
for the bees to clean out ; when that is done the sections
are placed in section-racks — of course, sections, frames,
racks, dividers, and doubling-boxes, are all well cleaned
by scraping all propolis, &c, from them ; then sections
are placed in racks with dividers, and all just ready to
place upon hives when required, the combs and frames
are also replaced in doubling boxes. I then stand an
empty doubling-box on four bricks at the corners to keep
it from the ground and to give draught under it, then
the boxes with combs are placed on the empty one and
piled one on the other to the height of about eight feet,
and the section-racks and sections are placed in a like
manner, when an iron pan containing some sulphur is
lighted and slid under empty box at bottom of each pile.
When the sulphur is well alight the draught at bottom
is closed by placing some old materials round the bottom
of empty box, when the sulphur burns very slowly and
all the fumes pass to every particle of comb and crevice
(if crevices there are) ; when they have stood in this
position for ten minutes the top draught is closed, so that
the fumes of sulphur are shut in with the combs. After
they have stood in this position for about one hour, each
section-crate with sections receives about half an ounce
of camphor, rolled up in a piece of rag in about the
centre of crate, then each crate is placed in paper and
tied up so that it resembles a neat paper parcel, when
they are piled away in a dry place one upon another as
high as the ceiling of room will admit. The doubling-
boxes with combs are not put in paper, but each receives
a piece of camphor, as above ; and in storing them away
they are placed one upon another with a piece of stout,
or, maybe, two or three thicknesses of thin paper be-
tween. Combs, &c., treated in this way I have never
known to be troubled with any kind of vermin what-
ever, and they come out when wanted as clean and
bright as though they had just been taken from a strong-
colony ; and when they are wanted there is nothing to do
but remove camphor rag, and paper, and replace them on
the hives where they are required. Of course, by the
time they are wanted all tin; camphor will be evaporated.
I may say ben- that I always keep about half an ounce
of camphor, as above, in each hive which is Btocked with
bees, and since I have adopted the above plan my bees
have always been very healthy and vigorous.
Extractors and all other tin ware are also well cleaned,
dried perfectly, and while the tin is yet warm they are
rubbed all over with a piece of rag with some oil upon
it, using plenty of oil, so that it runs well into the
joints; then the camphor and paper, or some other
covering', and the result is that they never rust. I keep
my extractor in a sack, which is very easily protected
by just tying up the mouth. I am a great advocate of
the use of camphor, both with the bees and with
appliances which are stored away.
1 may add that the first number of tin.' British Bee
Journal came into my bands in February 1883, ami I
have always continued to make the best use I possibly
could of its pages, and I have j'et plenty of room for
learning. I make no doubt that 'Useful Hints' plan is
quite as good as the above, but I do think the latter
takes less time, which is a great consideration with
many of us. I beg to apologise for trespassing so far
upon your valuable space, but if it should be of any good
to any of our bee-keeping friends, it will not be all
waste time. Just a word or two more upon Nepeta
Muasini plants. When you kindly inserted my last ad-
vertisement, I had no idea there would be many plants
asked for, but applications arrived so fast that all the
plants were cleared out in a few days, and I have got
many applications which I cannot supply at present, so
I have made arrangements to strike another large batch,
so that no one should be disappointed in the eud, as I
hope to be able to supply them in March 1889. — C. H. W.,
. tyleeford, near Maidstone, Kent.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses oj manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in adcanc»
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issub
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
C. B. — Honey Imports. — We shall be reviewing the
honey and wax imports and exports of the previous
year in the course of a few weeks, when we shall
endeavour to give you the information you desire.
John Watson. — You will find the sugars forwarded by
you suitable for your purposes. We shall be pleased,
at your leisure, to receive a report of your experience.
566
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November I, 1868.
Far North. — Amount of Stores. — If your stocks have at
present thirty pounds each, there will be a sufficiency
to tide them over to the spring.
W. J. S. — Queen fertilised. — In the face of the very un-
propitiou3 weather we have had, and the lateness in the
season when the queen was raised, we cannot say
whether the young queen has been fertilised. Inspect
the hive in February for the demonstration pro or eon.
A. Woodhead. — The American Ajtieulturi.it is published
monthly by Henry Alley, Wenham, Massachusetts ;
price one dollar per year.
L. W. R. — 1. Number of Frames when Feeding. — It is
not necessary that number of frames should have been
reduced to that requisite before feeding. 2. Reducing
Frames. — If any of the frames are empty, they may
be removed. 8. Proper Number of Frames. — Six to
eight. 4. Winter Stores. — If the stores are not sealed,
there is danger of them becoming sour, and of dysentery
ensuing. 5. Empty Combs. — The required empty
combs should be placed in front of your hive. 6.
Brood Nest. — Not necessary, seeing the cluster varies
its position as the stores are diminished. 7. Selecting
Stores. — Select the fullest ones to be left. 8. Super-
fluous Stores. — Place these behind the division-board,
allowing the bees to get at them.
A Puzzled One. — Queen Deposed. — The bees have
deposed the queen because she was aged, or in their
opinion unequal to her duties. The probability is that
thp hive is now queenless.
W. D. and T. C. — We will place ourselves in communi-
cation with the manufacturer named in your letters.
E. A. Fey. — We should recommend you now to use
sugar-cake. It is too late for syrup-feeding.
T. Pearson. — A bad case of foul brood.
business ^Directory.
!-♦-»
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Eoad, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bonn, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour A Sons, 149 Eegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfiekl, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 2G Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained o£ all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St.. Chelmsford.
EDEY St SONS, St. Neots, Hants.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, 11., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Weoeum Street, Norwich.
RUDK1N, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHUSTSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
TIHIIE
British Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS.
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting' our Home Industries, to become Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of the
Association's work.
Subscriptions, 5s. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £5.
The Association carries out its work by —
The holding of Annual Exhibitions ;
Assisting County Associations ;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture;
The disposal of Bee-produce, &c, &c, &c.
Secretary: John IIucklk, Kings Langley, Herts
The oldest Weekly Bee Paper in the World.
THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL
Established in 1861.
Price 6». (id. per annum, post free.
T. G. Newman, 925 West Madison Street, Chicago, U.S.A.
London Agents: Messbs. GEO. NEIGHBOUR & SONS,
149 Regent Street, W.
London: Printed by Strangeways & Sons, at tbeir Printing Offlco, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in tbo Parish of St. Gilea's-in-the-
Fielda, in the County of Middlesex; and Published for the Proorietor by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster Row, in the same county. — Nov. 1, 1888.
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbangeways' Pointing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 333. Vol.. XT I.]
NOVEMBER 8, 18S8.
[Published Weekly.]
(^tutorial, gotuts, &t.
PROTECTING BEES IN WINTER.
Those who have their bees in single-walled hives
would do well to give them some protection during
the winter. We know bees have sometimes been
wintered safely without any protection whatever,
but our experience does not warrant us to recom-
mend this plan. Many use common boxes, which
they place over the hive, and lay on the top a
piece of zinc, or even a piece of roofing felt. We
think it a great advantage to have chaff outside
our hives and between the walls and outer casing.
The editor of the Bee-keepers' Guide uses, and re-
commends, a very simple arrangement; and as it is
inexpensive, and can be made by any one, we here
give a description and illustration of it. Get a
0
m
piece of cloth half a yard wide and long enough to
go round the hive ; the ends are sown together,
and it can then be slipped over a wooden rim, to
which the edges of the cloth are tacked on the
outside. The rim is then to be slipped over the
hive, which it fits, and the space between the cloth
and hive filled neatly with chaff, some being also
placed on the top, forming a cone. The edges of
the cloth are drawn together, and a couple of
stitches with string twine will keep the outer band
from slipping down. Over all place a square yard
of cotton cloth which has been previously water-
proofed by painting over with hot tar. The corners
must be drawn down, as seen in illustration, and
securely fastened to the cloth band by tacking a
few stitches witji a needle and twine.
Straw skeps might also be protected in the same
manner, ami should require no disturbance until
spring. Should it bo requisite to give sugar-cake
in the spring, it can easily be done by untacking
one of the corners, lifting it up, and pushing on
one side sufficient chaff to raise the quilts. We
should prefer also to waterproof the band, as, in
our moist climate, the chaff would be likely to
become and remain damp.
Another simple way is to use, instead of the
cloth, ' Willesden card,' which could be tacked on
the rim and the top edges folded over. A square
on the top, or, better still, a cover with the edges
turned down, would keep all secure from wet. Al-
most anything can be made with ' Willesden card,'
and the joints are easily made waterproof by putting
hot tar between the ends which lap over each other.
A square roof coming to a point can easily be made
out of one piece of card without a single joint.
Fold the square diagonally across the corners in
both directions, then turn over each corner an inch
at the bottom, tapering to nothing at the centre,
where the two lines intersect. Fold this over and
turn under the "piece projecting at the bottom. A
few paper fasteners will complete it and keep it in
the desired position. Such a cover can be made
for a few pence, and will answer as well as a more
expensive one, especially where cost is a considera-
tion. Of course, being very light it would be liable
to be blown off unless kept down somehow, but a
piece of string will do for this purpose. We are
surprised that ' Willesden card ' has not come into
more general use in the apiary, and we should be
glad to see it applied more frequently. Its prin-
cipal recommendations are that it is light, strong,
waterproof, will take paint easily, is very cheap,
and no tools are required but a knife for cutting-
it.
I SEFUL HINTS.
Weatiieh. — Rain and fogs. Fogs and rain. Season-
able (?) November weather! Sincerely do we pity the
' troglodytes ' (dwellers in fog) of ' famous London town.'
Not that country fogs are enjoyable, but they are a mere
bagatelle compared with a modern London fog. A
country fog is white, and is only a shade removed from a
healthy atmosphere. A London fog has the additional
ingredients of clouds of smoke and soot, which render
the foggy air of the metropolis terribly destructive of
life. The Londoner breathes four times as much carbonic
acid gas in a fog as he does in fine, clear weather, and
538
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 8, 1888.
the organic matter taken into his lungs is seven times as
great. But ' necessitas non habet legem! Nevertheless
some day before long we^hope compulsory consumption of
smoke will render the atmosphere of the great city com-
paratively pure when contrasted with its present con-
dition. We English are never satisfied with the weather ;
and yet how very ungrateful it is to complain, after the
seven or eight weeks of splendid, bright, dry, invigorating,
autumnal weather we have lately experienced. For
feeding our bees after a honeyless summer, for getting
them comfortably into winter quarters, for clearing up
and stowing away implements, appliances, hives, crates,
odds and ends, and what not, had we ourselves made the
weather we could not have made it more charming.
Shame on the idle louts who leave their poor bees to
perish from want, their hives and stands to rot for want
of a coat of paint, and their apiaries, like a pig's court,
covered with refuse and filth !
Entrances to frame-hives, if the hives are covered
with impervious quilts, should be kept open at full
width, and bees and other refuse must be occasionally
removed by a bent wire. A slide of perforated zinc,
with an inch wide opening, allowing passage for the
bees, may guard the entrance and keep out mice. The
cottager rarely keeps a sufficiently wide entrance to his
skep in the winter months to allow of free ventilation.
If he would keep the entrance from four to six inches
wide, guarding it, as above recommended, with a strip
of perforated zinc, his hives would be better ventilated,
and his bees would winter better, than with the entrances
plastered over with clay or cowdung, according to his
present practice.
A New Feeder. — Messrs. Dines have sent us a
specimen of their ' new shilling feeder,' which, although
in course of manufacture in large quantities, has not yet
been placed before the public. It consists of a bottle
which holds about 1] pints, and on the base of which is
'blown' in the glass ' Dines' Maldon 1*. Feeder,' so that
no retail dealer can raise the price beyond that figure,
the object being to supply the cottager with a really
good feeder at the low price of one shilling. The edge
of the bottle-neck is ground and accurately fitted with a
screw-cap of nickel silver, which is incorrodable, and has
eight perforations in semicircular form. The stand is
formed of a block of beautifully white light and close-
grained wood, 5| in. square by 1 in. thick, having on one
side a slight circular depression exactly fitting the screw-
cap of the bottle, and the other side being hollow, in
order to receive the upper portion of the cluster of bees
when extending from below. A semicircular slot, 5 in.
wide, corresponding with the perforations in screw-cap,
is cut in the stand, through which the bees feed even
during cold weather. By these means from one up to
eight holes can be used for stimulation or rapid storage.
On the bottle is placed a label, on which is printed an index
finger (pointing as the bottle revolves to the numerals
1. to vm. stencilled on the stand), and also full directions
for making syrup. On the label, when varnished, washing
will take no effect. The feeder is most accurately fin-
ished, the perforations, which are slightly larger than
those commonly used, corresponding exactly with the
slot. We have given this feeder a full and searching trial,
and have found all its fittings so accurate that not the
slightest leakage has occurred. By its introduction we
consider that a great boon has been conferred on all bee-
keepers, especially on the cottager, and we trust that full
publicity may be given to it in the advertising columns of
our periodical bee-literature. We must not omit to re-
mark that this feeder is manufactured very much upon
the lines of the Raynor feeder, differing chiefly in the
following points : (a) The bottle is rather smaller ; (A),
there is no cork lining to the screw-cap, neither is the
index finger placed upon it, nor the central pivot, and the
metal is different ; (e), the interior of the dome on the
under side of the stand is not lined with cloth, but may
be rendered impervious to moisture by brushing over it a
little molten wax. This feeder is certainly a marvel of
cheapness, and how it can be produced for the price is
also a marvel to us.
Candy. — An excellent kind of food for winter feeding,
when autumnal feeding has been neglected, is 'Good's
Candy,' which is made by mixing together liquid honey
and finely-powdered loaf-sugar until the consistency of 1
stiff dough is attained. The best sugar for the purpose \
is that termed ' Confectioners' Dust Sugar' — a powdered
sugar as fine and white as the finest wheat-flour. The
mixture should be well kneaded by the hand, and formed
into cakes of the size required, which are to be laid on
the top bars of the frames, above the cluster of bees, and
beneath the quilts. The operation of feeding thus may
be very quickly performed during any period of the
winter, and with little or no disturbance of the bees. In
skep-feeding the cakes are placed on the feed-hole, and
pushed down upon or between the combs. The man
who declines to bestow so small an amount of trouble
and expense upon his starving bees deserves to lose
them.
Virgin Queens. — With regard to the large consign-
ments of virgin queens said to have been sent to England
in late autumn, and distributed as fertile, we have no
experience. During the last twenty-five years we have
used largely imported queens obtained through the prin-
cipal supply-dealers and agents, commencing with the
late Mr. Woodbury of Mount Radford, Exeter; and out
of many hundreds received we have met with two only
which were unfertilised, and one impurely mated, and
the price of the imperfect queens was honourably returned
without the least murmur. These queens have been of
all the well-known domesticated varieties, and the greater
part were received in autumn, when prices are low. The
loss by introduction has been so iutinitesimal that it is not
worth mentioning. From Mr. Benton we have not im-
ported direct, but through his agents; and, in justice to
him, we are bound to say that all his queens have been
true to race, fertile, prolific, and fine specimens, being
chiefly of the Syrian and Cyprian varieties. If so many
unfecundated queens have been distributed over the
country, it seems passing strange that we have had no
complaints in the Journal. Englishmen are said to be
very fond of airing a grievance, and these virgin queens
cannot, in every case, have fallen into the hands of
novices in queen introduction.
' Amateur Expert ' should be more careful, when
quoting, to quote correctly. When we wrote, in our
last ' Hints,' — 'There can be no doubt that there is room
for improvement in the judging at our shows ; when a
less experienced judge, at some provincial show, reverses
the awards of more experienced and capable judges, made
at more important shows, the evil arising therefrom is
great,' &c. ; we neither made, nor intended to make,
allusion to any particular show, but had in our mind a
general reference to shows of past years, down to the
present time. The inferences, therefore, which ' A. E.'
has drawn from our words, as above quoted — after inter-
spersing interjections by way, we suppose, of innuendo,
the point of which is utterly lost upon us — thus, ' When
a less experienced judge, at some provincial show (ah !),
reverses the awards of more experienced and capable
judges (Good ! good !) made at more important shows ' —
the inferences, we say, which ' A. E.' has drawn, that
' all shows must follow the lead of the Royal,' and, con-
sequently, that ' local shows need not appoint judges for
hives and appliances,' and that, therefore,' the winner at
the Royal should simply walk through all the provincial
shows and other exhibitors stay away,' are most unwar-
ranted, since we made no allusion to the Royal nor to
any other show in particular. We certainly should not
have ventured to credit ' A. E.' with advocating the
reversal of awards at various shows by various judges, in
order to give ' other exhibitors ' a chance of obtaining
November 8, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL
539
prizes ! Surely we had better institute ' consolation
prizes ' than encourage a policy so suicidal and unjust.
When our ' Hints ' are erroneous, or impolitic, we are
not only willing, but desirous, that the Editor, or Sab-
Editor, of the Journal should freely use the editorial
scissors on our MSS., but in future we beg respectfully
to decline the criticisms of ' Amateur Expert. When
he becomes the Editor of the Journal, if we continue to
write for it, it will be time enough then to submit to his
critiques with the best grace that we an' able. It', how-
ever, he is to be installed as 'Critic general,' lei him
exercise his ingenuity on our 'Editoiials' as well a* on
the productions of smaller contributors who favour the
Journal with the results of their experience. Lei
' A. E.,' therefore, bear in mind tlie old maxim,' Ultra
rires nihil aggrediendwn'
THE BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Discrssiox on the Paper of the Rkv. J. L. Seageu.
Mr. McClure said that his experience differed in some
points from that of Mr. Seager. Bee-keeping was not
known in Lancashire or Cheshire to any large extent.
There were hundreds of persons in those counties who bad
never seen a bee tent, consequently the subject had not
been worked out threadbare in those places as in Herts.
With regard to the Secretary, the trouble was that
nobody could tell him what he should do. lie thought
that if Secretaries were men who thoroughly understood
the work, they should have little difficulty in gaining
subscribers. SVith respect to Committees, tie' head-
quarters of hi< own Committee were eighty miles distant
from some parts of the county, and yet the attendance
once a-month averaged from eight to eleven members,
lie certainly could not complain of any want of support
by the Committee in his tie meetings, ami wt re me i l>"is
of the B.B.K.A. (that is, subscribed thereto), they
should be ex officio members of the Committee, and con-
sequently entitled to vote. He also proposed certain
alterations to Rule 9, and concluded by stating that the
Lancashire and Cheshire Association was most anxious
to work in harmony with the B.B.K.A., but at the
same lime hoped for an early alteration of the rules
then in existence.
Mr. Webster agreed in great part with Mr. Seager's
views. He thought it was very desirable that those
Associations which had been formed from County
Associations should be allowed to be' affiliated with the
B.B.K.A. If that were permitted there was no doubt
that the number of Associations would soon multiply,
bee-keeping would be better encouraged through the
country, and that would mean an accession to the funds
of the Central Association.
Mr. Garratt said that he had already written in the
British Bee Journal on the subject raised by Mr. Seager,
who had brought the matter forward in an admirable
manner. There was little doubt that the time had
arrived when it must be dealt with. He had some time
ago expressed fears that the County Associations were
deemed, unless some means were found to give a fresh
impetus to them. However, the ground which had been
traversed that night was very wide indeed, and he thought
they were hardly prepared to go so far in discussion as
Mr. McClure wished to lead them. His suggestions
amounted toa proposal for a revision of the constitution,
which could not be entered upon without considerable
deliberation. His own experience of County Associations
led him to think that the work for which they were
organised had been done. Although the importance of
bee-keeping had not been preached in every portion of a
county, yet the practical aspect of the matter had been
before the public in all the counties, and the question
was, how was the interest to be maintained? They must
look at the subject chiefly as it concerned the welfare of
the B.B.K.A. The independent multiplication of
societies would bring difficulties. He supposed Mr.
Seager meant that the County Associations must cease
to exist where the local societies sprang up, at any rate
some constitutional change must be provided by which
the County Associations might disappear, and others
rise in their place. He thought that Mr. Seager must
feel that if his suggestions were adopted, they were on
the threshold of a very great disturbance in all arrange-
ments which had existed. He was not one to shirk a
duty because difficulties presented themselves, and he
felt sure that unless something were soon done the failure
would be much greater than if the task were faced at
once and some changes adopted. What form those
alterations should take, time would be required to decide.
A Sub-Committee should be appointed to deal with the
matter, and present it for discussion at the next Annual
General Meeting.
Mr. Woodley suggested that the B.B.K.A. should
bring itself, if possible, into more intimate contact with
the County Associations. He quite approved of Mr.
Seager's remark that the Committee of the B. B. K. A.
should be more representative, and argued that the
County Representatives should have a vote. It would
be a good thing to form a Council from the County
Representatives and Members, and from that elect a
Committee. lie thought the Committee of the B. B. K. A.
lacked influence owing to its exclusive character, and
should be more ' democratic ' in composition.
Mr. Graham had acted as provincial Secretary under
Mr. Iiligh, and quite concurred in Mr. Seager's remarks
as to the difficulty of getting work done under the
present arrangement. That gentleman's proposals formed
a sort of Local Government Bill, and had not been
brought forward a day too soon. lie thought that
Count v Associations on the exbting plan should not be
abolished, but allowed to go on as long cs they could.
540
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 8, 1888.
As soon as the proposed rules came iuto force, his own
county would split into two branches, each becoming
affiliated with the B.B.K.A. Middlesex would divide into
four districts. Hitherto it had been almost impossible to
get representatives from those four districts to attend a
general meeting of the Middlesex Association, although
the room in which they were now assembled had been
offered them for the purpose. Bee-keeping could be
extended much more than it had been. There were
many districts in his knowledge where a real live
educated bee-keeper was an unknown quantity.
The Chairman said that since he had become connected
with the County of Yorks he had done his utmost to
bring about decentralisation, and by that means strengthen
the hands of the central authorities. If the raison d'etre
of the B. B. K. A. was to disseminate bee-keeping in the
provinces and the parent body had founded County
Associations for that purpose surely by analogy it was
the duty of the latter to form Bistrict Associations.
He had found that the general question asked by persons
in the country when invited to join an Association was :
— ' What shall I get if 1 subscribe ? ' They always
wanted a quid pro quo, and it was important that a good
answer to that question should be given. There was no
doubt that Mr. Seager was quite correct in saying that
as a rule a whole county was unmanageable in the
hands of one Secretary. In his own county they had
started five Bistiict Associations, which had grown lately
and were doing good wort. In many cases a County
Committee was little more than an empty name; its
meetings were attended by the Chairman, Secretary, and
possibly another, and under such circumstances it was
almost a mockery to go through a meeting. It was
perhaps a question whether all the Associations which
would spring into life after the introduction of the new,
rules would be able to affiliate themselves to the British,
the fee of one guinea being a large item to a small
auxiliary ; that, however, was only a matter of detail.
He recommended that the Counties should be divided
into the Parliamentary divisions; the Local Government
Bill might be taken as a guide. lie thought all members
of Committees should be bee-keepers, or they would lack
enthusiasm for the cause. Business-like capacity only
was scarcely a sufficient qualification.
Mr. Hooker explained in reply to Mr. McClure that
the reason of the delay in issuing the bound-up reports
was that some of the counties did not forward their
reports to the central office until the month of June.
Mr. McClure replied that the rules should be strictly
adhered to. In Lancashire and Cheshire there were six
different Associations which could be affiliated to the
B. B. K. A. under the proposed new system.
Mr. Garratt repeated his suggestion that a Sub-Com-
mittee should be formed, so that Mr. Seager's proposals
might take practical shape.
The Bev. J. S. Seager, in reply, said that with regard
to affiliating Associations he imagined some limits would
have to be placed on that, but it was outside his province
to sketch out rules at present. Associations desirous of
affiliation would have to state over what area they in-
tended to carry out their work, and care must be taken
to render it impossible for three or four persons to start
a hole-and-corner branch. In reference to a remark
made by the Chairman, he wished it to be distinctly
understood that he did not mean to suggest that
Committeemen need not be bee-keepers, but that there
was no necessity they should be advanced bee-keepers,
or men of prominence in the bee world — an idea which
hitherto appeared to be paramount in the selection of
the Committee. Mr. McClure, for instance, was now a
skilful bee-keeper, but he knew little or nothing about
the subject when he became Secretary of the Lancashire
Association, and his energy and success in that county
were well known. The question of affiliation fees wAs
a matter which the Committee would have no diffi-
culty in settling; a sliding scale could be adopted,
and regulated accoiding to the number of members
in each Association. The affiliation fees were no source
of income to the B. B. K. A., ISs. thereof being always
returned in the form of medals, to say nothing of
postages, &c. From the descriptions of Mr. McClure
and the Chairman it appeared that Lancashire and
Yorkshire were in a barbarous condition so far as
bee-keeping was concerned, but he was happv to say
from personal experience that the converse of that was
true as ivgarded the hospitality of bee-keepers in those
counties. Xo doubt the Executive of the B. B. K. A.
were open to the charge of being an exclusive Committee,
but he could assure his hearers it was not the desire of his
colleagues that that should be so. The difficulty was that
only those persons who lived near to London could spare
the time and expense to attend the meetings. They of
the Committee would only welcome with open arms a
friend of the cause living L'OO or .'{00 miles away, if he
would join them. He did not propose that the present
County Associations should be done away with, but that
their existence should not prevent the formation and
affiliation of other Associations in the same counties.
He could not agree that the new Parliamentary division
of Counties would be a satisfactory arrangement. "With
regard to the question, ' What am I to get by joining
your Association ? ' etc., he would have two answers
thereto, either of which should be used according to the
social position of the interrogator. If the latter were
a person of good position, to whom a sovereign was a
a small matter he would reply: — 'The aims of this
Association are of a benevolent character, designed to
promote the welfare of the poorer classes. The institution
is doing a great work, and on that ground alone we
confidently appeal for public support.' In the case of
that class who have to think twice before parting with
a few shillings, he would sa}7 : ' You will get exactly
what you make us give you. The Committee of the
B. B. K. A. will be in your hands. You are the electors
to all intents and purposes of the Association, and you
have the power to decide what shall be done.' If the
Local Associations paid their affiliation fees they ought
to have a vote for the election of the Committee. He
hoped a Sub-Committee would be formed in that morn
to draw up a report to be presented to the B. B. lv. A.
A small Sub-Committee would be best, doing the work
if necessary by correspondence, and the members holding
a final meeting together in London.
A general conversation ensued, the outcome of which
was that a Sub-Committee was formed as suggested,
when the following Members were proposed and seconded
and elected thereon: — The Rev. J. L. Seager (who at first
demurred on the ground that the Committee ought to
consist of persons not on the Council of the B. H. K. A.)
Mr. McClure (who complained that he lived too far
from London), Mrs. Currey, Mr. Grimshaw, Mr. Garratt,
Mr. ^Veb3te]•, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Meggy.
Mr. Garratt proposed, Mr. Cooper seconded, and the
Chairman supported, a vote of thanks to Mr. Seager for
the valuable suggestions he had laid before them, the
Chairman expressing a hope that the decisions of the
Sub-Committee would be put into shape with as little
official delay as possible and placed before the ( 'ouncil
of the B. B. K. A. Mr. Seager briefly acknowledged
the compliment.
At this juncture a large number of the audience left,
and the Chairman intimated that the paper he had in-
tended to read that evening, entitled ' The Sting and its
i'oison,' should be held over till a future occasion.
Mr. Hooker exhibited a hive of his own design,
executed by Mr. Neighbour; the speciality of which was
that the feeder could be placed either above or below the
hive according to the wish of the owner.
The Chairman and others disapproved of feeding at
the bottom, owing to the disturbance caused by lifting
November 8, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
541
the hive to place and remove the feeder. Mr. Hooker
replied that the contrivance was so arranged that facilities
for feeding might he given which might, under certain
circumstances, be desirable.
A vote of thanks having been passed to the Chairman
and briefly acknowledged, the proceedings closed.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
Or, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Words
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
Bee-line. n. (L. linen, line from linum, flax ) —
A straight line between two points, such as a bea was
supposed instinctively to take when returning to its
hive; the shortest line from one point to another.
Bee-lippen. n. A bee-hire. (Somerset.)
Bee-liquor, sb. (L. liquor, from liqueo, to be
liquid.) — Mead, made from the washings of the combs.
(Kent.)
Bee-literature. 11. (L. literal urn, from literre,
letters.) — Books and periodicals treating of bees and
bee-keeping.
Bee-louse, v. (Sax. /us, to creep.) — A parasite
found on the honey bee in Southern Europe called
Braida ceeca.
Bee-ma ^'g-ot n.
from magn, to breed.)
Bee-martin, n. — Name of i en given in some parts
of the United States to the king-bird, Tyrannus
Caroliensis.
Bee-master, n. — Used to signify a bee-keeper,
but should properly be applied only to one proficient in
the art of bee-keeping See Apiarian, Apicnltwixt.
Bee-mite. n. (Sax. mite, » small insect.) — See
Acarus.
Bee-moth. n. (Sax. mat, from (loth, mat/an, to
eat.) — Moths whose larvae are destructive of combs.
There are two species, Galleria meloneJJa and Achroia
yrisella. The former is very common in Southern Europe.
Wax moth.
Bee-nettle, n. (Sax. netele.) — Species of dead
nettle visited by bees, Gahopsii Tetrahil and Lamium
Album.
Bee-pap. n. — Used by old writers generally to
designate the food of larval bees ; by Berlepsch and
others for the first soft food of larvfe provided by the
nurse bees.
Bee-pasturage.
bees collect, nectar.
( fT". macai, plur. magioi, a grub,
-The larva or grub of the bee.
-Flowering plants from w hie)
Bee-pest. n. (L. pestis, a plague.) — The disease
known as foul brood; bee-plague; a disease which
Ililbert stated was not only a disease of the brood, but
also of mature bees, sometimes including the queen.
See Bacillus aleei and Bacillus alveolaris.
Bee-plague, n. (L.plaga, a calamity.)— See Bee-
pest.
Bee-plants. «. — Plants visited by bees.
Bee-pot. n. — A bee-hive (Sussex).
Bee-protector, n. — See Bee-dress.
Bee-poison, n. — Formic acid secreted from the
blood by the poison-glands, collected in the poison-sac,
and ejected through the openings in the lancets of the
sting.
Bee-seep, or scap. n. (A.-Sax. seep, basket.) —
A dome-shaped, or round and flat-topped hive made of
straw or osiers; in Sussex, the straw hackle pi iced over
the hive to protect it.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT THE ' STONEREIGH '
APIARIES, PORTSLA.DE.
We regret to inform the readers of the British Bee
Journal that our friend, Mr. Frank Reed, proprietor of
the above apiaries, has sustained a severe loss in the de-
struction of his bee-house and its contents by fire, the
whole being totally consumed. The carelessness of a
workman caused the disaster, a lighted match having
been incautiou-ly thrown on a quantity of touchwood.
We sympathise deeply with Mr. Reed, as he has since
informed us that he has lost the whole of his appliances,
supers, &c, necessary for the working of an apiary of
150 stocks.
Mr. Reed has been an extensive bee-keeper for many
years, and lias carried on a very valuable work in a
scientific and unobtrusive manner, lie is a 'specialist
in Carniolan bees. He was fortunate enough some few
years ago in procuring some specially selected, pure, im-
ported queens from a remote part of t'arniola, and was
so impressed with their good qualities, as regards
fecundity of queens and honey - gathering properties,
that he "decided to make this variety a speciality ; and
from what we have recently seen lie has certainly got
(through, care and judicious crossing) the finest samples
of Carniolan bees we have yet seen ; they are very
evidently superior in colour and disposition to the im-
ported Carniolans of the present day and perfectly
acclimatised. A few queens we had recently from some
supposed respected dealer in Carniolans are anything but
what they ought to be. Mr. Reed 1ms had a Carniolan
stock of this past summer, the queen of which has kept
a large hive of thirty frames crammed with bees, and
had a brood-nest of twenty-four frames of the possible
thirty which stored sufficient honey in twelve days (Mr.
Reed, fortunately, being favoured with a honey ilow of
that duration) to winter its own stock, and sufficient left
for two others.
We were pleased when we saw Mr. Reed, to note that
he was not cast down, though his loss is a severe one,
nothing being insured; and from his determined and per-
severing character we know that he will at once set about
repairing his loss and putting everything to rights. We
wish the enterprising proprietor every success in his
interesting pursuits for the advancement of apiculture.
— E. Xf.w, Southwick,
Honey at thf. Olympia. — The honey sections on
show at the stand of the Irish Dee-keepers' Associ-
ation at the Irish Exhibition, Olympia, have been
purchased by Mr. A. Courts Smith, of Cambridge Street,
Hyde Park.
Dirds axd Bees. — As regards sparrows, swallows,
and martins taking bees, as mentioned by the Rev.
W. E. Burkitt, I am pleased to say such is not my ex-
perience, although I have watched them many an hour.
On the other hand, I can assure readers that I have
scores of times seen both martins and swallows followed
by bees on the wing, for what purpose I was never able
to satisfy myself, without it is curiosity, as seems to be
the case when bees and wasps fly round persons without
attempting to sting. — J. Hiam (Journal of Horticulture).
Bees in New Zealand. — A considerable quantity of
German red clover is annually imported into New-
Zealand, where it flourishes, but has not hitherto ripened
sufficiently to yield seed for reproduction. This has
been explained by the absence of those fructifying in-
sects which, it is well known, contribute so much in
Europe to the propagation of many kinds of plants. In
l&io a parcel of 100 wild bees -was imported from
England, and set free in the neighbourhood of Lyttelton.
They multiplied greatly, spreading over a considerable
district; and already the farmers near Lyttelton were
able last season to gather and make use of clover seed
from their own fields. — The Field, Oct. 0.
542
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 8, 1888.
Corrcspoiibciitc.
The Editor docs not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
?>y his correspondents. No attention will he taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to unite on one side of
the pernor only, and gice Hid,- full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, hi.] On reading so:u" of your hick numbers some
time since, I was struck with a remark by one of your
experienced correspondsnts that he had known many
cases of hives wintering remnrkably well on a fairly
large number of frames without any contraction of the
hive. Now. this struck ma as being in accordance with
nature, and I reflected that bees in their natural state
would so winter. What is a more general remark to
hear than that straw Bkeps winter better than bar-frame
hives 'i They (the straw skeps) cannot be contracted;
and, given a reasonably strong and healthy hive, I do
not see that there can be any theoretical reason that a
bar-frame hive should be treated differently. An in-
stance has recently c mi ■ under my observation which
conlirms me in this opinion. A friend of mine being
overcrowded bad sent a hive or t wo to some little dis-
tance during the summer, and had neglected to fetch or
look at them in the autumn. When they were brought
hack in the spring matters were found to be in the fol-
lowing state: — The crate of sections (which were half
filled) had been left on, and the stocks were extremely
Strong. Other hives at home, which had been nursed,
contracted, fed, and fadded after, not being able to ' hold
a candle to them.' What could be the reason of this but
the following: — 1. The bees had been allowed to keep a
proper quantity of food. ;.'. There had been plenty of
room for them to breed in the spring. S. There had
been access over the frames to the stores, thus preventing
the possibility of what sometimes happens, viz., the bees
dying off with plenty of stores in the hive. 4. There
was a sufficient space left to give ventilation.
The deductions I draw from these facts are : — (a.) It
is advisable to leave a strong, healthy stock with plenty
of room. (6.) If the doubling system is practised, for
which purpose a bar-frame hive is most suitable, the
whede of the bottom hive should be given to the bees to
winter on. (c.) If much honey has been taken the hives
should be fed up in autumn to a good weight.
I have also come to the conclusion that the fact of free
access over the frames is most important to the welfare
of the bees, and purpose this next winter to use a board
sufficiently large to cover the frames, aud titttd with a
strip all around a quarter of an inch thick, to give a bee-
space. I shall cut a hole in the centre for the purpose
of a feeder, or for candy-cake feeding, if necessary, and
think that it will make a warm aud compact covering, of
course, with the assistance of quilts, old carpet, and other
suitable material. Those who use a hone3"-board with a
bee-space over the frames will, of course, have just the
thing for the purpose. The excluder-zinc will be most
suitable for giving access to the feeder, or candy-cake.
The only disadvantage I can see is that such an arrange-
ment would necessitate a total uncovering of the top of
the frames whenever an examination was made. I think
this, however, might have the advantage of preventing
over-manipulation. There is no doubt that much harm
is done by unnecessarily disturbing the bees in winter,
and in summer as well.
546
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 8, 1888.
It strikes me too, that a bar-frame hive is much the
best for all ordinary purposes. It can most conveniently
be used for doubling purposes, if extracted honey is the
object. It can, with equal facility, be used for sections,
being just the size to take twenty-one section crates.
Any number of crates can be piled on each other by
using ekes. The body box (even with double walls) can
be constructed so that they are exactly square, thus
allowing the bars to be either parallel or at right angles
(I am always puzzled to distinguish which is which).
In fact, I do not see that there is any advantage that can
be reaped from any other description of hive that cannot
be obtained from bar-frame ones. I have recently made
a couple of them, and I am so pleased with them that I
think I shall use no other size in the future.
One other point as to wintering has struck me as being
worthy of consideration. No doubt in many cases it has
been necessary to feed very late this year, and there is a
corresponding danger of dysentery and wet hives in con-
sequence. The point that struck me is that these dangers
will, in a great measure, be avoided if a good dry cake of
candy is put over the frames of such hives as are subject
to the danger I have mentioned. The surplus moisture
would be absorbed in the sugar, and the bees enabled by
this means to consume it. Further than this, the use of
these cakes of candy is equivalent to any device that I
have heard of for providing a winter passage over the
frames. For this reason it is advisable to use them in
all cases, but most especially in thus,. I have alluded to, of
late feeding and unsealed food. — II. P.D.
WINTERING BEES.
_ [18G7\] It is rather strange that we have treated the
' insect ' (the honey bee) in just the diametrically opposite
way to the natural life of other insects. Other insects
do hibernate either by finding out a place of nearly even
temperature near to the freezing point, or on a place
where they really freeze, and where they can be kept-
frozen for months. When Nordenkjold some years ago
doubled the North Cape, a country without human
beings, and without woods, his company landed there,
and the entomologist saw plenty of bees— Apis melliftca.
How is it possible for these bees to winter there, and
not hibernate? Certainly they are not packed in
chaff. Three years ago, in a severe winter of long
duration (six and a half months), the thermometer for
weeks showing 303 0., a reverend gentleman in Weren-
land (here in Sweden) had a swarm of bees in a single-
walled hive of one-inch board. This and some skeps were
in the care of a cottager far away, and he forgot to
winter those bees until it was too late. Fortunately the
entrance was very wide. The skeps, however, as usual,
were covered with straw caps, and small entrances,
further diminished by the bees propolising them. These
bees died, but in the unprotected one-inch board hive
they came out in the spring in very good condition.
I have used your (the Oowan) hive for years. When
the entrance occupies the whole front of the inner hive,
generally only A in. by 8 in., it is a very good hive, but
previously to this alteration I was not successful.
In the British Bee Journal some twelve years back the
Carr-Stewarton hive was very much praised. In hives
convenient to handle, as well for the bees (these not being
disturbed) as for the bee-keeper, you will always get the
greatest honey crop, all other conditions being equal.
Much troubling the bees is loss of In me;/. I don't care
much for sections (they will not pay here, fetching
scarcely any price), but shallow frames are always as
good when forcing bees to supers provided with frames
for extracting. I have used these shallow frames for
years. I am satisfied deeper ones are preferable for bees
to winter upon. You are quite right when you tell and
speak of the necessary conditions for successful wintering
being, plenty of bees, plenty of good food, plenty of ventila-
tion without draught, and good protection. I, for my part .
do not care if it is light or heather honey ; it does not
matter, so far as my experience goes, so long as the
honey is capped and the stores sufficient. But, above
all, successful wintering depends on plenty of ventilation :
and in using the shallow frames it is easier to ventilate
than in hives with deeper frames, and to be sure plenty
of fresh air is indispensable.
In November 1883 a bee-keeper of the old style living
here at 60°N. latitude lost by theft one of his hives (skeps).
In the mouth of March his daughter was going to the
pasture ground in the neighbourhood, intending to gather
some sticks for burning, when she chanced to tread upon
something, and upon examining it she found it was the
stolen skep covered up with snmoiat at least three months.
The skep was lying bottomless and bottom upwards, full
of snow. She lifted it up, got the snow out, and carried
the skep home, when it was found the combs were
broken, most of them taken away as well as the honey,
but still there remained a cluster of living bees. The
proprietor, not knowing what to do with the bees (being
old-fashioned, as I have told you) killed them, although
when entering the warm room they were very lively. .
He was not at all interested to find out if the queen was
with them, but certainly she was, for if not I don't
think they would have lived for so long a time, especially
after having been robbed and so carelessly treated. Well,
after that, what is one to think about McFadden and the
freezing theory, hibernation, &c, ? — Hy. Stalhammah,
Guttenberg.
BEE -KEEPING IN NATAL.
[1868."| Enclosed I forward you specimen of a wild
flower growing in great profusion here, and is the best
honey-producing plant that I have yet been able to find
in the vicinity of Durban. I think it flowers only about
once in three years, and has been during the last season
growing in enormous quantities, it having been the finest
honey season in Natal for many years. If you will,
kindly give me name of species through B.B.J. I have
about thirty-five colonies, and have done very well with
them the last season, taking as much at 60 lbs. from a
hive in about five weeks, it being extracted honey, as
sections are rather a luxury out here in this part of the
world. I have had a few hundred very well filled, and
for which I had to pay •'>/. 10s. per 1000 for the ordinary
4| x 4 \ x 2 sections, so that there was far more to be
made out of extracting than sections at that price. I am
now getting some direct from England, so that this
coming season I shall work chiefly for section honey.
English bee-keeping is a great failure, I see by B.J.,
this season. The wet is a thing we are never troubled
with out here; three days' continuous rain is the longest
we ever get. Our rainy season has just set in, and we
generally get a good downpour in a few hours by the
style it rain? here. I take a great pleasure in the perusal
of Bee Journal. Practical experience and notes from
Journal are all we get here, as we can get no one here
that can give any practical lessons in bee-keeping. We
have a far better, or rather easier, field for bee-keeping
than either England or America, as we have to make no
special preparations for wintering. An ordinary single-
walled hive is all that is necessary, as our temperature
is never very low, never any frost ; bees able to fly every
day in the year, rainy days excepted. — D. .1. Spenceb,
Durban, Port JSlatut.
[We are unable to determine the identity of the
flower enclosed, as the small portion of inflorescence is
insufficient for its botanical characters to be determined
with precision. It, however, belongs to the natural
order, iMbiata', an order of plants to which many of our
best honey-secreting plants belong, viz., catmint, hore-
hound, wild sage, thyme, marjoram, motherwort, rose-
mary, &c. Could notour correspondent forward a small
packet of seeds, in order that its properties as a bee-
flower may be tested in this country r — En.]
Novembers, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
547
THE QUALITY OF BORGUE HONEY.
[1869.] With all due respect to the gentleman
named in the communication of 'A. McN.' which ap-
peared on page 4'M, I must demur to the assertion
that 'A Renfrewshire Bee-keeper' has done more to pro-
mote successful bee-culture than any other gentleman in
Scotland. What about the veterans, W. Raitt, of Blair-
gowrie, W. Thompson, of Blantyre, the late James
Anderson, of Dairy, and \V. McNally, of Glenluce, and
a host of others" who have done yeoman service in
keeping up the good name of the country they belong to,
both as practical bee-masters and prize-winners at com-
petitions throughout the kingdom? 'A. R, B.' has, no
doubt, done good service to the cause of bee-keeping, and
we are pleased to have a grateful remembrance of his ser-
vices to the good cause, but there are others now who grasp
the reins of progress so far as Scotland is concerned.
Now to the main point, anent the prevalent delusion
that Borgue honey is superior to other districts of Scot-
land. As a honey-dealer and one that has handled honey
produced from all parts of the globe, 1 am in a position
to refute the statement that honey raised in the district of
Borgue has any peculiarities from that raised in other
parts of Scotland, in fact, it is behind some of our honey-
producing localities both in flavour and consistency.
But to make a long story short, if 'A. Mc.N.' will forward
to you, Mr. Editor, a sample of Borgue honey, I will
send samples from three other districts in Scotland and
will ask you to kindly submit these samples — without
pointing out any particular sample — to one or two of our
best honey judges in England, whose decision I shall
accept as final in giving their award ; such a test will,
in my opinion, settle the point as to the claim of Borgue
honey being superior to any other in Scotland.
I enclose my card ami shall be pleased to hear, Mr.
Editor, if you will kindly undertake the duty of sub-
mitting the samples of honey to competent judges. If
' A. Mc.N.' does not accept of this as a fair offer and
challenge let us hear no more of the craze of Borgue
honey being superior to that produced within a radius of
from five to fifty miles from the second city in the
empire. — Saint Munoo.
[We consider it would be preferable if the samples of
honey were submitted to some of the experienced Scotch
bee-keepers named in your letter. Southern palates do
not always appreciate northern honey. We remember at
the dinner at South Kensington that the heather honey
liberally given away on the occasion by a Scotch bee-
master did not please the palates of some English bee-
keepers present. But should our correspondent find a
difficulty in accepting our suggestion, we will with
pleasure submit the samples to competent judges. — El).]
ocs from tbc libcs.
South Cornwall, Nov. 'Jnd. — Never before in the
memory of bee-keepers — who really keep their bees and
do not leave their bees to keep themselves — has a season
ended as this has done. Lamentations are general. To
be more particular, 1 may say that, on going west a few
days ago, I learned that one of our members, who three
years ago produced 16 cwt. of honey, had lost half his
hives ; while another is reduced to a stock of hybrids
(ceteris paribus, in favour of foreigners). In many
cottage gardens bees will be extinct. A little feeding is
done (worse than useless), but where enthusiasm is
lacking, time, and trouble, and expense, are begrudged.
It is not so witli all, and those who feed adequately now
will deserve their reward next year. Having been absent
from home, I began my work late, but with the help of
some old stores, and after uniting, I hope it will be
satisfactory. — C. R. S.
;i Shakespeare Street, Stratford-on-Auon, Nov. 3rd, —
Please accept m}r thanks for the help you have given me
in my six years of bee-keeping. I have taken .3000 lbs. of
comb-honey in four years. I now count fifty-eight stocks,
forty of them are stocks made of driven bees taken in
five years. I have sold, or should have had many more.
No finished sections this year. Seven hundredweight of
sugar, made into 1000 lbs. of syrup, carried in cans to my
allotment garden, one-third of a mile, has been my even-
ing's work last month. Sir, you will sav, Nil desperandum.
— T. B.
Soitfhbruok, Great Ayton, Nov. 3rd. — I am sorry to say
this year has been a great failure every way. For my
own part I have got no honey, and am feeding all my
stocks. — John Dixon.
'l'lu- School, Qrampound Road, Cornwall, Nov. 3rd. —
My honey crop this }*ear has turned out to be a com-
plete failure, and worse than that, I have to feed them
for the winter. — A. Hughes.
Brondesburg, November 5th. — The past season, though
bad, has not been so bad as last year in this locality.
The fruit-blossoms yielded a good crop, and though the
clover failed the limes yielded a fair quantity- of honey.
Lust year the limes failed also. A neighbour took forty
sections from one hive, and one of my hives yielded
thirty-six sections, although I lost a swarm from it. At
the end of May this hive had forty-two sections, nearly
all more or less sealed, but the bees used most of them
up before the limes came out. In September there was
another honey-How, the bees coming home covered with
white. Of this they stored in the frames about eight
pounds a hive. I observe that hardly any pollen has
been stored, and it will probably run shm-t in the spring.
— T.E.L.
North Wales. — I have only been able to take about
•'! lbs. of honey this year from one hive (Baker's A 1),
from which I have had a swarm and cast, the latter
early in July, and one swarm from a. straw skep. I have
been mucli troubled with wasps, but have not seen any
enter the skeps and frame-hive with swarm, only the two
old stocks, but they have been quickly bowled over by
the bees — in about two minutes.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS
W. Stevens. — Felt Quilts. — The quilts you propose to
use in two or three layers will allow the necessary
ventilation; it should not be damp if the roof is water-
proof and there is a hole for ventilation. You will
find this sufficient for ventilation, more cspeciallv if
the entrance be open to nearly full width. Take care
not to have it too high, or it will allow the rain to
enter. Eight inches by three-eighths of an inch is a
good size. .
North Wales. — Sugar Cake. — This may be given in
the way you suggest, but the more excellent way
would be on the top of the frames above the cluster.
W. S. — Glass Sections. — The glass sections referred
to were exhibited at the Conversazione of the
B. B. K. A. held in June last, but we have heard
nothing of the exhibitor since that time. We pur-
pose to place ourselves in communication with him.'
D. II. D. — The book mentioned is sufficiently rare to
warrant you in giving the price required, but its
rarity, rather than the information it would afford, is
its recommendation.
B. M. J. — 1. Earliest Time to begin Stimulative Feed-
ing.— Beginning of March if the weather is warm.
For pollen-feeding as soon as crocuses bloom. 2. Time
Drones ought to be Flying. — Towards the end of
April. 3. Increase of Colonies without diminishing
Honey-yield. — Directly any increase in stocks takes
place the honey-yield in proportion diminishes. An
increase from six to nine would be a very fair one.
4. Increase of Colonies without providing Queens to
Pare?it Stocks. — A reduction of about ten per cent in
548
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 8, 1888.
-91
b
honey-yield. 5. When can Queen-rearing be started?
— As soon as drones are flying. 6. Probability of
pure Fertilisation of Queens. — In this country the
probability of pure fertilisation by selected drones is
very remote, unless the drones are raised before others
are so in the same district of at least four miles in
extent. There are some isolated places where few
bees are kept that true fertilisation can be fairly well
assured, but these are quite the exception.
J. M. C. — Queen mated. — This queen, being in tolerably
fresh coudition, and therefore a fairly good subject for
dissection, has been examined without the discovery of
any signs of injury or malformation. The spermatheca
seemed in normal condition, and was found to contain
innumerable spermatozoa in a healthy state, so that
your query as to whether she had been mated can be
answered, without hesitation, in the affirmative. The
tracheal system appeared also to be healthy, but the
appearance of the other contents of the abdomen was
that of emaciation; the ovaries were greatly atrophied
and of a much darker colour than is usually the case
in a healthy and fresh specimen, the comparatively
few ova which they contained being in a condition
suggestive of decomposition or disintegration, giving
us the impression that the insect must have been both
old and suffering from innutrition.
C. K. S. — Singular Deposit in Cells. — The use to which
the bees have put the cells is certainly novel. The
pieces of comb are well worthy of preservation as
curiosities. The composition appears to be a mixture of
wax and propolis. But we are lost in conjecture as to
the intent of the bees in their deposition.
Correction.— P. S35, col. 1, line 30 from bottom, for 14"xl6"
read UH-
^Business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 25Ga Hotwell Koad, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Boett, K. J., Stroud Eoad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hotchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M-, Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Kegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Kegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Kegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & 0o.f 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREW, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONOSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBT, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
BlcNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR L SON, 140 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. T„ Wensum Street, Norwich.
RDDKLN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW. A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
TZHIIE
British Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS.
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting- our Home Industries, to become Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of the
Association's work.
Subscriptions, fis. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £5.
The Association carries out its work by —
The holding of Annual Exhibitions ;
Assisting County Associations ;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture;
The disposal of Bee-produce, &c, &c, &c.
Secretary: John Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts
The oldest Weekly Bee Paper in the World.
THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL
Established in 1861.
Price 6s. &d. per annum, post free.
T. G. Nbwman, 925 West Madison Street, Chicago, U.S.A.
London Agents: Messrs. GEO. NEIGHBOUB & SONS,
149 Beoent Street, W.
London : Printed by Strahgewats & Sons, at their Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in the Pariah of St. Giles's-in-thc-
Fields, in the County of Middlesex ; and Published for the Proprietor by Kekt & Co., 23 Paternoster Row, in the same county.— Nov. 8, 1888.
I
In}
OS
Communications to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbanqewaxs' Pbinting Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 334. Vol. XVI.]
NOVEMBER 15, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(flfoitartal, Uottas, tit.
LANGSTROTH FUND.
My Dear Mrt. Cowan,
Yours of the 5th insL, with 2-'V. 5«. C,,/. for
the Langstroth Fund, is received. It is not neces-
sary that I should offer any words of thanks to
you and your countrymen for your aid in this
worthy work, for the reward comes with the doing ;
yet I would do violence to my own feelings did I
not express to you my deep feeliug of gratitude
that God has prompted you to this act. I am sure
I know the bee-keepers of America well enough to
say that I am speaking for them when I say, ' Thank
you, thank you.' Surely such things bring us
nearer together. The ocean is not quite so wide as
it was. The bond of friendly feeling between the
two countries grows stronger each day ; and if I
were ever to stray so far from these ' western
wilds ' as to find myself on 'Albion's green isle,' I
am quite certain I could sing ' God save the Queen !'
as heartily as any of you.
Most cordially yours,
Marengo, October lith. C. C. Miller.
SIMMINS' BEE COMPANY, LIMITED,
In Liquidation.
We very much regret that the Directors of the
above Company, after painfully toiling through a
very short existence, have found themselves unable
to carry on the business entrusted to them through-
out another season, and that they are desirous of
being relieved from the responsibility of further
representing the interests of the shareholders. They
have, therefore, come to the determination of winding-
up the Company voluntarily.
In the Report issued by the Directors, a copy of
which has been forwarded to us, the circumstances
which have brought about the above untoward
result are stated to have been, — (1), Insufficient
Capital. Only about 200 shares have been applied
for and allotted, and consequently from the com-
mencement of the undertaking the endeavours of
the Directors have been hampered and frustrated
by the small amount of capital at their disposal.
(2.) The Lowfield Apiary. The hopes expected to
be derived from the working the business of this
apiary have, from various specified causes which it
is not desirable to ventilate in our columns, proved
delusive. (3.) Foul Brood. The difficulties of the
Company have been much complicated, and the
expected business considerably reduced, by a very
severe epidemic of foul brood in the Lowfield
apiary. (4.) The late Bad Season. The abnormally
cold season has seriously diminished the business
of the Company, and disastrously affected one of
the specialties of the Rottingdean branch, namely,
queen-rearing. For many weeks it was totally
impossible to get any queens fertilised, and the
queens raised had to be destroyed, and the work
all to be gone over again in hopes of better weather.
The brighter weather never arrived ; the destruc-
tion had to be repeated several times ; and besides
the trouble and expense this occasioned, the appli-
cants for queens became wearied out by the delay,
demanded the return of their remittances, and in
many instances withdrew their support.
The honey yield, too, has, like that of the majo-
rity of bee-keepers, been extremely small. The
Report, however, states that, ' notwithstanding all
the adverse circumstances, the business done by
the Company has amounted to 500/., clearly
proving that, if the season had been good, and the
Company had been formed in time to take full
advantage of it, a very different complexion would
have been put upon the report they are uow unfor-
tunately compelled to make.'
The Directors consider their failure is due to
causes beyond their control, and they deeply regret
that their conjoint efforts have not been rewarded
with success.
The Report concludes with the amount of the
liabilities aud assets of the Company.
At a meeting which was held at Page's Restau-
rant, St. James's Street, Brighton, on November
3rd, the following resolutions were passed : —
'That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the
Meeting that the Company cannot by reason of its
liabilities continue its business, and that it is advisable
to wind up the same voluntarily.'
'That Mr. William Martin Graham, of Latymer
Lodge, Church Street, Lower Edmonton, in the County
of Middlesex, be appointed Liquidator.'
550
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 15, 1888.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
Ob, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Words
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
See-skip. n. — A bee-hive. (West.)
See-space, n. The largest space through -which
bees may pass freely and in which they are least liable
to build brace combs. It is usually T\ to barely g of an
inch.
See-stabber. — An insect found in the Southern
States of America (Euthyrhi/nclius Floridanus) which
pierces the bee and sucks its juices.
Bee-stall, n. (A.-Sax. sta-lan, to place.)— A bee-
hive. (Provincial and archaic.)
Bee-stand, n, {Sax., old Sax. and Goth, standan.)—
A bench, framework, or other support on which a hive
stands; the place occupied by a hive or hives.
Bee-stock, n. — Bees from the time of hiving them
to Michaelmas are usually called snarms, after that time
they are denominated stocks; and this term includes
bees, combs, and the contents of the hives, but not the
hives themselves.
See-tent. n. (L. tentorium,iromtendere,to stretch.)
— An enclosure of tine black netting, within which manip-
ulations with live bees take place in public, and lectures
arc given by experts; in the outer circle enclosed by
canvas the audience witness the manipulations without
danger of being stung; tent of netting to cover hive
and bee-keeper during- manipulations, to guard against
robber bees from other hives.
See-trap. /(. (Sax.trappe,trep.) -A device arranged
in such a way that the bees can readily leave a hive or
super, but are not able to return.
Bee-tree. ».— A tree in which bees have taken up
their residence.
Bee-veil, n {L. velum, from velare, to cover.) — Veil
made of netting to cover the face whilst working with
bees, to avoid being stung-.
Beeves. ?i. ph — A corruption of bee-hives. (Mid-
Sussex.)
Bee-worm. ».— See Bee-maggot.
Bee-yard. n. See Bee-fold and Bee-garden.
Bees-play.— The flight of young- lues when they
flrst leave and hover about in front of the hive; the
first Might of bees after confinement or change of locality.
Bees-wax. n. — A secretion of the wax-glands passing
through the disks situated on the ventral abdominal
plates of the worker to the wax-pockets. It is worked
up by the bees, made plastic with saliva, and used for
building their combs.
See-wine. n. — Nectar of flowers, (Provincial.)
Beli-bird. n. — A species of Australian honey-eater
(Myzantha melanophrys) whose note resembles the tinkling
of a small bell.
Bell-glass, re. — See Bee-glass.
Bellows-smoker, re.— A small bellows attached
to a tin cylinder charged with smouldering fuel, through
which, air being forced, a dense volume of smoke is made
to issue from the nozzle.
Beming- vol. sb., obs. (.1/. F.&nc\ Scotch, Bemvng.)—
Humming of bees; buzzing.
Bevel, sb. (Fr. Ilircau.) A slope from the right
angle ; an obtuse angle ; an instrument for setting off
angles.
Sovel. v.— To cut away or otherwise bring to a slope.
GLEANINGS.
In the American Bee Journal, G. Wendelken says he
prefers sulphuric to carbolic acid for the cure of fold
brood. He says the sulphuric acid is mixed in the
proportions of one part acid to 700 parts of syrup, and
fed to the bees; and prefers this because it is easier,
quicker, and cheaper. An ounce of sulphuric acid only
costs from 5 to 10 cents, and the curative effect will go
as far as the other acids do. In 1838 he cured his
hives in Germany with little labour and thinks he can
do so now, because there is no difference between foul
brood in Germany and that in America.
In the American Apicu/turist, respecting bees swarm-
ing out in spring Li. W. Demaree says: Nearly all
authors and writers, so far as I have seen, are wide of
the mark as to the true cause of swarming-out. They
tell us that young queens are lost at mating- time by
entering- the wrong hive, and that the swarming-out
mania is caused by 'dissatisfaction' with the condition
of the hive, iiupenling starvation, &c. Such facts are
only apparent. In tact they are not facts at all.
Swarming-out is the result of the absence of a sufficient
quantity of young bees to keep company with the queen
when a general flight of the workers takes place, rind-
ing herself so nearly deserted, the queen becomes excited
and takes wing witli the workers, and the excited colony
may return to their home, and they may not ; in the
latter contingency, it is a case of 'swarming-out.' A
" desired, and i ha\e had at one time over
on i hundred stocks in my apiary, all the progeny of
queens supplied by him, and nut one has shown any
traces o£ yellow band-. Their quietness, prolificness,
and general go id qualities have been amply proved, and
1 may say that dozens of bee-keepers who have visited
my apiary during the past two years (you, Mr. Editor,
among others) will testify to the truth of the first two
named qualities (gentleness and prolificness).
I will pa-s witli the contempt it deserves Mr. Benton's
ill-mannered remark about my condemnation of the
Eastern races of bees, ' never having learned to manipu-
late them/ being quite prepared to be judged in this
matter by our bee-keepers, to whom I have now been
well known for the past few years. Mr. Benton's case
mu?t be a bad one when he has to resort to what I
Consider abuse.
1 have now to deal with the second-grade queens. I
have at times had a demand fur low-priced queens,
which demand, as a dealer, I have had to meet. I here
state, most clearly and emphatically, that the only second-
grade queens I ever imported were supplied to me by
Mr. Benton himself, and that I ceased after last season
to take any more from him on account of the puur quality
and the general dissatisfaction they gave.
1 think that this will close my own ease, but as an
attack lias been made on Mr. Dokoupil, and as he does
not read English, and will probably never know the
chaiges that have been made against him, 1 feel that it
is my duty to defend his cause.
Mr. Benton has directly charged him with dishonesty,
also with making false statements. The latter charge 1
am able, to disprove. Mr. Dokoupil did send me 100
queens in 16^7, and I was perfectly satisfied with them,
probably fifty to seventy being retained in my own
apiary, and they were thus tested and found satisfactory.
The statement, too, that Mr. Dokoupil has not been able
to land more than a small percentage of his bees in
America is also probably a false one, as I consider he is
able to pack bees for shipment by mail quite equal to
Mr. Benton. The most serious charge, however, that
Benton makes against Dokoupil amounts practically to
the obtaining of goods under false pretences — that is,
receiving queens alive, and stating that they arrived
dead.
in the first case, one queen only is sent ; it is reported
dead, and then it is insinuated that it arrived alive.
Now, in this case Mr. Benton had a perfectly clear
remedy. He should have demanded the return of the
dead queen or the payment of the money. Nothing
would have been more simple, and the case would have
been cleared up. Why, too, did he continue to send to
him fifteen queens in 1835, and twenty-nine in 1886, if
previous dealings had not been satisfactory!-' It is a
well-known fact that many of the queens from the East
did not travel safely : and when I was at Munich in 1S86
Mr. Benton himself informed me that, had ho known
as much of packing bees for mailing purposes during the
past two or three years as hi then did (ltiSG), he would
have saved himself very serious loss. But now he has
turned round and accused the receiver of the queens of
fraud when the cause of death of queens might lay at
his own door. The case is clearly one of trade rivalry
between Benton and Dokoupil. — Thomas B. Blow
(cf Welwyn, Herts), Watertown, Wis., U.S.A.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1873.] With reference to Mr. A. D. Woodley's letter
in last week's issue, I shall be much obliged if you will
allow me to say, in justice to the other members of the
Committee, that I must not be considered in this matter
as ' representing the views of the Committee of the
British U.K. A.' I do not even know the views of two-
thirds of the members. I, and I only, am responsible
for what 1 said. My object in opening the debate was
to invite discussi in, criticism, and correspondence on a
subject that needs ventilating, and iu due time I shall
have something more to say on the subject; but mean-
while 1 have to thank Mr. Woudlev for attacking me in
his own name, instead of manipulating my speech as an
'Amateur Expert,' or sitting upon me as an ' Useful
Hint.'— J. LlNGRN Skahkk, The Orange, Stevenage,
Nov. 12th. i
THE B. B. K. A. AND AFFILIATED
ASSOCIATIONS.
[1874.] I feel quite sure that Mr. Seager did not
intentionally mean to be 'impolite' to the county
represent itive who first proposed the resolution re
Wind or Show. There is no doubt that in the — shall I
call it ;j — excitement of debate the first proposal was
overlooked aael a second one substituted. — W. B.
Webster.
THE FUTURE OF BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATIONS.
[1876.] I take it from what has passed as printed in
your Journal during the past six or eight mouths that
there is a desire amongst some who take an interest in
the b.e industry to improve the condition of the British
and all other Ass iciations connected with bee-keeping.
The sale of honey has unfortunately not been the bete
noir this season; and now the British Honey Company
ha- had its fling, and not answered the purpose it was
formed for, can we do better than look to the wholesale
Co-operative Societies to be the means of distributing
all surplus honey ? This is a question the Committee of
any and every Bee Association might take up.
All parties I have come in contact witli want to keep
the British B.K.A. on its feet, and I think, though many
will .-ay Bee Associations will get on without the British
as at present conducted, it would be to the benefit of all
if the British was conducted on the lines of a large-
minded central authority. Now, would it not tend in
this direction if the Presidents of all affiliated Associa-
tions were asked to attend the next annual meeting of
the British ? Many of the Presidents take no interest
in their County Associations ; but if they were shown
by attending a meeting of the British what a useful
work can he done in the counties, their energies might
be aroused ; but I am quite aware the meeting would
have to be businesslike, not similar to the last, viz., a
lot put on the agenda paper and backed out of without
55G
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 15, 1888.
explanation, and in ail probability the meeting would
have tu be adjourned, or another called for at a date
when more of the county Presidents are in or near
town.
For near three years I have been travelling each
quarter 400 miles to meet the Committee of the British,
who have been, to say the least, lax in their attendance,
until at last, in October 1338, when important subjects
are promised to be brought forward, there are three
British Committeemen to meet the Representatives, and
one of those unfortunately so deaf that when 10/. is
offered to assist to make better prizes at a Royal Show,
he gets up and says the British are too poor to listen to
increased prizes. I have neither time uor money for a
recurrence of such a scene, and if matters cannot be
changed at the coming annual meeting, I will put mv
energies into another bee channel.
I make no mention of suggested alterations in rules of
affiliation, as those are under consideration by a duly
authorised sub-Committee. — Wjt, Lees McClure, The
Lathams, Prescot, November 10th.
[We regret that any personal affliction should inter-
fere with the capabilities of any, more especially of
those who give their services with an earnest desire to
benefit their fellow-men, and we also regret that such
affliction should have been made the subject of public
comment. "\Ve are fully aware of the inconvenience
experienced by our correspondent in journeying to and
from town, and sincerely hope that his well-meant efforts
to benefit bee-keeping will long continue to be in the
interests of the B.B.K.A. — Ed.]
YORKSHIRE ASSOCIATION— JUDGING.—
SCHEDULES.
[1870.] I fail to gather from Mr. Seager's paper what
benefit the North East of Yorkshire, for instance, derives
from either its own or the British Association. I do
not wish to bring my name forward, but I have been a
member of both, and have often been asked, ' What are
you doing?' — a very awkward question to answer. I
am afraid very little; we get no literatiire.no expert ever
visits us; and were it not for the British Bee Journal we
would never know what is going on. I am not going to
say a wrord against my friend, Mr. Grimshaw; be is full
of life and energy, but one man can only do so mm h:
and if we do not try to get some one else interested I am
afraid we will die out as an Association.
Another thing I want to bring forward is the judging
of hives at County Shows. If we get south-country
judges, they may know the best sort of hives for the
south, but do they know the best for a county like York-
shire, where most of the hives are regularly shifted to the
moors, and extractors are almost unknown P Schedules
are also very faulty, and an exhibitor hardly knows what
he is required to show. Excuse me, Mr. Editor, if I
have said too much, but your valuable paper is the only
way that I know that I can ventilate my views. — A
YoRKSHIREMAN.
[We would refer our correspondent to Mr. Seager's
remark, that the benefits derived from affiliation arc
more or less in accordance with the efficiency of the local
Association itself. Under the present rules of affiliation
(1), medals and certificates of more than the value of
the affiliation fee are offered for competition at the local
shows; (2), members of the local Associations exhibit at
the shows of the Central Association at the reduced fees
—we are informed, on good authority, that half the en-
tries made at the Nottingham Exhibition were made under
this bead ; (3), the literature published by the Central
Society can be purchased at the ordinary trade rate, in-
cluding certificate suitable for offering as prizes at village
shows ; and, lastly, but by no means least, there is the
privilege of being affiliated with a Society which has for
its object the extension of a home industry. We would
advise our correspondent to give us his ideas as to the
improvement he thinks might be effected in some prac-
tical shape.
It would require ' Atlantean shoulders' to bear the
weight of an Association for a large, unwieldy county
like Yorkshire. But it would prove a great alleviation
of the burden borne by Mr. Grimshaw, and conduce to
the promotion of the industry in which we are interested,
if the county could be divided into districts ; and we
might suggest that our correspondent should put his
shoulder to the wheel, and endeavour to establish a
district Association in his locality ; and, further, having
a knowledge of his great capabilities as a bee-keeper,
we might express a hope that he should take a personal
interest in its conduct. — Ed.]
THE CHOICE OF A HIVE.
[1877.] On arriving in the United States twenty-five
years ago, I had never seen shallow hives. In all those
that I knew, the Lombard, the Radouau, and even
the Debeauvoys, the combs were higher than they were
broad. Also the first hives that I made very nearly
resembled the Layens, reduced to eight or nine frames.
As soon as I was able to translate a little English, with
the help of a dictionary, I procured the American Bee
Journal, then the Mysteries of Bee-keeping by Crumby.-
I bought this book first, instead of Langstroth's, because
it only cost one dollar (four shillings) instead of two,
for, by emptying my puree, giving' even the lining, its
old leather, and the pinchbeck clasp, it would have been
impossible for me to find two dollars. Quinby seemed to
me unreasonable with such a long frame as he had adopted.
Like many other bee-keepers, before comparing another
hive with my own, I had made my choice, and I boasted
of what I then called my favourite hive. Nevertheless,
Quinby obtained honey with his hive. They spoke of
a harvest of twenty-two thousand pounds, which he had
sold at oneshilling and eight pencea poundin paper money.
This was a fortune of which the idea alone turned my
head. I then gave up my first favourite in order to try
his hive.
Two observations had shown me the value of large
hives. The friend with whom I stayed on arriving here
had seven or eight hives, of which one was enormous,
made of planks 00 centimetres high by 40 or 45 broad.
The sap of the front plank having rotted, left an opening
of 3 or 4 centimetres from the top to the bottom of the
hive. The bees of this hive had survived, whilst those
of all the others, which were smaller, had died, and had
been replaced by swarms. I asked the age of the colony,
and Mr. Charpentier's father-in-law, your subscriber,
who had sold it, told me that it had existed at least
twenty years.
One of my neighbours, whose hives were suspended on
simple cross sleepers, not closed, the bottom of the boxes
being without floor-boards, showed me one day combs
that filled the space between the hives, and which
contained honey and brood, the queen not having had
enough room iii the hive, this being, however, of an
ordinary good size.
About the same time a bee-keeper called Jasper Hazen
stated in the Journal that he was obtaining enormous
returns by surrounding the brood-chamber with little
boxes placed on the sides, at the back, and above. ' I
must try that,' said I to myself. I had bought cheaply
some second-hand carpenter's tools. For want of money
I pulled up parts of the floor from the granary of the
log-house in which we were living to get the boards that
I wanted for this purpose. As that was not enough, con-
sidering the size of the hives, I bought at a very low price
some hard deal planks, which had been sawn from a tree
that had not been squared, and which I planed and
replaned, sawed and resawed, over and over again to
equalise the breadth of the planks in order to make
frames of them. In short. 1 succeeded, although my
November 15, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
557
hard deal planks warped, becamo unnailed, lengthened
or shortened more or less in proportion with the soft pine
planks with which they were joined.
In spite of all this, however, I succeeded in making
thirty-two hives, with Quinby frames, capable of holding,
besides the eight frames of the Quiuby hive, such as he
described it, boxes on the sides and at the back, as Ilazen
advised, without counting the super. But I soon found
that the bees preferred to put the honey above the brood.
Then I tilled the sides of the hive with frames, and I
also placed three at the back, in all seventeen. This waa
too many ; my fourteen frames in the front, even reduced
to twelve by two division-boards, were also too many,
and I therefore reduced the capacity of the hive to eleven
frames.
However, I had bought an Italian queen for five
dollars (£T.) I hesitated for some time before spending
80 much, but I hoped to rear queens and to recoup my-
self from the profit that I should make by them. My
wife and I were going to live in a hut without doors or
windows, in the middle of the woods, for five or six
weeks in the summer, to pick berries off shrubs, called
here blackberries, and which our son Camilla was to sell
in the market. 1 still see my wife's look when I took
this sum in order to send him. She said nothing; she
loved me too much to make the slightest objection, but
I read by her eyes that she could have found plenty of
ways of utilising so large a sum of money. My rearing
of queens succeeded. My first sale of queens realised
nineteen dollars. One day, the following year, a man,
rather shabbily dressed, appeared and asked t<> see my
Italian bees. Then he selected six or seven queens,
which I gave him in small boxes. I still remember my
wife's astonishment when I put into her hand the nine-
teen greenbacked dollars (they call greenback, in the
United States, paper money, of which the back is green.)
She coidd not believe her eyes. From that time I began
not only to sell queens, but also colonies of Italian
My reader will certainly think that I am a long way
from my subject, however, it was this rearing of Italians
that led me to compare the Quinby hive with that of
Langstrotb, in the way I bad already- compared it with
my favourite hive, which had now taken the second
place in my estimation. The Langstroth hive was very
extensively used in the United States, and those who
wished to purchase colonies of Italians wanted them in
Langstroth hives, and I lost a good many sales. Then,
in order to supply the demands of my customers, I made
Langstroth hives.
It is well that the reader should know that the Quinby
hives are nearly five centimetres higher and two or three
broader than the Langstroth hives. The result of the
comparison was in favour of the Quinby hive, and,
although we have kept a certain number of Laugstroths
to satisfy the demands of customers our six apiaries are
all furnished with Quinby hives.
As my readers will see, the comparison between these
three kinds of hives was not made with one or two hives
of each sort, but with at least fifty, placed on exactly
the same footing as to pasturage and attention. It is
the result of this comparison on a large scale, and during
twenty years, that has made me so positive in the dis-
cussions which I have had, and which I regret to have
still, on the size of the frames and the capacity of the
hives, because for some years in the United States the
inclination seems to be turning in favour of small hives.
For some other reasons than those supported by facts,
some bee-keepers, who have known how to win the
public ear by fine phrases, condemn big hives, without
even having tried them.
But truth, whatever effort is made to hide it, will in
the end prevail; do we not see M. de Kauschenfels him-
self so opposed to the American hive, say, in the Api-
eultore of last March, that as the facts in" favour of the
horizontal hive with supers seem more conspicuous, it
deserved serious consideration, that he was going to
renew his experiments, and, that if the results were in
its favour, he would enter, arms and baggage, into the
American camp ?
The differences in the returns between the three kinds
of American hives which I have compared, were not as
great as thon or before Monday, December 3rd
HIVE SITUATION.— CELLAR WINTERING.
The modern bee-keeper must leave no stone
unturned that may add to his profits ; and the
subject now under consideration has as much to do
with his success or failure as many other of the
important matters generally brought to the front.
Close observation and a general economy in work-
ing the material one already has in hand go further
towards attaining success than the employment of
every new or expensive apparatus brought to
public notice.
The situation of the hive is of greater import-
ance in winter than at any other season, and we
take tip the position that so long as the sun can
shine upon three out of the four walls of a hive, it
matters little which way the entrance faces. We
have had them placed all ways, and could find no
noticeable difference in the respective results ; but
when we come to the question of distance from the
ground, situation in bee-houses, or sheds, it is quite
a different matter.
It has many times been demonstrated that hives
reared above the ground on legs, do betterthan those
placed just off the earth and resting on a brick or
two. The difference is most apparent in wintering;
the greater dampness nearer the ground, added to
the consequently lower temperature, being detri-
mental, arid, of course, placing at a discount any
colony so situated, if it does not entirely run out
before the summer commences.
Standing in a bee-house, and closed in all round,
as the sun appears the temperature rises quickly,
aud this is of benefit to the whole of the hives :
therefore the direct rays of the sun are of little
moment. With any house arrangement of the
kind, however, the least side will be cold and
shaded towards evening, so that the bees returning
iu the cool evenings of spring and autumn will
Boon strew the ground by the hundreds if hives are
placed along that side. The same will occur with
open sheds, which have the added disadvantage of
draught. In this case, if the hives never feel the
rays of the sun, the winter will not lie far advanced
before dysentery sets in, soon to be followed by
titter ruin of the bees.
Cellar wintering is a plan not much followed in
this country. However, with a temperature ranging
anywhere between 50° and 60°, there being no
disturbance from draughts, and no extremes of
temperature, the sun is of no benefit, ill fact, must
be excluded if we wish the bees to keep quiet
during their long night. The admission of fresh
air by the most suitable means that will provide it
without a through draught is also an important con-
sideration. The windows or doors admitting suchjair
must, be carefully guarded, according to the varia-
tion of temperature outside, and any rapid rise on
the inside induced by any excitement among the
bees at the approach of warmer weather, or from
any other cause.
The hives should be placed on staging arranged
that lie' lower tier ma] stand some eighteen inches
above the floor. Place the hives as far apart as
spuee will permit; block each hive up about an
inch or more from the floor-board, keep the usual
Warm covering on top ; and where they must he
Stacked on each other, see that they are not situated
in such a manner as to give the respective colonies
free access to each other, or so that the free circula-
tion of air is impeded. The bees are not to be con-
fined, but let the hives be spaced about the width
of a hive between, which will prevent any uniting
except it be with some queenless lot.
In a variable climate like ours, it should certainly
be an advantage to be able to place bees in a cellar
during winter, as the preservation of life is great
where an even, temperate atmosphere is secured,
and no flights occur for several months. Why is it
English apiarists have not adopted this method?
Possibly many have not the place suitable ; but,
without a doubt, the great reason has been the very
inconvenient hives iu general use, which are both
too large and awkward to permit of ready handling.
We are now experimenting with some forty
colonies placed in a commodious cellar, ami will
from tirne to time report their progress, as well as
give the special conditions under which the said
stceks have been treated.
561
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 22, 1888.
GLEANINGS.
In the American /lee Journal, L. J. Abbott in a paper
oti division-boards says, how to properly construct a
division-board is of some importance. Solid boards
answer very well, but such are liable to warp, and make
their use not quite so handy as those that are true.
Those made of thin material and the interior tilled with
chaff have advantages. Whatever kinds are used, it is
of importance that the ends have some material of a
yielding nature tacked to them, so as to allow this
board slight friction to hold it when crowded into place.
In the Southern Cultivator, J. M. Jenkins says that
to guard against robbing we must be particular in
opening hives during a dearth of honey-flow, and not
let it commence. There must be no cracks where a
robber-bee may sneak in to get the coveted treasure.
Keep the entrance contracted to correspond with the
strength of the colony, so that they may be able to
guard it. The man that has one real good case of
wholesale robbing' on his hands will never forget it, and
for the time being, at least, he will wish he never saw
a bee.
In the American Bee Journal, J. A. Green, writing on
the theories of the first cause of foul brood, says that
the credence given to them is no doubt largely because
they are in accord with what is known as the ' germ
theory ' of disease. This is a very convenient pair of
shoulders on which to lay the burden of most of the
diseases that afflict the inhabitants of this mundane sphere.
He does not intend to attack this theory, but says that
the whisper, though it is not unheard in scientific circles,
that over-zealous investigators have sometimes mistaken
effect for cause in concluding that because bacilli ac-
company a disease they necessarily produce the disease.
There are objections to the bacillus theory in the case
of foul brood. One is that Cheshire declared himself
unable to detect either bacilli or spores in honey, and
gave it as his opinion that the disease was never, or at
least but seldom, transmitted by means of honey — so far
as he knows no microscopist has had any better success
in detecting either bacilli or spores in honey. Yet the
almost uniform testimony of all who have had practical
experience with it is, that it is through the medium
of honey that il is most frequently and surely trans-
mitted. The most practical ami successful methods of
cure are based on this assumption, while those which
ignore it have in practice proven uncertain and unreliable.
In the Prairie Farmer, Mrs. L. Harrison says in
respect to balling the queen : In looking after a swarm
that had just issued she found the queen balled in front
of the hive near by. Now in releasing the queen thus
balled, if the bees are pricked off, she is apt to be stung
to death in the operation, but when the ball is thrown
into water, then every follow is for himself. Life-
preservation is the firsl law of nature, and the queen
is no longer thought of, and when the queen is released
she can be taken from the water and secured. When
she threw this ball into the water the bees swam away
from her, but the poor thing was already dead.
In the Revue Internationale we find from M. Spiihler,
that at the meeting at Schaffhausen, the questions re-
specting' the importation of foreign bees was discussed,
also how to secure a better guarantee than that given
by certain unscrupulous dealers. The trade in Carniolan
bees has become large, and during the year loOO colonies
have been imported. The expectations which were
based on the purchase of these colonies were in almost
all cases not fulfilled. Sometimes they arrived late,
containing few bees and often no honey. In one district,
that of Val-de-Travers, twenty-four foul-broody colonies
of Carniolans were supplied ; and M. Bertrand says this
is not the only case which has been mentioned, and that
in future he will publish the names of any negligent or
unscrupulous dealers who are shown to have delivered
diseased bees. M. Kramer asked bee-keepers to report in
the Journal and drew up the statistics which included
•100 colonies. The result was a thorough condemnation
of these men, more especially of Mordic and Ambrozic.
The details were related at the meeting at Schaffhausen,
and have entirely shaken confidence in the Carniolan
dealers. At the same time he stated : ice must talce the
Carniolan trade into our men hands. Actually this idea
is about to be carried out, and M. A. Biichi has visited
Carniola during the beginning of .September and has
purchased 210 good colonies. Some of these will be
sold this autumn, and the remainder next spring.
BEE-KEEPERS' VOCABULARY ;
On, Glossary of Technical and Scientific Words
used in Works upon Bee-keeping.
Bhootea-bee, or Bhootan-bee. — This bee is
kept in Bhootan, and is believed, by Mr. Douglas, to be
specifically distinct from Apis indica, being larger, and
in size between this species and Apis mellijieu. The
worker combs have o^ cells and drone combs 4i cells to
the inch. The bees are very dark, almost black, with
light hair, and are exceedingly mild in temper, in fact,
cowardly.
Bifid, a. (fr. L. hi, two and fid, stem of findere, to
cleave.) — Applied to the poison-glands which divide a1
some distance from the poison-sac; any structure di\ ided
into two parts by a deep cleft.
Bifurcate, v. (L. bifurcatus, two-forked.) — To di-
vide into two branches or forks.
Bike. n. — A nest of wild 1 s. (Northern dialect.)
Biliary tubes. (L. bids, bile, and tubus, a pipe.) —
Long narrow tubes which enter the walls of the upper
end of the small intestine and are supposed to be
secretory in function. They are usually called Malpig-
hian vessels or ducts, and sometimes urinary tubes.
They were formerly erroneously held to be biliary
organs, but they are undoubtedly urinary organs.
Bilobed. ppl. a. (fr. L. his, two, and mod. L. lobus, a
lobe.)— Having two lobes. The brain of the bee is bi-
lobed, having two convoluted lobes borne upon short
stalks and called by Dujardin 'pedunculated bodies.'
Binocular, a. (fr. I,, bini, two each, and oeuli,
eyes.) -Performed by or adapted to both eyes.
Biology. (Or. bios, life, and logos, discourse.) — The
science of life. In its widest sense it includes life in all
its forms in earth, whether animal or vegetable.
Black-bees, or Blacks. — The common hone}' bees,
also called German bees and hrown bees.
Blastoderm, a. (dr. blustos, germ, and derma,
skin.) The superficial layer of the einbryo in its earliest
condition.
Bleached wax. — Bees-wax from which the colour
has been removed either by exposure to the sun or by
some chemical process.
Blood, n. [Sa.e. blod.) — A colourless liquid circu-
lating in the body of the her, by which the tissues are
constantly nourished and renewed.
Blood circulation.— Tin' blood enters the dorsal .
vessel by valves, called dorsal valves at the sides of
chambers which are connected with each other by simi-
lar valves. As the chambers expand and contract the
blood is forced forward to the openinj near the brain,
whence it soaks through the body to the posterior part,
where it again enters the dorsal vessel.
Blood-royal. — Applied by old writers to virgin
queens.
Blue-tit or Titmouse. — Sub-family of birds
(Paras cceruleus, I'arus major) which feed on insects
and larvae, and frequently in winter on bees.
November 22, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
56
USEFUL HINTS.
Weather. — November has this year maintained its
character, fog prevailing everywhere, but the tempera-
ture is high, and during the few hours of sunshine vouch-
safed bees have been merrily disporting themselves in
the open air. We hear that ' rooks commenced building
their nests at Eastburn, near Driffield, East Yorkshire,
during a spell of mild weather last month, and there are
now eggs in the nests. These birds have also hern at
work in a rookery at Driffield.' If the mild weather
continues, we fear some of our queen- will imitate the
example set by the rooks.
We hive just gathered fine blooms of geraniums and
ruses on this 17th day of November. Hive-stores are
being rapidly consumed, and cottagers' bees, we regrel
to add, are rapidly dying. That ' bees will be bees next
spring,' according to the terse, pithy saying of the knowing
ones, we have no manner of doubt, and we fear the
losses amongst more advanced bee-keepers will be far
beyond the average. In all probability the sale of 1 B
will be more remunerative next season than the sale of
honey.
MlNOBCA Bees. — Our Editor, writing under date of
the 7th inst., says, — ' Yesterday I examined a hive of
Minorca bees. They are very black, and dreadful
stingers, and there are some very peculiar points about
them; for instance, they have built barricades in front
of entrance, so that only one bee can pass through, and
there are from twenty to twenty-live holes. They ha\e
no doubt inherited the habit, and have done it, I think,
as a protection against the Rose beetle, which is common
in Minorca. Other bees do not do this, but where the
death's-head moth is common they build long barricades
inside, so that the moth cannot enter.'
Some years ago a colony of Syrian bees, located in one
of our houses, whose next-door neighbour — a hive of
Cyprians — was fiercely attacking it, evidently intent on
robbing, built a similar barricade to that described above
across the entire entrance, of (i inches wide by j an inch
deep. This took place in the month of September, and
the material used was a mixture of wax and pro-
polis. We have no experience of English bees ever
acting thus.
Propolis astd Enamel Cloth. — Years ago Mr. A.I.
Root, editor of the American Gleanings, made the
following remarks on propolis and wintering: — 'Much
discussion has arisen in regard to the habit of bees of
making all openings tight with propolis. Theory says,
if allowed to follow its bent, or instinct, the bee will
smother itself to death. 1'irir/iie s iys it docs, at least
at times, so prevent the escape of moisture, that its
home becomes damp and wet, and filled with icicles, so
that it suffers, or at least such is the case in the hives
we have provided for it. Who is right ? the bee, or the
enlightened bee-keeper ? I think the greater part of the
fault lies in the hive we have given it. The enamelled
cloth, which I have lately been using for covering bees,
is as impervious to air and moisture as the propolis
collected with so much pains and trouble. If the outside
of this is allowed to get frosty, it will, most assuredly,
condense the breath of the bees on the inside; and if the
outside is but thinly protected from the weather, icicles
will certainly form on the inside and freeze the bees all
fast in a lump. Now I should have no fear at all in
allowing the bees to wax up everything as tight as they
wished, if I could have their winter apartment made so
small that they completely filled it — filled it so full
indeed as to be crowded out at the entrance, unless in
very cold weather — and have the entire outside pro-
tected with some non-conductor that would enable the
bees to keep the inner walls warm at all times, and I
think we should have no dampness. With chaff-packing
and chaff-cushions I have succeeded so well, that I am
perfectly willing that, the bees should fix up as snug for
winter as their instinct prompts them to do.' Here we
have laid down all the requisites for safe wintering —
impervious quilts covered with chaff-cushions; thick,
double-walled, or chaff-hives, and bees crowded into a
small space. We have only to add, plenty of bottom
ventilation and all modern requirements arc preen!,
sufficiency of good and wholesome food being implied, of
course.
Removing Hives. — The winter months are the best
time for removing hives to different positions in the
apiary. If this is done during cold weather, when bees
are unable to fly for several weeks, there will be no loss,
ami it is best to gel the work finished in suitable weather.
Care should be taken neither to jar nor shake the hives,
nor in any way to disturb the bees dining the removal.
Let a spirit-level be used, so that the hives may stand
perfectly level, but where the frames ranee from back tu
front the hives should be raised an inch at the back. If
the hives are placed in their new position early in the
winter the bees will have opportunity, when gleams of
sunshine occur, of marking the change of locality, and
confusion, when spring Mights begin, will be avoided.
Bees have a very acute sense of smell, and unpleasant
odours arouse their anger. So long ago as the time of
Aristotle it was remarked t hat lues would st ing furiously
those who were scented with odours unpleasant to them.
No nuisance, therefore, such as foul drainage, manure-
heaps, &C, should be allowed near the hives. A dry,
sheltered position lying open toward- lie- south and
well sheltered from the north, is mosl desirable.
The outer cases and roofs of our hives are all painted
with Carson's black varnish, which we find especially
useful during winter, a- it absorbs the heat of the suns
rays, ami is highly advantageous to the bees; while in
summer any ill effects of excessive heal are remedi id bj
slightly raising the covers and providing ventilation
below. But many of our hives have partial shade from
overhanging deciduous trees —a decided advantage
where it can be had.
Entrances should be constantly examin id, and kept
clear of dead bees and other refuse, and while snow lies
on the ground, particularly in bright weather, should be
protected from the sun's rays bj I ds placed in front.
If this precaution is neglected large numbers or beeswdl
perish by alighting on the snow, and instantaneously
becoming chilled. On numerous occasions ii has I n to
us a piteous sight to behold the -now covered with dead
and 'lying bees in the gardens of careless and ignorant
bee-keepers. In such weather beware also of the blue-
tit, whose depredations are much to he dreaded.
Sparrows should not be allowed to roost or to congre-
gate in the neighbourhood of the hives. Field-mice are
also great enemies of the bees, burrowing into the crowns
of straw skeps, and eating their way in at the entrance-.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Purchasing Dees. — To those about to commence
bee-keeping, purchasing bees in the winter months is
not recommended. In the main we agree with Mr.
Simmins, that April is the best month. His remarks in
a ' Modern Dee Farm ' are much to the point : — ' When
you have decided to make a start, purchase your bees
about the middle of April, and have them removed to
your apiary at once. If you begin at any other season
the first great mistake is made. Bees moved in April
undergo just that excitement which indu ea a healthy
activity at exactly the right time ; the queens become
energetic under the consequent stimulation (of removal),
and better progress is made than if they had not been
disturbed. If moved in February or March the sam •
excitement causes the loss of thousands of the older bees,
through flying for what they cannot obtain at that early
period; the large patches of brood lose the warmth
hitherto given by such workers, and the hive deteriorates
to such an extent that the whole season is unprofitable.
By purchasing in April there are plenty of young bees
to fall back upon ; you get only good stocks which have
364
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 22, 1888.
passed the ordeal of winter ; there is no further risk, and
the whole season is before you. If obtained at a later
date, the first year is lost, and the excitement caused by
late packing and travelling is not simply injurious, but
absolutely ruinous. These statements are based upon
hard facts and experience, and the reader will do well to
be guided thereby.'
All this is very true, but who will have stocks
for sale in April next ? Alas ! we fear that such will
be few and far between. From all quarters we hear the
■same cry — ' The cottagers have already lost their bees.'
But to such keen, enterprising apiarists as Mr. Walton,
who tells us, in our last issue, that he has no fear of his
bees coming to grief for want of food, since he has
supplied them with more than half a ton of sugar (in
syrup, we suppose), and that they are all in fair order,
and packed for winter ; to such men, we say, the reward
is sure. Knowing that Mr. Walton is an ' old apiarian
hand,' and a very successful one, we should be pleased
to see a full statement of his modus operandi of winter
preparation, feeding, &c, published in the Journal
for the benefit of others.
In last ' Hints ' for ' Troglodyte ' read ' Kapnodyte.'
The error arose from a ' slip of the pen.'
To Mr. Seager's implied censure (1873, p. 555) we can
only reply that we have never ' sat upon ' him, as he is
pleased to put it. Our veil — to him, at least, and, we
think, to the majority of our readers — is thoroughly trans-
parent, and has been assumed for no sinister motive.
On the repeated misrepresentations of 'Amateur
Expert' we decline to make further comment.
As a useful hint to Committee, if we may be allowed
to advise (since there are certain concionatores turbato-
resrjue at work, whose calling would seem to be —
' . . . Spargere voces
In vulgum ambiguas ')
we would say, observe the maxim contained in the
Leonine verse, —
'Audi, vide, tace, si vis vivere in pace.'
The time for action will come ere long ; until it arrives
— moramini.
THE POLLINATION AND PERFORATION
OF FLOWERS.
{Continued from p. 551.)
Fertility of Perforated Flowers. — The opinion
is current that perforated flowers are not as productive
as imperforated ones. Delpino has shown that some
perforated dowers are absolutely sterile. Ogle states
that many Bowers oiPJuneolus multijtorus fail to produce
seed because of perforations.
I doubt whether there are many flowers in which one
can find more perforations than in Symphytum officinale.
In stocks which have several thousand flowers, hardly
one can be found which is not perforated. Several stocks
in the Botanic Garden gave me ample opportunity of
seeing the results from perforated flowers. I did not
undertake to count the ripened fruits, but the greater
number of (lowers developed some nutlets. At this time
I had not seen Loew's experiments on this plant. His
results are so striking and conclusive that I give them
somewhat in detail.
On the 11th of June, 1885, lie took several branches
which had passed anthesis. On these he had seventy-
three flowers, and was careful to remove later flowers;
on the 4th of August forty-six flowers were dry, while
the remaining twenty-seven flowers had matured fifty-
one nutlets, so that thirty-seven per cent of the flowers
were more or less fertile.
The full fertility of many plants, as Darwin has shown,
depends largely upon cross-pollination. Insects do not
commonly visit flowers unless they get nectar or pollen
in return, so that, when a flower is constantly robbed,
the regular pollinators do not receive their due share of
nectar or pollen, their visits are fewer, and consequently
there is less chance for cross-pollination. If the plant is
capable of self-pollination, seeds may be developed, and
often in great abundance; yet Darwin has shown that
the progeny of self-fertilised flowers is less vigorous than
from cross-fertilised flowers.
If the structure of a flower is such that self-fertilisa-
tion is prevented, and insects do not go to it in the
regular way, sterility may result. But in most of the
flowers perforated there is an abundance of nectar, and
insects which perforate flowers are very hasty in their
visits, and therefore always leave some nectar, as can be
seen in many cases where the perforator first robs the
flowers, after which numerous other insects use the per-
forations to get nectar, while others again visit the
flowers in a normal way. On the whole, I am inclined
to think that sterility results more from the disharmonic
action of perforating insects than is usually supposed.
Insects certainly show considerable intelligence in
making perforations, or using those made by other
insects. One of the most remarkable cases is that ob-
served by Francis Darwin, in a cultivated variety of the
everlasting pea ; where the nectar is enclosed within a
tube formed by the united stamens, at the base of which
are two natural openings, one on each side, the left being
the larger. Humble-bees, which bite holes through the
standard petal, always operated on the left-hand side, so
as to reach the larger passage.
Muller records an interesting case where a female of
Bombus terrestris entered a flower of Vicia Ftiba in the
normal way. Being unable to get the nectar, the insect
forced its head under the banner, and stretched its tongue
as much as possible, but, being still unable to reach the
nectar, it withdrew its head from the flower, and after
cleaning its tongue with its forelegs, flew to another
flower, where the same performances were repeated ; but
in the fourth she bit a hole in the corolla above the
calyx.
Humble-bees show preferences in the flowers they per-
forate. Dr. Wm. Ogle states that in Switzerland he
collected 100 flower-stems of a blue variety of Aconitum
tiapellus without finding a single flower perforated, while
on 100 stems of the white variety, growing near by,
every one of the open flowers had been perforated. This
difference, Darwin thinks, may be due to different
amounts of acrid matter contained in the flowers, the
blue variety being distasteful to bees.
Why should insects perforate flowers ? Darwin
believes that, as a general rule, flowers are only per-
forated when they grow in large quantities close togei her
.... Flowers grown in large masses are conspicuous,
and therefore attract many insects; and as the perforated
flowers usually contain considerable nectar, the number
of insects visiting the flowers at any one time is very
large, and, as Darwin has shown, some of the nectaries
are sucked dry; now, in order to .save time, for the
flowers would have to be probed for their nectar, the
insect makes perforations. To this rule there are excep-
tions, as has been shown in some of the cases cited,
where an insect, unable to get the nectar in a normal
way, takes to perforating flowers. Muller, Loew, and
others, have shown that there is a certain correlation
between the length of the tongues of Hymenoptera and
the flowers they perforate, as can be seen by consulting
their tables on flowers and their visitors.
To summarise: — It has been shown that flowers with
deep-seated nectar are often perforated, and that in most
cases the perforations are made by insects which are
unable to get. at the nectar in a normal way; that
Bombus mastrucat us is more addicted to this habit than
any other European humble-bee; that there is a, certain
correlation in the length of the tongues of Apidee and
November 22, 1888. J
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
505
the (lowers tiny visit in a normal way, but when this
limit is reached Bowers are often perforated; that con-
spicuousness of plants may account for some of the per-
forations, but most of them are attributable to the
non-adaptability of the insect to the flower; that the
insect uses considerable ingenuity in perforating flowers,
attacking them in close proximity to the nectar, that
this is individual experience, and not inheritance on the
part of insects; and that perforated flowers are not
necessarily sterile, but are often quite productive. — L. II.
I'a.mmel," Shaw School of Botamy, St. Louis, Mo. —
(American Bee Journal.)
BRITISH BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
Committee Meeting held at 10o Jermvn Street on
Thursday, November 15th. Present : The Hon. and
Rev. H" Bligh (in the chair), Dr. Barfrum, Captain
Bush, II. N., Captain Campbell, Rev, J. L. Seager, II.
Jonas, W. O'B. Glennie (Treasurer), and the Secretary.
Letters were read from the Rev. R. Errington and Rev.
G. Raynor regretting their inability to be present. The
minutes of the last Committee meeting were read and
confirmed.
Correspondence from the Berkshire Association and
the Royal Agricultural Society in reference to the
Windsor Show of 1**0 was read and considered, the
prize list being finally approved.
On the recommendation of the Educational Sub-Com-
mittee, it was resolved to hold the second-class examination
on Saturday, the L5th day of December, tile annual
general meeting of the Association being fixed, subject to
the approval of the President,f or Thursday, February 2 1st.
In reference to the letter which appeared in our last
issue from Mr. McClure respecting the attendance of the
Committee at the Quarterly Conference, we are desired to
state that, on the day in question, full Sub-Committees,
'Finance' and 'Exhibitions' (the latter being fully
engaged in the revision of the prize schedule of the bee
department for the Windsor Exhibition), had been sitting
from 2 to 4 o'clock. At the close of these meetings one
member of the Committee was compelled to return home,
and another was temporarily absent from the Conference
owing- to indisposition.
.foreign.
AMERICA.
We have just received the Report of the proceedings
of the Nineteenth Annual Convention of the North
American Bee Association, which is henceforward to be
called the International American Bee Association.
The Convention was held at Columbus, Ohio, on the
:Jrd, 4th, and oth of October last ; but, owing to the poor
season, there were only between fifty and sixty members
present, of whom thirteen were ladies. The proceedings,
under the presidency of Dr. A. li. Mason, was opened by
an experience meeting, at which .some of those present
gave their experience on different matters. Miss Derna
Bennett had received many reports, and nearly all
reported failure. Dr. Tinker reported almost no honey
from white clover, but some from yellow poplar, dark
in colour, and which many mi-took for honey-dew.
Prof. Cook had received some heartsease honey from
Iowa of strong flavour. It. L. Taylor's story was like
that of others, and he only had five pounds per colony of
surplus. If he had moved his bees twenty miles he
might have secured 35,000 to 40,000 lbs. R. F. Ilolter-
maun reported that bees had wintered poorly in Canada,
and the early honey-flow had been light, but the fall
flow was fair. Mrs. Mary McPherson made her living
by keeping bees, poultry, &c, and supported her chil-
dren. From thirty-two colonies she had secured only
SOU lbs. of comb-honey, J. Y. Detwiller spoke of the
troubles of bee-keepers in Florida. This year he had
had 1200 lbs. from forty colonics.
Alter this, at the reassembly of the members in the
afternoon, a change in the usual proceedings was intro-
duced by the singing of ' The Bee-keepers' Reunion Song,'
the words being by Eugene Secor, ably set to music by
Dr. C. 0. Miller, many of the members joining in the
song. The American bee-keepers are to be congratu-
lated that they have amongst their number members
who are able and willing to write and set to music such
lively songs, and we should have much liked to have
In. nil Dr. Miller leading with his fine voice.
After the singing, the first subject discussed was
' The best Age of Bies to go into Winter Quarters.'
Dr. Tinker preferred young bees, those that had had
one flight, and to put them into winter quarters as
early as November 10th, as they then remain quiet.
Dr. C. C. Miller thought, as amongst human beings so
amongst bees, the old and the youug suffered most from
winter. Although not disagreeing with Dr. Tinker, he-
was not sure that he wauled very young I s. In
the fall there are bees of all ages, Some die early, some
late*; and if it were p i-sioje, he thinks it would be an
advantage to have sifted out all the. bees that would die
before ttie spring, li. I.. Taylor had fed hi- bees late in
a warm October, and there was brood iu the hives early
In November, and the j ig bees did not harm but.
wintered unusually well. K. R. Rojt said they had
wintered, in 186B-87, -0 > colonies without loss, and
ill. \ had almost all old bees. Dr. A. li. .Mason preferred
bees that ha.l done a little work, and k'roE. Cook thought
there should be brood up to the end of September. A
discussion then ensued as to h iw so in b les should begin
bleeding in spring. About half the me ub is thought
two mouths befoie the clover blooming was soon enough,
the others preferred to have them begin sooner.
Professor J. W. Webster next read an interesting
e say on the •Honey-plant of Florida,' and pointed our
the superiority of palmetto and mangrove honey.
Several spoke in favour of this honey, and it was re-
ived to ask the editors of bee-papers to quote these
under their proper names so as to distinguish them from
'Southern honey.' Afterashort interval another song
was sung, called' Dot Happy Bee-man,' also by E. Secor
and Dr. Miller. The members were amused and set to
1 nulling by Dr. Miller singing this and imitating the
German dialect. In the discussion on the time of
putting bees into winter quarters, Dr. Mason said he
put his bees into cellars on October 19, and the consump-
tion of food was six to seven pounds per colony. E. 1!.
K >ot said their cob, in.-, consumed, on an average, 12 lbs.
per colony. Professor Cook, who had done considerable
Weighing of bees, found the consumption out-of-doors
v, ,, I 5 His. and in cellars 8 lbs. It. L. Taylor, as well as
Professor Cook, had noticed bees wintered best in the
■ new lleddou Hive,' and thinks that it is caused by the
space between the two hives, which enables the bees to
pa-s from one comb to another in cold weather. Re-
specting sections open on all sides Dr. Tinker thought
they afforded better ventilation, the combs an- built out
square and true to the edges anil the section filled full.
F. A. Eaton said the objection to them was that in
crating the corners catch and tear the combs. Dr.
Miller found no fault with ordinary close-sided section-.
lie had produced thousands and thousands of pounds of
comb-honey, and the sections were well filled and bore
transportation without loss from leakage, in thediscilssiou
on chaff-hives, E. It. Boot said they afforded protection
from cold, also from the direct heat of the sun's rays.
The bees are always ready for winter, so far as protec-
tion is concerned, and in tiie cool nights of late Bumpier
do not drive the bees from supers. With chaff-hives
there is no laborious carrying of bees in and out of the
cellar. Dr. Tinker thought there were less stores con-
sumed, but R. L. Taylor did not think so, although there
5C0
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 22, 1888.
might be some early in the year. He did not like this
limited capacity, as only fifty sections can be used on one
hive at a time, and it was desirable sometimes to put on
100. Only one set of extracting combs can be used, and
it is desirable sometimes to use several. Dr. Mason
pointed out that eighty sections could be placed in a
chaff-hive, but Mr. Taylor objected as they could not be
all placed on the top, but some must be put iu frames.
Mr. Chase pointed out that Mr. Shane had two apiaries,
in the one the bees are protected in spring by packing,
and the other they are not. The packed bees always
give the best results. At this stage of the proceedings a
letter from the Rev. L. L. Langstroth was read, regret-
ting that, owing to his having taken a severe cold, he was
unable to be present. Respecting the width of sections,
it was the experience of several that they made and sold
ten thousand lg to one thousand of any other width.
Prof. Cook then gave an address on •' Experiments in
Apiculture,' and said that, with one or two exceptions,
the Michigan Agricultural College is the only one that
has experimented in apiculture. Of the experiments in-
tended to be made will be that of crossing different
varieties of bees ; another, that of determining 'tile value
of special planting for honey; and the third will be in
regard to the adulteration of honey.' At present the bees
at the College are a cross between Syrians and Carnio-
lans, and they seem to possess the good qualities of both.
He feels sure that bee-keepers do not adulterate honey,
neither does he believe that it is done by grocers, lie
does not believe the chemist can tell positively in regard
to adulteration, and experiments are to be made to de-
termine, if possible, whether adulteration can be detected.
After an address by Mr. Newman on the ' Importance
of Experiments in Apiculture,' he spoke on bee pasturage,
and he hailed the prospect of experiments on a large
scale. He also said it will not pay to adulterate honey
at the present very low price, and hence it is not prac-
tised, and does not believe advanced prices would bring
it forward.
Mr. Root mentioned that Dr. Miller had secured large
quantities of honey from 200 acres of cucumbers raised
near him.
li. E. Holtermann next read an interesting paper on
' The Value of United Experiments iu Apiculture,' in
which he said one of the greatest failures has been in
coming to conclusions too rapidly in adopting new, and
(as far as theory goes) grand ideas which impress us.
Sometimes the result of one season's experience leads us
to believe we have made a discovery which will immor-
talise our names, and we advance and defend the dis-
covery only to lead ourselves and others astray. To be
of the greatest use these sanguine and selfish dispositions
should be kept under, and all should unite and decide on
some line of experiment. Let a line of work be decided
upon for the coming year, and in one year, in certain
directions, more progress can be made by this method
than before in ten.
The Constitution and Bye-Laws for the Society were
then taken into consideration, and the report of the
Committee appointed last year was adopted. It will be
remembered that Mr. Newman introduced the subject at
the meeting last year, and the Constitution has been
founded in the main upou the line of our British Bee-
keepers' Association. It is proposed, amongst other
things, to award diplomas to experts who have passed an
examination, each diploma to be of three classes on the
principle originated and adopted by our Association. A
Honey Company, to be composed of a committee of five,
is also to be formed to ' inaugurate places for the mar-
keting and sale of the products of the apiary.' The recon-
stituted Association is to be called ' The International
American Bee Association,' and is to hold its next
meeting at Brantford, in Ontario, Canada, with Dr. A. B.
Mason as President, and Mr. E. It. Holtermann as
Secretary.
^0tTesponbc!UC.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Eciiocs, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bue
Journal," cfo Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, IV. C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Berts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*m* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or .] I am ex;eedingly sorry if Mr. Seagor imagines
that in my letter published in your issue of the Sthinst.
1 am attacking him, permit me to take the earliest oppor-
tunity of disclaiming any such intention, my attack was
directed not against men but against a system. I do not
think it was an unfair inference that his paper, to some
extent, represented the views of the Committee, of which
he is one of the most active members ; however, I readily
accept his disclaimer. But my object was to draw public
attention to a fact which has been recognised by must
observers, namely, that the British B.K.A. lacks the
cordial support of the bee-keepers of this country, and,
in consequence, its efforts have fallen off. This want of
vitality affects not only the parent, but is spreading
among the affiliated Associations, as it most assuredly
will. If the head is sick the whole body suffers, and I
feel that it is urgently necessary that something should
be done to arrest this state of things, especially is this so
after the disastrous season just closed, when our favourite
hobby is, to say the least, under a cloud. I feel sure
that if the British and County Associations are to con-
tinue a successful existence, something more will have to
be done to bring the advantages of membership to many
actual or intending bee-keepers who are now outside. In
these days when a person is applied to for subscriptions
to any Society they generally ascertain if they are likely
to receive any tangible return for money spent before
they consent to ' part.'
Now, of all others, is the time to take the matter in
hand and discuss it. I hope some of our men of light
and leading will favour us with their views on the
subject, from past experience. The fact is the Animal
Meeting of the B.B.K.A. is a purely formal affair, and
what is wanted is a special meeting called, and a repre-
sentative Committee of members formed to revise the
constitution of the Association with the view to its being
placed on a more popular basis, and to be brought into
more active and direct contact with the County Asso-
ciations, who shall have direct representation on the
Committee.
The British B. K. A. is supposed to be the represen-
tative bodj- of the national bee-keeping industry. Now
take the Committee as last elected. I find it consists of
ten clergymen of (I believe) Church of England, two
military, and three private gentlemen. Those are drawn
from the' following counties: — Herts, 5; Middlesex, •'! ;
Essex,!'; and Berks, Bucks, Kent, Surrey, and Sussex,
1 each. I must again repeat that I am throwing no re-
flection whatever upon any of these gentlemen, all of
whom I fully believe to be animated with the best in-
tentions ; but I submit that they are not a representative
body. I think the B. B.K.A. have made a great mistake in
separating themselves so much from the County Associa-
tions. They should have treated the smaller bodies as a
part of the greater, not of necessity curtailing their powers
of self-management, but calling upon them to actively
assist in the management of the central body, and by so
doing to throw upon them their fair shai f responsibility.
Were such a state of things brought about I fully believe
that the County Associations would loyally accept that
responsibility, and rail} to the support of the parent, and
in so doing infuse new life into the whole. Fancy our
friends .Mr. M'Clure and Mr. Grimshaw travelling the
hundreds of miles they do to attend quarterly meetings
and to have no power of supporting their opinions and
the wishes of their respective associations by a single
vote! The tiling is absurd ! — A. 1) .Wi.hjih.kv, Expert
and Associate Secretary Berks B.K.A., Donnington
Road, Reading.
CARNIOLANS, &c.
[1834.] I have little more to say on this subject at
present, but allow me to assure 'Amateur Expert' that
I have no recollection of an old scora against him to be
paid off, neither am I in the habit of owing a grudge to
any one. When I give an opinion on any subject it is
done in the interests of truth, and not with any personal
bias.
I shall ever be as ready to defend any point he may
himself bring forward, as I shall to condemn any action
of Mr. Benton or others, and vice versa, where my own
experience or observation shows me I am serving the
cause of right. Where my opinion does happen to
differ from ' A. E.'s ' I am quite open to conviction — not
by light banter, but when he can support his case by
presenting solid fact. — S. SlitMINS.
MR. BENTON AND CARNIOLANS.
| 1 385.] I was glad to read the letters of Mr. Simmins
and Mr. Howe- in the last Journal. I have much
pleasure in adding my testimony to the excellence and
purity of six Carniolan queens which I have received
from Mr. Benton direct during the past season. The
queens were sent promptly on receipt of order, and all
arrived in splendid condition, and were everything I
could wish. The date of birth of each queen was noti-
fied. Mr. Benton, too, was very exact in the matter of
discount, returning me a shilling more than I had de-
ducted. A more straightforward and business-like man
I have never had dealings with, and I have every confi-
dence that lie will supply the best article that can be
obtained.
508
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 22, 1888.
I also had some home-reared Carniolan queens from
Mr. Simtnins, and though I had to wait some time for
them in consequence of the unfavourable weather, when
they did come they gave me entire satisfaction.
I have introduced fifteen queens during the past
season by Sirnniins' direct method with only one failure
— that was a queen received from Mr. Simmins, which
he replaced without a word, the second trial being
successful. — Granville R. Bailey, Madeley, Staff's.,
November 10th.
[188G.] With regard to Mr. Frank Benton's Carniolan
queens may I he allowed to record my own small expe-
rience in the B.B.J, as to the kinds of progeny they have
produced in my hands, and which are as follows ? —In
August, 1887, I received a first-grade Carniolan qneen
direct from Mr. Benton, which I introduced in accord-
ance with Mr. Simmins' process, to a nucleus of two
frames of English bees. She was at once accepted, and
was very prolific considering the late time of the year,
and in this stock not the slightest indication of yellow,
or rather orange, appeared in any one of it.
On June Kith of the present year I received another
first-grade Carniolan queen direct from Mr. Benton, and
which was introduced by the direct method alluded to ;
the nucleus was also of the same size as the former one,
and the bees English. The queen was duly accepted, and
at the present moment her progeny well covers seven
frames of standard dimensions, and I am unable to dis-
cover, after close examination, the slightest sign or indi-
cation of any yellow or orange band on any bee of the
whole colony. The progeny are rather larger than the
ordinary brown English bee, having the light-grey band
peculiar to the Carniolan variety, are very quiet and
docile, and are excellent workers, often flying in great
quantities while other varieties are at rest. They have
about 30 lbs. of wintering stores well sealed at the
present time in their hive, about 1"> lbs. of which were
procured by themselves, the other 15 lbs. having been
fed to the colony during the last two months.
[We have received also letters from Mr. F. Hirst,
Small Heath, Birmingham; Mr. James Saddler, Forfar;
Mr. Q. Gordon Samson, Bournemouth; Mr. G. Monday,
Leicester, to the same effect as the above, but the
space at our disposal will not permit us to reproduce
them. As we have now given a full opportunity to
both sides of ventilating their views, we are of opinion
that this discussion may close. — Ed.]
SCOTCH BEE-KEEPERS AND THE
BMTIH1I BEE JOURNAL,
[188/.] I well remember the time when Scotland
could boast of her bee-keepers endowed with their
literary talent in the columns of our B.E.J. ; but, alas !
the enthusiasm lias gradually died away, and week after
week tin' Journal appears without a sentence or echo to
remind us that bees are now being kept in Scotland.
This is a matter to be deplored when it is a well-known
fact that in Scotland there is quite an army of full-
Hedged bee-men (not amateurs) whose writings would
adorn the pages of any weekly. Scotchmen should re-
member that the B.B.J. exists for their good, and is kept
up by voluntary contributions. Why, then, should the
bee-keepers of Scotland take so little interest in writing
in the pages of so worthy a periodical as the B.B.J.!
I must add a word of comment in favour of our
brethren across the Border, whose frequent contributions
are worthy the name of bee-keepers. I jot these lines
in good grace in the hope that I have struck the key-
note of some of our veteran Scots, who will from time to
time give us a yarn (not Jack's yam) through the
columns of the Journal. I have no fear the Editor will
give the same courtesy to Scotchmen that other cone
spi indents receive ; at least, this is the desire of one who
lives not a day's journey from the auld ancient city of
Saint Muxgo.
INTRODUCING QUEENS.
[1888.] In your issue of November 1st, Mr. 'Amateur
Expert ' states that he successfully introduced a Carni-
olan queen on the loth ultimo, and gives the particulars.
I introduced a Carniolan on the :Mth successfully by
similar means, but used a slightly different stage, which
perhaps some of 3'our readers would like to copy during
the winter months in readiness for another year. The
queen arrived in a cage made out of a piece f" x H" x 4",
containing three holes, two lj", one J", the J" filled with
Good candy, and on each side a board ,'„" thick was
nailed to keep the bees in.
Having found the old queen and removed her, I put the
quilts on, with the feed-hole open. I poured a few drops
of scented syrup on the hole, and put on a stage made as
follows : — Two pieces of |" wood (crossed to prevent
warping) 5" square, with a L'" hole in centre, covered
with perforated zinc, in the centre of which was a hole
f" x 1", under which was a piece of plain zinc 1" x 0",
with hole to correspond with the hole in the perforated,
but 1" nearer one end than the other (so as to be opened
or closed at will), on the top of which I fastened pieces
of wood having h" rabbets taken out of the underneath
side, so as to form a slide for the queen-stage, so that it
could not be knocked on one side. I now took the
queen-cage, unnailed one of the i1,," boards, and slid a
piece of glass in its place to examine the queen. I then
slid the cage under the rabbet, the 1]" holes first, leaving
the hole containing the candy on the woodwork, the
others going over the L'" hole, and crossways of the hole
in the zinc. I now wrapped them up for two days, and
then after dark pushed the plain zinc through, which
opened the hole, and let them to go down at pleasure
without at all disturbing the bees with any smoke. —
Alpha.
NOTES ON BEE HIVES.
Size and Appearance of Queens.
[1889.] Every one has heard how certain animals display
peculiar habits in order that they may not rush headlong
into the power of the enemy, and that even man is
deceived by appearances. It is very easy to deal with
the white and the black, but the difficulty is to deal
with the grey. It is perfectly easy to pronounce judg-
ment upon, or recognise, single or individual queens and
ordinary workers, when placed separately by themselves,
but the difficulty is to recognise a queen from an ordinary
worker when we are hurried or pressed for a decision, or
to do so in a given time without injuring the bees, &C,
of the hive ; and we might include awkward positions,
imperfect light, large populations, and hives containing a
queen no larger than an ordinary worker bee. Supposing
a hive contained a nine-pound lot of bees, how many per
cent of the bee-keepers of average experience and capa-
bilities could readily or eventually tell whether a hive
contained a queen, and how many of them could pick the
queen out if she was the size of an ordinary worker and
no larger.
It has been granted that queens may be of various
sizes, so that we have no dispute re size; there is
not, I need hardly say, any dispute about their being
different races of bees, and that the colour and markings
of queens vary in appearance or reality ; but I will say
that just as a bird, or other animal, or insect, has habits
to enable it to be not recognisable to its enemies, so I
have observed in the mother bee some such appearances.
Is there one who can say they are acquainted with nil
the habits and appearances of a queen-bee throughout its
life history, or even while searching for it in a hive, and
are able to at once distinguish and pick up any queen ?
November 22, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
560
and is it possible that there is such a person, find that he
will never overlook just sufficient to not distinguish or
pick out any queen 'i
Without detracting one atom from my statement made
on page 439, to which attention has been called, I wish
to state that I really meant it to be understood what I
still maintain, that in some cases, unless the most skilful,
elaborate, and painstaking search is pursued, it is im-
possible to say whether a hive contains a queen, as it
may be overlooked on account of its size and appearance,
or similarity to that of an ordinary worker bee. — T.
Bonner Chambers, 1*'. L.S., Tref Eglwys, Caersws,
Montgomeryshire, October %)th.
WATERPROOFING HIVES.— ICEING SUGAR.
[1890.] In your 'Editorial' of November 8th, you
recommend hot tar for waterproofing cotton cloth or
canvas ; any one who has used tar knows you must use
more than one coat to make it thoroughly waterproof.
1 send you the following simple receipt for rendering
such substances impervious to wet, and much cleaner in
application, thinking it may be of some use to your
readers. Take pale linseed oil, three pints; sugar of
lead, one ounce ; white resin, four ounces ; grind the
sugar of lead with a little of the oil, then add the rest
aud the resin. Stir the whole well together in a large
iron pot over a gentle fire. Apply the mixture with a
large brush. ' Useful Hints' in the same number, in tin-
receipt for Good's candy, says the best BOgar for tie'
purpose is that termed ' Confectioner's Dust Sugar: ' as
some nf your readers may wish to get some of the same,
the trade name of tin' sugar he refers to is iceing sugar.
— Amateur Bar-Fraidb.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE PHYSIOLOGY OF
THE HONEY-BEE.
The Stomach-mouth.
[1801.] If we carefully examine the honey-stomach of
a bee, we shall see on the lower part, somewhat side-
wards, a small body about as large as a half poppy-
A is the honey-stoinaeh, B the true stomach, C the stouiach-month.
grain. This body is the organ which Schonfeld named
the stomach-mouth. This organ has been known many
years, but its functions were not correctly explained.
Tin- cut is no true picture of the organ. The opening
p is closed by four three-cornered lips which, together',
form over the round tub1, n, m, p, a pyramid. Tin- bee
can open these four lips arbitrarily by muscles. The tube
p in ii is prolonged into the true stomach till o (n o is about
one millimetre long) here turns up and goes back to n,
where it is in connexion with the wall of the true stomach.
Around the throat :n a are a great number of muscles. It
is easy to see that the throat m n can be prolonged by
turning out the pieces u " inside of tin' true stomach.
This organ is very important; without the same the
bees could not store honey at all. We shall Bee this if
we explain
HOW THE BEES EAT HONEY.
It is well known that the bees take honey or nectar
from the cell or from flowers by their tongues. How
this is done I will not explain here. This fluid goes
through the pharynx into the honey-stomach. If the
stomach-mouth mp had a round opening only, as repre-
sented in the cut, the food brought into the honey-
stomach would at once pass into the true stomach, but
the four lips close this opening, and so it is possible that
the honey-stomach can be tilled, and by contraction of
of the same (arbitrary again) the bees can empty this
honey-stomach again through pharynx and outer mouth.
But necessarily the four lips arc to lie closed and
opened arbitrarily. If the bee wants to gel some honey
into the true stomach, 1 he four lips are opened, and
some honey goes from the honey-stomach into the true
stomach ; so ties,, four lips are closed and opened, if the
bee wants to eat or not.
We see now how it is possible that bees can winter
ami take no honey from the cells for some time. A
swarm can be confined for some days, while a I with
empty honey-stomach will starve in thirty-six hours.
We can say this organ is the true mouth of the bee,
and the true alimentary canal commences here. The
outer mouth and the tongue are merely the hands by
which the bees eat, and the honey-stomach is the store-
room.
HOW Till: I'.KES EAT POLLEN,
Somewhat different is the function if the bees eat
pollen. The pollen comes into the honey-stomach
through the (alter mouth and floats here in a fluid.
This fluid is honey and /cuter. The stomach-mouth can
take those pollen-grains only which float quite neirthe
opening p. But here are some hairs ; as soon as a pollen-
grain touches these hairs the four lips are opened, and
so the pollen-grain is caught ; the same cannot go back
into the honey-stomach when the mouth is opened
again, because other hairs hold it back. If a few pollen-
grains only are in the honey-stomach, the function is a
little different: the honey-stomach is contracted, and
this is done by pushes; hereby the piece mp mores
differently, sideways, and so the pollen-grains can be
caught.
Here comes the turned-up part n o in function. If
the honey-stomach is contracted, it moves in the direc-
tion to the head of the bee, and the part n o slides out
of the true stomach. -Mori' important is this if the bee
vomits the honey, when the honey-stomach is very
quickly moved against the head ; this would be dan-
gerous for the fine tube without the turned-up part.
Around the part m n are muscles which save the organ
from moving too far from the true stomach, and pull the
honey-stomach back after the contraction is finished.
We have further to explain for what purpose the bees
eat pollen. It is known that larvae, as well as bees, need
a certain amount of nitrogenous food like other animals.
Honey contains a very small amount of nitrogen (about
01 7 in 100 parts), so we have pollen only for this
purpose.
In the first three months of the winter, as long as the
bees are very quiet and their vitality is lowered, the
bees eat very little honey, and they may need no pollen
at all; more than this, they may, to their advantage,
spontaneously dispense with pollen. But as soon as
570
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL,.
[November 22, 1888.
they become uneasy and desire to breed, they need some
polien. It is impossible at all to prepare the jelly for
larvae without pollen (more about this later).
That bees need pollen is proved by the energy in carry-
ing pollen in early spring and the great amount of pollen
consumed at this time, when breeding goes on rapidly.
This breeding is stopped when, from unfavourable
weather, they cease bringing in pollen for some time,
and, finally, disease and death of the nurse-bees are the
result if they are forced to breed for some time without
pollen, as man)' experiments have proved. Further, the
bees need pollen to keep their own bod}' healthy and to
preserve their vitalit}'. It is very difficult to prove by
experiment how long worker-bees can live without
albuminous food, because we cannot keep them confined
as long.
Queens and drones do not eat pollen, but honey only.
To get the necessary albuminous food, they are fed with
jelly or chyle of the worker-bees. To find out how long
drones can live on honey only, Schbnfeld experimented
in the following manner: — Two combs, each one con-
taining 200-300 gramms of freshly gathered honey, were
each surrounded by a wire screen, so that drones could
move on the combs. One of the combs received a single
wire screen, the other was surrounded by a second wire-
screen, so the drones could not have been fed by the
outside bees.
In a cold, rainy week, 200 drones were caught, and to
each of the combs 100 drones were introduced. The.-''
combs were hung in the centre of the brood-nest. On
the evening of the fourth day the drones in the double
screen were very weak; on the fifth day all the drones
were dead but four. The drones in the other screen
were as lively as ever, and flew away when a few days
later they were released. Both were in the same con-
dition : the want of albuminous food only could be fatal
to these poor fellows. Worker-bees would surely live
longer ; but, nevertheless, this experiment is a proof of
bow necessary the pollen food is for the bees. — L. Sta-
Chelhausen, Helma, Texas {American Apiculturist).
(To be continued.)
BORGUE HONEY.
[1892.] ' Saint Mungo' writes in your issue of this
week, ' 1 much demur to the assertion that " A Ren-
frewshire Bee-keeper " has done more to promote success-
ful bee-culture than any other gentleman in Scotland.'
I have no objection to 'Saint Mungo' or any cither
correspondent quoting what I write, provided they do it
accurately. What I wrote in the article you reproduced,
and your readers can verify it by referring to your issue
of 11th October, was, 'that most accomplished apiarian
who has perhaps done more to promote successful bee-
culture than any other gentleman in Scotland.' By
leaving out the word 'perhaps,' 'Saint Mungo' makes
me dogmatise. No one who knows the history of bee-
keeping in Scotland need ' demur ' to what I wrote, and
I readily recognise the names of those quoted by 'Saint
M.' as having done much to advance b culture in
Scotland to the high position it now occupies. I dismiss
this point by asking ' Saint Mungo 'to read the advice
given to ' Amateur Expert ' on page 5.38.
The article I contributed to the Kirkcudbrightshire
Advertiser was the sequel to something that went before,
and as reproduced by you was not in its entire! 3*. Some
of it had more of a local reference, and another part of it
could only be clearly appreciated in the light of what
bad already occurred.
Briefly, Borgue honey from time immemorial has
enjoyed an extraordinary reputation, and practically the
■whole amount produced is bought by county and other
wealthy families at high prices direct from the bee-
keepers. In the spring uf 18^0 a controversy arose in
the Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser regarding the merits
of Borgue honey, as apiarians from other districts
questioned the superiority of the famous Borgue pro-
duct. To induce competition I offered to add half a
guinea to the first prize at Borgue show in the open
class for dropped honey. This increased the value of
the first prize to one guinea. The otter was accepted,
and for three successive seasons wonderful displays of
heme)' were made, competitors coming from Ayrshire,
Wigtonshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire, and in each year
the first and second, the only prizes, were gained by the
Borgue product.
' Improved Bar Frame,' in paper above mentioned,
put the position of Borgue very clearly when he wrote
no outsider has ever gained a prize against Borgue at their
show. Borgue apiarians have nothing to gain by going
outside, as they already occupy the premier place, that
there is already sufficient demand for the product at
high prices, that Borgue honey is much prized by Her
Majesty the Queen, by John Ruskin, and many other
less notable persons.
I may mention that one of the judges arranged for last
show was Mr. McNally, of Glenluce, but unfortunately
he was unable to be present. I have rather a delicate
palate for honey when granulated or candied, and Borgue
honey imparts to that organ a peculiar and agreeable
flavour that no other honey that I have ever tasted does.
I have offered a guinea prize for the best answer to the
query, To what is the peculiar excellence of Borgue
honey due '( The Borgue Society has accepted the otter,
and are at present drawing out conditions of competition.
Next season we may therefore look for something new
and interesting on the subject.
I am not a bee-keeper, and cannot enter into any con-
troversy on the subject. What I have now written is
necessary information in view of ' Saint Mungo's ' letter.
— A. McN., Greenock.
AN EXPERIMENT.
[1893.] I this year successfully tried an experiment
which 1 have no doubt will be of interest to your readers.
Hoping against hope from week to week during our
sunless summer that brighter days were coming, which,
alas ! they did not, I found myself in the month of
August with no honey, and my hopes for the year
blighted. I determined, therefore, as I could not get
honey, I would increase my stock of bees. Having four
stocks, I determined to divide two of them, bin here
came my difficulty. The bees had some time before
given the drones notice to quit, and the period of grace
had almost expired; indeed, in all but one instance,
their homes knew them 110 more, and corpses were more
plentiful than the living. The only hive with any drones
was one which I did not desire to divide, inasmuch as
it was one from which I had hoped of getting' a little
honey. I therefore selected two stocks which were
driven bees last autumn, and which were moderately
strong on ten-frames each. I am not sufficiently an
' expert,' but rather too much of an ' amateur,' to find
the queen. 1 tried, but failed to do so, or I should,
when dividing, have placed that half without the queen
oil the stand of original stock. However, I had to trust
to luck. I placed empty hives close to each of the two
hives I intended to divide, and took live alternate frames
from each stock, and placed them in the empty hives,
taking care to observe that there were ' fresh-laid eggs'
in each lot. I then drew the frames of the old hives
together, adjusted the division-boards in all four lots,
wrapped all up nice and snug, and put a slow feeder
in each, giving three holes, and waited results.
In the course of three or four days I made an ex-
amination of all four lots, with the result that 1 ascer-
tained at once which halves had got the queen, those
that had not having made numbers of queen-cells.
November 22, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
571
Those that had the queen I simply gave a frame each
of comb, continuing the feeding with rather a more
plentiful supply of syrup. I found that fortunately I
had got one of the lots without the queen on the old
stand. The other one, however, was not so.
My next care was to provide drones for the two
queenless lots. I first inserted a piece of wood under
the division-boards of each at the back, giving sufficient
space for bees to pass under. Then I went to the hive
with the drones, having a tumbler with a piece of
glass over the top. I captured as many young drones
as possible, putting them in the tumbler, and keeping
them there with the piece of glass. I took these (about
twenty), placed the tumbler on the floor-board of one of
the queenless lots, just behind the divisinn-board, and
waiting for a quiet moment among drones, I quietly
removed the glass, and quickly shut the lid of the hive.
This operation I repeated with the second lot. Not,
however, feeling quite safe, as I feared I might have
been deceived in the age of many of the drone-, and
that they might return to their own hives, I determined
to beg some drones from a friend at a distance of a few
miles, who happened to have a queenless lot with plenty
of them. I repeated my operation with the tumbler,
and waited results. The queen duly hatched out, and 1
found a dead one in the front of one of the hives. I
took hope from this, judging that there was a fertile
queen, who had killed the young princess immediately
on her putting in an appearance. I understand that it
is only in case one queen gets fertilised that the workers
allow these fratricidal battles.
On making an examination a few days later, I was
pleased to find e^jis and brood in each 'hive. As this
was getting well into September, I considered myself
fortunate. I had been told that I was too late in the
season to make a successful division, and felt pro-
portionately elated. It is possible that I might have
succeeded without manipulating the drones as I did,
because there might have been some within measurable
distance of me; but the great probabilities are that 1
should have failed, as it was so very late in the season.
However, I consider that my plan ensured success, and
that my experience may be of use to others. — II. 1'. D.
SIIALLOAV FRAMES.
[1894.] I have been much interested in the controversy
as to the size of shallow frames, which some short time
ago took place in your Journal, and was especially struck
with the letter of one correspondent who advocated
frames just half the standard depth. This seems to me
to be the most sensible size of all. There are many ad-
vantages attaching to it, as set forth by your corre-
spondent. Two frames will just go in the extractor ; in
doubling, too much space is not given at one lime, too
much space being one of the great disadvantages of
ordinary doubling; there is no necessity for wiring
the foundation, there being comparatively no risk of the
foundation on these shallow frames breaking on ex-
tracting honey. I have tried them this year, and have
every reason to be pleased with them. In using them
I have put them in what are practically crates, 4J in.
high front and back, and 4}. in. high at the sides. This,
with metal ends, leaves a" bee-space of | in. at the
bottom (I left § in. space in the first one I used, and
found that the bees built in this width.) These crates
can be worked just like section crates. Any number
may be employed by using ekes to the hives. They may
be made by a novice, and cost very little. Extracted
honey may be easily obtained from step hives, especially
from inverted ones, and they are easily carried about and
packed away. I don't see any difficulty in the fact that
a great number of 6-in. frames are in use. it only
necessitates a larger or smaller crate, as the case maybe.
Both sizes may he used on the same hive. A ten-frame
hive, with ten-frame shallow crates, for half-standard
size frames, cannot, in my opinion, be beaten, if extracted
honey is the object aimed at.
I would suggest that these shallow frames he numbered,
and kept in the same order whenever used. How often
are bee-keepers troubled when reducing a hive to find
that when part of the combs are removed, on drawing
the remainder together, some of the combs touch one
another ! This, I fear, cannot be avoided in the breeding
compartment, because it is usually contracted in winter
and expanded in summer to meet the varying strength
of the stock ; but with these crates of shallow frames
their order need never be varied, and there is no reason
why, after being extracted, they should not be returned
to their crates in the same order that they were taken
out.
One result of using these shallow frames is that the
bees in the brood-chamber use the cells quite up to the
top-bar of the frames for breeding1.
An advantage of using these nates instead of using
shallow body-boxes is that they can so easily be removed
from the hive for extracting purposes. A knife can be
inserted between the top of the breeding frames and the
crate ; and even if the bees should have joined the bottoms
of the shallow frames to the tops of the larger ones,
they will by this means be easily loosened. On the other
hand, when body-boxes are used, the flanges prevent this
being done ; and, in using force, you are likely to have
an unpleasant spill.
I should like to hear again from your correspondent
who advocated the half-standard size frames. — II. 1". I).
ABSENCE OF WASPS LAST SUMMER.
[1895.] As a set-off against the number of insect
plagues we have not had a wasp of any of the specimens
which eat fruit and rob bees; and during the whole
summer in all my walks I have only met with two soli-
tary wasps. It will be curious to see if the race is
actually extinct. It must take years to produce or
establish these insects again if there are any left in
other districts.— J. Hiam, Redditch (J. of Horticulture).
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses oj manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to presx 171 adoanee
of the it"/.' of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt OJ their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and tli-ose only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
V alter Chitty.— The Uses of Honey.— The para-
graph to which you allude as ' copied word for word'
from a contribution of yours to the Housewife was
culled by us from an American paper with the authority
stated as nTe have given it. We had an idea that we
had seen the substance of it before, but the source to
which we mentally attributed it was one of the
former annual reports of the Berkshire B. K. A.,
evidently from the pen of the Rev. V. II. Movie. We
are very pleased to hear that your pen is so usefully
employed in behalf of bee-culture, and we trust you
may be long spared to use it to such good purpose.
R. Auld. — Sugar Cake or Candy. — The sample of cake
forwarded is too bard for the purpose. The syrup
when ready for stirring to convert it into candy
should not be much stiller in consistency than honey,
and the finished candy should not be much harder
than the hardest setting honey becomes in cold weather.
There must have been some divergency in your
attempt to follow the operation as in recipe.
E. A. Fry. — The sample of sugar forwarded ivould be
found suitable for making syrup, but the time for syrup-
feeding is past, and sugar-cake should now be used.
572
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 22, 1888.
T.M.D. — 1. The substance in the cells is pollen; there is
no reason why the combs should not be of service in
the coming; season, and the pollen of the late summer
may be returned to the bees next year. 2. The sugar
would make serviceable syrup, but sugar-cake now is
desirable.
H. K. — It has not been our privilege to have the neces-
sary leisure to enable us to ascertain the number of
journeys made by the honey-bee in one day in a good
honey-How in the midst of a white clover held.
I. C. — 1. Hers. — The bees forwarded were fair samples
of English black bees. 2. More than one egg in a cell.
— This arises from a want of balance between the
fecundity of the queen and the size of the colony.
When the brood-nest is circumscribed, the paucity of
the cells for receiving the eggs obliges a prolific queen
to deposit more than one egg in a cell. There is no
danger to be apprehended from this, as it probably
has arisen from the fecundity of the queen.
K. W. — Questions and Replies by a Girl eleven gears old-
— We have been miwli gratified by the perusal of the
replies given by your adopted daughter. They evince
a singular precocity in so young a girl. The answers
are generally correct, and sometimes very interesting
and naive, e.g.. the definition of a drone: 'It is a
gentleman's bee, and the queen's sweetheart." The
best thing to be done if a bee shows signs of
anger: 'Stare it straight in the face and stand still,'
&e. We are much pleased to hear that she is also
very quick in the manipulation of bees. We trust
that her love to bees may strengthen with her yeaTS,
and that her future may fully realise her early
promise.
James Holme. — 1. Fertile Verier. — No fertile worker
can lay an egg which will become anything besides a
drone, and it is a moot point if those drones have
any virility. 2. Arerage Honey Yield. — In a fair
season and good location at least twice as much honey
may be obtained from a frame-hive as from a skep,
provided your management is right. The autumn,
winter, and spring management constitutes an im-
portant factor in the success of the homy harvest.
'.i. Number of Bees in a Pound. — About 3000. Your
other question has no value.
^Business ^fDirectory.
» ♦ t
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bubtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C. , 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodlet & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour cfe Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godjian, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent k Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may bo obtained of all Local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents :—
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mahon, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenluee, N.I).
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wigston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., WenBum Street, Norwich.
RDDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHINSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 130 High street, Lowestoft.
THE
British Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-C0U1TS;
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting- our Home Industries, to become Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of the
Association's work.
Subscriptions, 5s. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £5.
The Association carries out its work by —
The holding of Annual Exhibitions;
Assisting County Associations ;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture;
The disposal of Bee-produce, &c, &c, &c.
Secretary : John Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
London : Printed by Ptranhewats & Sons, at their Printing Office.
Fields, in the Comity of Middlesex; and Published for the Proprietor
Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in the Parish of St. Qiles's-in-the-
by Rest & Co., 28 Paternoster Row, in the same connty.— Nov. 22, 1888,
British
the;
^AAA^-^
Communications to the Editor to be addrtiud ' Stbanoeways' Priutinq Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.O.
[No. 33G. Vol. XVI.]
NOVEMBER 29, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
€iatiaxmlf ^otxm, &t.
MINORCAN BEES.
In July last wo announced that, through the kind-
ness of Mr. P. 0. Andreu, there was a probability
that the qualities of Minorcan bees would be tested
in England. The queen, which was transmitted to
Mr. Abbott, was safely introduced, and we have a
further report from him in August that the queen
had done well, and that he had been able to raise
a number of young queens ; but, owing to the bad
season, there had been a difficulty in getting them
fertilised, only one out of fourteen raised proving
fertile ; also, owing to the weather, although Mr.
Abbott had induced the queen to lay a large
number of eggs in drone-cells, he could not per-
Buade the worker-bees to rear the larva?, although
they were well supplied with food. Mr. Abbott
does not enter into the merits or demerits of the
Minorcan race, as they have had no chance at
present of showing what they are. Our correspond-
ent, Mr. F. C. Andreu, had stated they resembled
Carniolans, but it will be seen from a letter in our
columns this week (to which we direct attention)
that he corrects his former statement. He also
alludes to what M. Bertrand says in respect to
these bees in the Revue Internationale. We have
had an opportunity of seeing these bees and found
them different in appearance to Carniolans, re-
sembling more closely our common bees, except
that they are much darker, almost black, and
appear to have a more glossy surface. We cannot
say much for their temper, which appears very
different from that of Carniolans. They seem much
more irritable and inclined to sting. Of course
there will be a difference in various colonies in
this respect, and, like Cyprians and other stinging-
races, those hives containing the youngest bees will
be the quietest. That they are very free with their
stings we have abundant evidence, although we
have not ourselves felt the sting is a mild one like
that of Carniolans, or a virulent one like that of
Cyprians and Syrians. Mr. Andreu assures us
they are mild in disposition and easily handled.
When we examined the bees a short time ago,
it was on a cool day, and as soon as the quilts were
removed we found that, whilst the other races of
bees were all snugly and compactly clustered, and
that they were hardly stirred by the disturbance, the
Minorcan bees were spread over the combs, were
much more vivacious, and flew out to resent the
intrusion. Numbers of bees ran out at the en-
trance, whilst with the other bees not one was seen
to leave that way. A smoker was not used in
cither case, so that all had the same treatment.
We were much interested in the peculiar barri-
cade constructed in front of the entrance, and
which wo found quite different in appearance to
anything we had seen before. The barricades were
built up apparently of the usual materials, viz.,
propolis and wax, and extended the whole length of
the entrance, which was about 8 inches long. We
have seen bees build barricades to protect them-
selves against robbers and also the death's-head
moth, but in such cases the inside of the entrance
is filled up with propolis and wax, and a hole left
here and there just as the bees seem inclined. In
these barricades there is a regularity that is most
beautiful, and has called forth the remark from one
correspondent that 'they seem for all the world
the work of engineers learned in the art of self-
defence.' In this case the barricades form a regular
trellis, each hole being nearly \ of an inch wide,
or just large enough to allow a bee to pass, and
having an upright bar of about \ of an inch wide
between each hole. The illustration will give an
idea of the structure. When wo first heard of
nm
niHimm \
these barricades the idea at once occurred to us
that they were probably intended to keep out the
rose-beetle (Cetonia aurata), very common in the
South of Europe, and that the habit was probably
inherited.
We are told that in Minorca the practice is
common for the bees to systematically and scienti-
fically barricade the entrance in the autumn. It is
very interesting to find that the bees when first
transported to another land cany on the same
practice, for this was the only hive in the apiary
that had built barricades. We think it shows that
the habit is inherited and transmitted from one
generation to another, because there is a use and
necessity for it. As the bees are possessed of a
certain amount of intelligence we shall expect to
574
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 29, 1888.
find that they will drop this habit when they find
they have not the same need for their barricades in
their new circumstances. With us the rose-beetle
is not so plentiful that it should be reckoned as an
enemy of bees, and therefore shall expect that the
bees in time will abandon the barricading. They
will not probably do so at once, but may take
several generations before they entirely give it up.
Of course, if the race is crossed the habit would
probably be bred out very rapidly. We should be
glad to hear whether the Minorcan bees reared by
Mr. Abbott and other gentlemen have been noticed
to possess this peculiar characteristic. We do not
think the bees have been tried long enough out of
their native country to speak positively as to their
good or bad qualities ; at any rate the past season
was too bad to give them a fair chance.
WITH THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPERS.
By Thomas B. Blow, Welwyn, Heuts.
Watertown, Wisconsin, U.S.A., Nov. -1.
You very kindly notified that I was going over to this
side of the water by the S.S. City of Rome, and the same
fact was mentioned by the bee-papers over here — the
American Bee Journal and Gleaning* especially. I
think also that I am indebted to the kindness of ' Ama-
teur Expert' for some of the very cordial invites that I
got from some prominent bee-men with whom he corre-
sponds, and to whom I imagine he had written about mv
visit. However, on my arrival here I got a big pile of
letters of invite, to the senders of which I here accord
my hearty thanks, and did time allow I would visit all.
But six weeks have passed, and I have made but few
visits ; and as I am bound to be back again in England
before Christmas, I must soon again turn my steps to-
wards the rising sun. My journey was begun under
good auspices. At any time it is depressing to start ou
a very long journey with no friend to say a parting word,
but especially it is so on an ocean trip among a crowd of
over a thousand, all strangers. My delight, therefore, was
great when I saw the face of my old friend,',W. B. Caw,
to welcome me at Lime Street Station, Liverpool. He
had come to see me off, and we went on board together,
and he remained till the cry was heard, ' Any more for
the shore!' and witli a hearty shake of the "hand, and
best wishes for the success and pleasure of the journey,
he bade me good-bye.
The voyage across was not a pleasant one. Two days
of fine weather, andjthe remainder a succession of storms ;
added to which a breakdown of the machinery and three
deaths, did not tend to enliven our spirits. The view on
entering New York Harbour is beautiful in the extreme,
well-wooded hills all around, with tine mansions and
villas dotted here and there among the trees. We arrived
quite early in the morning, before the electric lights were
extinguished ; and the view of the big Brooklyn Bridge,
with its hundreds of lamps, and the gigantic electric
torch borne aloft by the hand of the statue of Liberty,
were very striking. Having a few hours to spare before
train time, I spent, it in seeing the sights of New York,
under the guidance of Dr. Waxhain, a Chicago physician,
whose acquaintance I had made on board. We journeyed
together to Rochester, where was my first stop. Here I
had to visit some relatives that I had'never seen, an uncle
and aunt who had been out here fifty-nine years, and a
family of nine cousins; so you can well imagine the
hearty welcome I got from all these, who were assembled
at the station to meet me, the first relative they had seen
for fifty-nine years ! While staying here two or three
weeks I drove round to look up the various local bee-
keepers. They were principally farmers, who were not
very advanced men, but the foremost among them was
Mr. A. H. Gridley, of North Chilli. I may say that all
this county (Monroe) is a perfect garden — fruit, flowers,
and vegetables in profusion eveiywhere, peaches, grapes,
apples, pears, in the greatest plenty. Mr. Gridley's place
was in a charming spot surrounded by orchards, and I
found him busily harvesting his apples and packing them
in barrels, some of them, such as Baldwins and New
Town pippins, to go to Europe. He had some fifty stocks
of bees, all in the ordinary Langstroth frame-hives that
an' in such general use here, severely plain and simple
in all their details, everything for use, nothing for orna-
ment, not even paint in some cases; and I ventured to
remark that we would beep our hives better painted,
and Mr. Gridley said he would when he got time, but as
labour is so dear here he had to do all he could him-
self, and so the bees got a bit left, especially in a season
when they did not pay. He had nothing to show in the
way of honey, as this season had been a complete failure,
the same as with us in England. All the hives were
supered, but Mr. G\ had not troubled to remove the
partly tilled sections — he would let the bees take the
noney down and save the feeding. We looked through
a few hives and found the stocks were simply grand, but
all in need of food to take them through winter. I
mentioned the price we paid for sugar, and found that
here it was 8 or !• cents the pound — Ad. to -ihd. of our
money. This I Learned was the result of the Protective
tariff, ll seems that sugar i> heavily protected, and as a
result in nearly all the industries that are thus shielded
gigantic trusts are formed, and the price kept up to the
highest possible price by agreement. The sugar trust,
Mr. G. said, was a ureal monopoly, and every consumer
was thus compelled to pay to the support of a wealthy
body of capitalists, and on the bee-keeper in a bad
season it presses with great hardship. There are many
other branches of trade controlled in the same way, and
the "Teat question at the coming election (Tuesday next)
is Protection v. Free Trade, and the people here seem
determined to put an end to what has become simply a
shameful oppression.
Colonol Waterson, one of the prominent Democrats,
spoke here last night to an immense audience, and
brought forward some of the most unanswerable argu-
ments in favour of Free Trade I ever heard, and they
were well received. My host being a well-known
Democrat here we were courteously invited to seats on
the platform, and thus had the pleasure of hearing a
really fine address.
Owing to the hot weather which prevails in the
summer, Mr. Gridley lifts all the bodies from the floor-
boards all round by four little wedges, so that the venti-
lation is very ample. Two devices of his may interest.
1, His method to prevent increase of stocks by swarm-
ing, and this is what many wish to do in England. He
allows one stock to swarm (of course it is well known
that if the swarm was returned it would issue again next
day). When the next swarm issues he unites this swarm to
the stock that has already thrown the swarm, of course
first cutting out the queen-cells that may be there. By
adopting this plan he finds that with certainty the
swarm will not re-issue, and so he goes ou the whole
season, and the only increase in his apiary for the present
year has been the one first swarm. 2, To prevent
second swarnis or casts. Take the first swarm and hive
it, and place this swarm and hive on the spot that the
stock from which it issued stood, and remove stock any-
where within twenty or thirty yards. This stock so
removed will not send out any second swarm. These
plans, be states, invariably answer well, and I therefore
November 29, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
575
mention them. lie was inclinuil to favour Italian
bees, but had heard much about the Carnh dan and would
like to try them, but it was so dillieult to net the real,
genuine article over here. Talking (if the disposal of
honey, he said he never had any difficulty in disposing
of it at fair paying' prices.
(To be continued.)
GLEANINGS.
The Journal of the Royal Microscopical Society, says
M. L. Cuenot, after some remarks on the general com-
position and function of blood, gives a. brief account of
his observations on various groups. In insects the liquid
of the coelom contains a dissolved albuminoid, varying
in colour, which has both respiratory and nutrient
functions. In the blood there are a number of typical
amcebocytes, which are produced by a large gland which
completely surrounds the heart, and even extends over
the alasform muscles; this gland is formed of a connec-
tive stroma tilled with nuclei and tine granulations.
These nuclei gradually surround the albuminogenous
ferment and escape from the gland. This lymphatic
gland is found in the larvae as well as in the imagines of
all orders of insects, with one single exception.
In his Observations on the Embryology of Insects and
Arachnids, A. T. Bruce finds that the antennas of
insects are shown by their innervation to correspond to
the first pair of crustacean antennae; the bilobed upper
lip of insects is innervated from the second division of the
supra-casophageal ganglion which forms part of the cir-
cumcesophageal commissure. He regards the antennas of
insects and Crustacea as probably homologous structures
which ally the two groups.
In the American Apiculturist .1. S. Iiiddle says: —
'Buckwheat affords a honey harvest when all other
honey blossoms have appeared in their season and
vanished away. This cereal can be sown at different
dates, affording a successive honey resource until the
frost of autumn asserts its sway. A peculiarity of its
blossom is, that bees can only gather from it not later
than the middle of the day, unless the weather is damp
and no sunshine. Some seasons it yields an immense
quantity of honey, other seasons it yields but very little;
its honey is a darkish colour, but its peculiar and very
rich flavour makes it a favourite of very many persons
who are not won by appearance alone; not always is the
lightest -coloured honey the best. Many experienced
bee-men claim that buckwheat honey is the best on
which to winter bees. This is my experience. Along
the base of the Alleghany mountains, in this country, I
learn from men who have paid attention to bees, that
they experience very little trouble in wintering their
bees. In that same locality there is always an extensive
crop of buckwheat sown.'
In the Bienenioirthschaftlicltes Centratblatt Dr. Souder
says that there are move colonies of bees in Seldeswig-
Holstein than in any other pro\ iuce, there being one hive
for every eight or nine of the inhabitants. In Switzer-
land there is one hive to every thirteen or fourteen
inhabitants.
In the Farmer's Advocate it. F. Holtermann does not
recommend feeding the bees on syrup in the autumn,
but says they must be got ready for winter early — in
fact, the preparation should commence in summer, and
as the brood will often not permit the storing of suffi-
cient honey below, reserve two or three combs of good
honey well capped, and have these to fall back upon in
every hive, if they do not have the proper quantity on
October 1st. Take out combs free from brood and with
the least honey, and put in the combs of sealed honey.
He says it is a bad plan to feed as it wears the bees out.
as a honey flow does, and leaves them aged for winter ;
there is also a great waste by the bees in placing their
stores in the hive, to say nothing of the bad impression
that your neighbours get, if you bring home sugar to
feed your bees, and they, of course, at once say that you
are 'making honey.'
In the ( 'anadidn Bee Journal GAY. 1 lemaree says he has
discovered a new plan to so strengthen sheets of founda-
tion that they will hold up swarms without the assistance
of the wire nuisance. If you cut a sheet of foundation
in two and then lap the edge about one quarter of an
inch and weld the edges together with a stiff putty
knife in the same way that the sheets are secured to the
top bars by the mashing process, the thick rib in the
centre will prevent the sheet from stretching or sagging,
and the bees will work right on over the rib and make
the combs as perfect as if no thick rib was in the way.
He sees no reason why the rolls of a machine could not
be fluted in the middle so as to forge the ribs in the
cent re up the whole sheets: of course, this would require
long rolls, as the sheets would have to pass through the
mill lengthwise instead of the narrow way as now
practised.
In tlie Heme Internationale d' Apiculture M. Bertrand
says: — 'It is well known that bees gather aphidian
honey, although all honey-dews are not the produce of
aphides. But the sweet substances produced by the
aphides are not, properly speaking, evacuations, in the
sense that this word is usually understood : that is to say,
that they pass out of the body of the insect b}r special
organs, situated on oa> h side of the abdomen, and not at
the extremity. They are a sort of conduit which extend
more or less according to the species, beyond the exterior
of the body, and are nit a continuation of the intestine.
.Many scientists believe these organs to be prolonged
spiracles, that is to say. according to them, they would
form part of the respiratory system. Aphidian hoiiey-
dew, therefore, is the sap of plants which has undergone
a slight modification in passing through their body.
somewhat like bees' honey (if it is not wicked to
suggest such a comparison), and it is not fseca] matter.
Aphides are winged insects, which, like the bees, hare
the light to make honey to feed their young, as some
b ilieve, or for some other reason not yet known.
In ( vmptes Rendus, Mr. Gr. Carlet continues his notes
on the poison of rlymenopteva. In those with a smooth
sting, like Philartthus, Pompilus, and others, the alkaline
gland, like that which the author has already shown to
be well developed in the bee and others, ill these is
rudimentary. In these hymenoptera the incomplete
poison does not kill the insects with which they pro-
vision their nests. He has already shown that the
poison of bees consists of an alkali and an acid, and it is
his opinion that it is the presence of two liquids or of
one only which produces respectively the mortal poison
or the anaesthetic, and not t lie asserted power to select
the part of the body at which the insect will sting its
victim. In the Mellifera only is found a poison-chamber
which furnishes poison, while it protects the poison from
the air, which would alter it. It is correlated with the
parts which form the stinging apparatus of these insects.
In the Heme Internationale M, Woiblet recom-
mended honey as a remedy for warts on the hand. He
noticed that a person Inning warts, after washing the
hands for several consecutive days in honey and water,
tos1 these excrescences'. To assure himself of the efficacy
of this new remedy, M. Woiblet tried it on a child who
had a large wart in the palm of the hand. He applied
pure hone}' several times, and in a few days it had
entirely disappeared Since then M. Desquartiers has
tried the same remedy on a child whose hands were
covered with these warts, which were very disagreeable
both to the sight and touch. Although the remedy was
applied very irregularly, in a few weeks they entirely
disappeared. He says the treatment is very simple: at
night the hands are rubbed with honey, and then gloves
are put on for the night. This remedy is less costly than
the drugs hitherto employed.
576
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 29, 1888.
THIRTY YEARS AMONG THE BEES.
By Henry Alley.
introduction.
Had any one predicted thirty years ago that the
rearing of queen-bees coidd have been made a special
and profitable business b}r any number of people, he
would have been considered insane ; perhaps so much
so as the one who dares predict anything concerning the
possibilities of future bee-keeping. Nevertheless, there
are at the present time more than a score of people who
devote nearly all of their time to the production of
queen-bees.
Thirty years ago but few bee-keepers understood the
art of queen-rearing by artificial methods. No one had
written a book upon this interesting branch of apiculture,
nor could but few bee-keepers be found who had had
even the most limited experience in the art of rearing
queens.
The fact that there never had been any demand for
queen- bees is the reason why queen-rearing was so little
understood in days gone by. It may seem strange to
the younger bee-keepers for me to say that there has
been no greater advancement made in queen-rearing than
there has been in the methods for the production of
honey, either comb or extracted ; also in hives, and, in
fact, in all branches of bee-culture. If the same ad-
vancement continues for thirty years to come that has
been made in the past thirty years, no one can predict
what is possible in apiculture.
Queen-rearing is a subject in which all bee-keepers are
more or less interested. How to produce queens, first-
class in all respects, by artificial means, is a question that
has long attracted the attention of the prominent apiarists
of the world.
Having made queen- rearing a special study, and my
sole business for more than a quarter of a century, I hope
to be able to throw some new light upon the subject, as
the result of my long experience in this particular branch
of apiculture.
In order that we may be successful in the production
of honey it is of vital importance that our queens are
first-class in every respect. To rear queens by the
' forced or artificial ' methods, as it is called, requires
many years of practical experience. It is true that one,
even with limited experience with bees, can give a piece
of comb containing brood or eggs to a queenless colony,
and thus rear queens ; but this is not queen-rearing by
correct, practical, or by proper methods.
He who can rear queens to equal those produced under
the swarming impulse has much to boast of.
Nearly thirty years ago the writer began to rear
queen-bees and ship them to bee-keepers in all parts
of the country. With each year of active and practical
work in the bee-yard, 1 have gained a fund of knowledge
and experience in bee-keeping, and especially of queen-
rearing, that but few people are likely to attain ;
certainly such as few people will ever achieve without
first devoting years of labour and hard study to accom-
plish. Queen-rearing, and bee-keeping generally, is a
most fascinating pursuit, and when a person once en-
gages in it he seldom gives it up wholly.
The reader must not suppose that the writer is an old
man because he has had so many years' experience in
queen-rearing. Though well advanced in life, lie hopes
to be with you for many years to come. I began bee-
keeping at the age of twenty-three years, and queen-
rearing on a small scale was one of my first hobbies. I
had kept bees but a few years when the introduction of
the Italian bee created so much excitement throughout
the world. At that time a demand for Italian queen-
bees sprang up, and several parties beside myself com-
menced rearing them to supply the trade. Since that
time — somewhat over twenty-nine years ago — I have
given my whole time to this branch of bee-keeping.
With the above brief introduction, I will try to explain
the several methods for rearing queens that have been
practised in the Bay State Apiary since its establishment.
Any of the methods given will be found practical, and
may be relied upon by those who use them for producing
queens that are equal to those reared in full colonies
under the swarming impulse.
How to Rear Queens. — We will now suppose that
the reader lias had a proper amount of practical ex-
perience in the early branches of bee-keeping to fit him
for queen-rearing and is ready to take up this branch of
bee-culture and attempt to make it a success.
Those who intend to make the rearing of queens a
business will find it necessary to commence early in the
spring, to prepare the colonies for cell-building. Here
let me say, that unless one can have queens ready to
ship as early as May 20th, or certainly by June 1st,
he should not attempt queen -rearing as a means of
livelihood.
In the north there is but one way to get colonies in the
swarming condition as early in the season as is desirable,
and that is, by liberal feeding. This will, of course,
stimulate the bees to brood-rearing. The proper timi* to
begin feeding is when the bees commence to carry in
pollen.
I have found that the best way to feed in the spring
is to use a wire-cloth honey-board (described on another
page), and have also discovered that powdered sugar —
the same as confectioners use to frost cake — and honey
mixed, say twenty-four ounces of honey to five pounds of
sugar, is an excellent food for stimulative feeding. The
mixture should be thoroughly kneaded and worked about
the same as a good bread-maker prepares the sponge for
a batch of bread. When the food is ready, raise the
cushion and place it on the wirecloth directly over the
cluster, and cover up warm. The bees will soon take all
the food through the wire and place it in the combs.
About one pound of such food should be used each
week.*
I am partial to the double-walled hive for obtaining
large colonies and rapid increase early in the spring.
Those colonies that have wintered in the best condition
should be selected to rear the first queens.
When the bees begin to gather honey from natural
sources, any further feeding will be unnecessary and
should be discontinued. By May 5th to the 10th, the
colonies fed should be strong, and have the appearance of
being ready to swarm. The winter packing should not
be removed, however, until the sections are placed on
the hive, and that should not be done until there is
plenty of forage for the bees and the weather is quite
warm. The entrance to the hive should be kept con-
tracted to about two inches for the largest colonies.
This will prevent the escape of heat from the brood-
chamber. I like to keep the interior of the hive as
warm as possible. If the combs of a colony that has
been treated as above for several weeks are examined,
they will be found full of brood in all stages. There
should be more or less capped drone-brood, and perhaps
some drones. This is just the condition in which a
colony should be before it is used for cell-building.
The Selection op a Queen-mother. — Now we
have reached a point where all is ready to commence
queen-rearing, and I will mention some of the qualities
and give some of the points that a queen should possess
* If queens are not to be reared until after the honey
harvest has commenced, no such preparation as given
above will be necessary, and the method for rearing queens
in full colonies without removing, or caging the queen, will
be found the most practical one to use after the 20th of
May and up to the end of the honey harvest. This method
will not be given here nor will it be made public. It is my
intention to publish it in pamphlet form and present a
copy to each purchaser of this book, and to each subscriber
to the American Apiculturist,
November 29, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
577
that is to be used as a queen-mother. All experienced
bee-keepers know the importance of having a strong,
vigorous mother-bee. It will be understood, of cour.se,
that the breeding queen should be carefully selected, and
thoroughly tested the previous season, in order to deter-
mine her qualities regarding purity and other desirable
points. In selecting a mother-bee, I make it a point to
Belect the largest and finest formed, as well as the
brightest coloured queen in the apiary. Special regard
is paid to selecting for gentleness, prolificness, and good
working qualities. Purity is determined by selecting
only those queens whose worker progeny is uniformly
marked. Such queens can be depended upon to duplicate
themselves in handsome, golden-coloured, royal progeny
every time.
Never select a queen whose workers are poor honey-
gatherers, as queens from such mothers will not be first-
class in any respect.
How TO OnTAIN THE EciGS FOIl CeI.I.-IU'ILDIXG. — I
cannot rear queens on a large scale and draw the eggs
from full colonies as most queen-dealers do, and advise
others to do. There are many disadvantages and ob-
jections to such a practice. The life of a queen is
endangered every time a hive is opened and any of the
combs are removed. Even if the queen is not killed by
being jammed between the combs, she is liable to be
' balled ' to death. When a hive is opened, the bees, and
more especially the queen, is more or less excited, and at
such times the bees are apt to destroy their own queen.
Then, again, it is a difficult matter to find eggs in a
full colony, in any desired quantity, and in the right
condition for cell- building at any time one desires to
start cells. The plan recommended by most breeders of
queens is to insert a clean, new comb in the centre of the
brood-nest of a full colony, and in the course of a few
days the eomb is removed, and after cutting more or less
holes in it, it is placed in a queenless colony, when a
number of cells will be built about the apertures thus
made.
While such a plan may do for rearing a few queens, I
think it very objectionable if one hundred or more queens
are to be reared. To obviate all danger of killing any
valuable breeding queens, I find it the best plan to keep
the mother-bee in a small hive, similar to the one illus-
trated in Fig. 1. The dimensions of such a hive as I
have used for many years are as follow : — Depth, six
inches : width from side to side,
eight inches ; and from front to
rear, six inches. This is inside
measure. Five frames are used
in the hive. These hives are made
of seven-eighth-inch thick boards
for durability. When the colony
is made up, two combs of honey,
two of brood, and one empty
comb, are used. The frames of
honey are placed at the sides, then the brood, and, lastly,
the empty comb is placed in the centre. About three
pints of bees and a queen are then put in the hive. The
queen will deposit her first eggs in the empty comb.
Ihree days later those eggs will be at the proper age for
cell-building.
A comb that has been used for brood once or twice is
rather the best to use for cell-building, though most any
comb will do when prepared as described further on.
About one week previous to the time of commencing
queen-rearing is the proper time to prepare a hive for the
breeding queen, as she should be in the hive several days
before any eggs are taken from the colony, and the bees
allowed time to get the hive in order for the work of the
season. After one or two combs have been filled and
removed, the colony will be in condition to furnish one
comb of eggs each day during the season. If the queen
is what she should be, every cell in the frame will have
an egg in it. I make it a rule to remove that comb
Fig. l.
Hive for breeding
every night, and insert another one in its place. After
marking the date of the month on the top bar, it is then
placed in a queenless colony specially prepared for the
reception of such eggs. Here the eggs are nursed and
cared for until they are wanted for cell-building. It
would not do to place such combs iu a colony having a
fertile queen, as she might find a few cells that had no
eggs in them, and at once deposit some. Under such
circumstances there would be an uncertainty as to which
queen the cells when built would belong.
Advantages of using such Hive.s. — The advan-
tages of using such small hives from which to obtain the
eggs will be seen at a glanc>. Some of them are these :
1. It is not necessary to open a full hive when eggs are
wanted. 2. The exact age of the eggs is positively
known, and one may know when to prepare his bees for
cell-building, aud the exact time when the young queens
will appear. This is one of the most important features
of my method of rearing queens. Every movement con-
nected with queen-rearing should be so systematical that
no mistakes can occur. By my system of getting eggs
for cell-building and rearing queens, it is impossible for
the bees to build cells from anything but eggs or very
young larvaj. There is no guess-work or loop-holes left
open for mistakes of any nature.
Piikpabing the Bees for Cei.i.-bi-ii.ding. — At this
point every preparation is complete for queen-rearing.
The colonies have been forced up to the swarming-point
and the eggs are at the right age from which to start
cells. The next move is to select the colony for the
work and remove the hive to the bee-room, where every-
thing has been made convenient and comfortable for
doing the work that must be done to tit a colony of bees
for cell-building.
Just at this point not only is there needed a convenient
room in which to do the work, but several other articles
should be at hand ; among them a wire-screen, used for
fastening the bees in the hive. A small broom, for
brushing the bees from the combs, is one of the most
convenient things in the apiary ; also a box that will
hold three pecks at least, aud having a top and bottom
of wire-clotli. For convenience, this box will be called
the swarm-box. It is used merely to confine the bees,
for a few hours, while they are being put iu condition
for cell-building.*
When the bees have been removed from the combs
they are placed in the swarm-box to remain from one to
two hours or until they are in a proper condition to
accept eggs from which to rear queens.
In the previous editions of the Bee-keeper's Handy
Book I gave directions and advised keeping bees intended
for cell-building in a queenless state and confined in the
swarm-box ten to twelve hours. Experience has shown
that bees that have been in a queenless state but a few
hours will destroy eggs prepared for them for rearing
queens by my former method. Hence the necessity for
keeping a colony queenless so long a time before eggs
are given them ; but, after practising this method for
several years, it occurred to me that it would be an easy
matter to obviate the necessity of the long confinement
of the bees in such small quarters and so long a time as
ten hours, and I was prompted to test the following
experiments.
(To be continued.)
— The American Apiculturist.
REV. L. L. LAXGSTROTH.
Lorenzo Lorraine Laiigstroth had his birth in Phila-
delphia, the 25th of December, 1810. Born in the 'City
of Brotherly Love,' how worthily he has acted to main-
tain the reputation of his natal city ! How few men
•All the articles used in my methods, and in the Bay
State Apiary, will be described farther on. Also a room in
which to handle bees as I think one should be arranged,
578
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 29, 1888.
exemplify more of brotherly love in their everyday life !
As a child, Lorenzo was passionately fond of insects.
Even now lie grows eloquent as he tells of the pleasure
he had when a boy in watching ant-hills, and in search-
ing out other insects and studying their wondrous habits.
His parents, though intelligent, well-to-do people, did
not encourage this seeming ' waste of time,' and so, in-
stead of encouraging his thirst for study from the grand
Book of Nature by a show of interest or words of ap-
proval, and by supplying books devoted to natural his-
tory, they repressed this desire to know God by the
study of His handiwork. It seems strange to us now
how parents can see that anything but good can come
from a study of the pure and true, as Nature writes it on
all her pages.
At the age of seventeen Mr. Langstrotli entered Yale
College, from which institution he graduated four years
later. Those of us who have admired the classic diction
of his great work, the Koney Bee, have listened to his
reading from Virgil and Columella in Latin, and have
heard him eloquently explain his invention and methods
of work, need not be told how industriously these college
years were spent. Neither are we surprised to know
that he was thought competent to teach in the great
college from which he had received his education. lie
was two years Tutor of Mathematics at Vale, and en-
tirely sustained the expense requisite to a theological
course which he took at his alma mater.
In May, 1836, he was ordained pastor of the Old
South, or Second Congregational Church, at Andover,
Mass. Eloquent, learned, studious, devout, full of that
love which 'esteemeth others better than oneself,' it goes
without saying that Mr. Langstroth was a successful
pastor in the best sense of that word. In the same year.
he married Miss Anna M. Tucker, of New Haven, L't.,
by whom he had one sou and two daughters. Many of
us remember what a faithful helpmeet he secured.
During the severe illnesses of her husband she carried
on his very arduous and extensive correspondence as
only an unusually competent, dutiful, and loving wife
could do. The beauty and painstaking accuracy of the
business letters written by Mrs. Langstroth showed full
well that her husband had secured that best of life's
blessings — a good wife. Mr. Langstroth often says that
he owed more than he could tell to his devoted and ac-
complished wife.
A year after Mr. Langstroth's settlement in Andover
he was incited, by the sight of some exquisite comb
honey in a glass globe, on the table of a friend whom he
was visiting, to investigate the latter's bees, which were
kept in the attic. His delight was exceedingly great,
and nothing could stay his ardour and enthusiasm, now
at white heat, till he had secured two colonies of bees,
which, of course, were in box hives. His only bee-books
were Virgil and an American work, whose author, at
this time, doubted the existence of a queen-bee.
Two years later, 1839, Mr. Langstroth's health became
so impaired that he was obliged to relinquish his pulpit.
He then removed to Greenfield, Mass., where he gave
his attention more and more to bees. His thirst for
knowledge on this subject led him to seek light every-
where. Soon the works of Bevan and Huber fell into
his hands, and there was opened a new world before
him. From this time on he gathered industriously the
works of foreign and American writers on bees and bee-
culture, till now he has one of the finest apiarian
libraries.
Soon after relinquishing his pastorate in Andover Mr.
Langstroth was chosen principal of the Abbott Female
Academy in that place. Subsequently he was elected
principal of the Greenfield High School for young ladies,
and was for five years pastor of the Second Congrega-
tional Church in Greenfield. His health again compelled
him, in 1848, to resign his pastoral charge.
In 1848 Mr. Langstroth opened a school for young
ladies in Philadelphia, where he began more earnestly
to investigate the habits of bees, and to experiment with
hives, which led to his great invention, the Langstroth
moveable frame /tin', which was devised in 1851. Mr.
Langstroth has shown me this important sentence from
his journal of October 30th, 18-31 (recorded on the very
day that he devised his plan for using a moveable
frame): — 'The use of these frames will, I am persuaded,
give a new impetus to the easj' and profitable manage-
ment of bees.'
In regard to this invention, which was to bee-keeping
what the gin was to the cotton industry, I quote from
my Manual, ninth thousand, page 283: — 'In 1831, our
own Langstroth, without any knowledge of what foreign
apiarian inventors had done, save what he could find in
Huber, and the edition of 1838 of Bevan, invented the
hive now in common use among the advanced apiarists
of America. It is this hive, the greatest apiarian inven-
tion ever made, that has placed American apiculture in
advance of that of all other countries.' Mr. S. Wagner,
than whom, from his wide knowledge of all apiarian
literature, no one was better able to judge, in speaking
of this invention, says, ' When Mr. Langstroth took up
this subject, he well knew what Huber had done, and
saw wherein he had failed — failing, possibly, only be-
cause he aimed at nothing more than constructing an
observatory hive suitable for his purpose. Mr. Lang-
stroth's object was other and higher. He aimed at
making frames moveable, interchangeable, and practically
serviceable in bee-culture ; nobody, before Mr. Lang-
stroth, ever succeeded in devising a mode of making and
using a moveable frame that u-cis of any practical value
in bee-culture.' Probably no one was more conversant
with this whole subject than Mr. Wagner. He was
thoroughly informed as to German, French, and English
bee literature and methods. His statement should then
and there have set at rest all question and controversy;
and it would, had not greed, selfishness, and dishonesty,
prompted men to reap where they had not sown.
Langstroth on the Honey Bee was first published at
Northampton, Mass., in May, 1852, and in its prepara-
tion for the press, our American Huber, like the other
Huber, wa-i greatly assisted by his wife. It was revised
in the year 18J7, and again in 1859, since which time it
has not been revised, though many thousands of volumes
have been published and sold. This work is really a
classic. Its admirable style, clear and accurate descrip-
tions, exceeding thoroughness and completeness, and its
perfect candour, honesty, and ingenuousness, made it a
favourite with all who studied its pages. Had apicul-
ture stood still, and science slumbered, no second work
would have been needed. Every bee-keeper will rejoice
that persons having such wide knowledge and practical
skill as Messrs. Charles Dadant & Son are revising this
great work. In 1858 Mr. Langstroth removed to Ox-
ford, 0., where with his son he engaged in the rearing
for sale of Italian queens. His apiary was large, and
his sales in a single year reached the sum of !j>-!000,
which at that time was something astonishing.
The death of his only son in 1870, and of his wife in
1873, a severe form of head trouble, which often wholly
incapacitates him for mental or bodily exertion (one
attack having lasted for two years), together with a
serious railroad accident, compelled Mr. Langstroth to
sell his apiary in 1874; but he has seldom been wholly
without bees.
We regret to say that Mr. Langstroth never received
any considerable reward from his great invention. Its
great value was at once recognised, but, through infringe-
ments, others reaped the reward which rightfully was
his. These infringements led to litigation which swal-
lowed up even the gains that had been received. This
whole matter is the dark page in American bee-keeping
history, and we gladly pass it by without further
comment.
November 2ft, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
579
Those personally acquainted with Mr. Langstroth are
aware, that he is a very superior-looking- man. His
physique is large and fine, his face kindly and intelli-
gent, while his broad culture, pleasing manners, arid
delightful social characteristics, make him a charming
companion. He is loved and venerated by American
bee-keepers, not only for what he has done for them,
but also for his beautiful character and genuine personal
worth. Happy are we that he who is both our Iluber
and Dzierzon is not only worthy of all respect and
admiration for what he lias done, but even more for
what he is.
In 1887 Mr. Langstroth removed to Dayton, Ohio.
His home is with Mr. II. C. Cowan, who married Mr.
Langst roth's eldest daughter, and their seven children
add much to the comfort and enjoyment of his declining
years. — A. J. Cook, Agricultural College, Michigan,
( American Gleanings).
KENT BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
The October Meeting of the Council of the Association
was held, by kind permission, at the rooms of the Royal
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
Jermyn Street, London, on Wednesday, the "1st ult., at
four o'clock in the afternoon. The attendance of mem-
bers in more numbers than of late showed that the
experiment of holding meetings in London was likely
to be more successful. Mr. Hooker was voted to the
chair.
Letters were read from members who were unable,
from various causes, to be present. The Secretary
informed the meeting that no meeting of the Council
had been held since that at Siltingbourn on February
29th, and therefore the executive officers had become
responsible for the work done as well as for that
which had been left undone. The usual notices were
sent out for the April meeting, fixed to be held at Ash-
ford, but, as the Treasurer and Secretary were the only
members present, the result was abortive. The work of
the Association had been carried on on the lines pre-
viously laid down.
The spring tour of the Expert had been carried out;
the bee tent had fulfilled two engagements, one of
which was on entirely new ground, namely, at Minster,
in Thanet : the other being at Staplehurst. Prizes for
honey had been given at the Lydd Horticultural Show,
and the Cottagers' Apiary Competition at Hawkliurst
had been repeated.
The lion, treasurer, in forwarding his financial
account, which showed an available balance of 21/. 18s. 7rf.,
took the opportunity of announcing his intention of
resigning his office at the end of the year. This intima-
tion was received with very great regret by all the
members present, and the Secretary was directed to
urge a reconsideration of a step which, if taken, would
be greatly injurious to the Association.
The Apiary Competition at Hawkliurst attracted
seven cottager members to a friendly rivalry, and in
spite of the disappointing character of the season, their
efforts to secure the honours were maintained with full
energy to the end. The competitors were John Collins,
to whom the first prize was awarded; Frederick Reed
and James Hicks, equal second ; W. Blake, third ; \V.
Campany, J. Marchant, and J. Humphreys. The yield
of honey was remarkably small, the maximum quantity
in any instance not exceeding nine pounds, whereas last
year it exceeded in several instances fifty pounds per
hive. The judges, of whom Mr. Hooker was one, found
much pleasure in carrying out the duty entrusted to
them, and bestowed much praise upon the admirable
manner in which the apiaries, with one exception, were
managed.
It was decided that the next meeting of the Council
should again be held in London ou December 5th.
€axxt8$avfomtt.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by Jits correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side of
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Hucelk, Kings Langley, Herts {see
2nd paye of Advertisements).
*»* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1896.] From the perusal of many of the late issues
of the B.B.J. , it will have been evident even to a casual
reader that there is something wrong in the management
of County Associations to account for the decease of
some and the apathetic state of others, and also
with regard to the connexion of British and County
Associaions.
That all County Associations are not in as flourishing
a condition as might be wished will he generally con-
ceiled, and the question arises, Why do tiiey not work
well, and what suggestions can be given for their im-
provement ?
I quite agree with Mr. Seager and Mr. Grimshaw that
affiliated Associations should not necessarily be County
Associations. 1 have several times recommended the
amalgamation of Hunts and Cauibs, because I believe
that under existing circumstances there would be mure
probability of success than there now is with each a
separate Association. The secretaryship of Hunts
Association has gone begging nearly a year, and while
in Cambs the Secretary sticks to office, the members ate
falling off. Recently I had a request to give advice in
forming a branch of the B.B.K.A. at Willingham, and
I have promised to give them a lecture and advice re
affiliation to-morrow. Too much space would be taken
up to fully explain suggestions for the improvement of the
Associations, but I believe failure in several cases must
be attributed to the fact that, what at starting has been
named as one of their main objects, assisting in the
disposal of members' produce, has been persistently
neglected, and until Associations individually take up
the question as Berks B.K.A. has done, and deal with it
a^ they think best for the benefit of the members, they
will lack the sympathy of those they profess being
desirous to benefit.
Briefly, the first requirement is a good energetic
Secretary, and if a gentleman of means and position,
with time at his command, so much the better.
Secondly, there should be a good Committee, and it
should be thoroughly representative, and might be
apportioned as follows : — One quarter, representative lion,
members, because among them are often not only our
best friends, but our best workers ; another quarter,
cottager members, and the remaining half the most
practical bee-keepers in the county.
Now, with regard to the work of the Committee, I
should place their work in order of importance as
follows : —
(They should first ascertain what can be done for
members as far as possible. If a hive, &c., could be
adopted for the county, uniformity would be secured,
and work rendered easier for lecturers and expert.)
First, the bee-keepers should be visited by competent
local experts, or paid experts, whose duty should be
mainly to advise, though certain manipulations must be
carried out to instruct the member in the art of bee-
keepiner. Only those desirous of adding to their incomes
would then benefit by the visit of the expert.
580
THE BEITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 29, 1888.
Secondly, a certain proportion of the members will
require assistance in the disposal of their produce,
and how this assistance shall he given will depend
much upon local circumstances, though the first attempt
in this direction I think should be to find a home-
niarket, and then provide means for the disposal of
any surplus.
Thirdly, the annual show. This is frequently a great
expense without the corresponding advantage, and if the
county were divided into districts, there might be by
arrangement district exhibits at some good local flower
nhow. Of course lectures and manipulations could be
provided by the Committee if funds permitted. The
district shows or county show to be thought of only
when the first and second duties had been provided for.
There is without doubt room for improvement in the
relations of the British and County Associations, for
there does not at present seem to be a ' union of hearts.'
The B.B.K.A. give great assistance when an Association
is being established, but afterwards, if they do give back
18*. of the guinea subscription in the form of medals,
they do not do as much as they might to foster the
growth and promote the success of the County Associa-
tions. It has been suggested that the county repre-
sentatives should have a vote at the B.B.K.A. meetings,
and I certainly think they should in everything con-
nected with County Associations. I see by the balance-
sheet of theB.B.K.A. thatCounty Associations contributed
a little over one sixth of the income from subscriptions
and donations, and while it might consequently be said
that they should have a corresponding share of voting
power, I think that as the object of the B.B.K.A., to
encourage, improve, and advance bee-culture in the
United Kingdom, must be carried out through the
County Associations, half the B.B.K.A. Committee
should consist of the Secretaries or other representatives
of the County Associations, and whether every such
representative should be a member of the Committee, or
a moiety of the B.B.K.A. Committee be elected from
their number, is a matter of detail, though I think the
latter would be a more workable plan. — C. N. White,
Somersham, Hunts, November 22nd.
B. B. K. A. AND COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1697.] The two weakest points in the constitution of
the B.B. K. A. are, I think,—
1. Members of County Associations are not ipso/acta
members of the B. B. K. A., and vice versa.
2. Subscribers of 6s. are ineligible for membership of
the managing Committee.
May I offer the following suggestions, hoping that
some of them may be useful in solving the problem,
' How shall the B. B. K. A. best advance the interests of
bee-keepers, and so secure greater support ? '
1. The B. B. K. A. should consist of District Asso-
ciations.
2. No person should be a member of B.B.K.A. except
through a District Association.
3. A District Association may consist oijice or more
members.
4. Each District Association be affiliated to the
B. B. K. A., providing that —
(1.) It is open to every bee-keeper in the district.
(2.) A copy of its rules (of which the above should
be one) shall be sent to headquarters, and must
be in general accord with those of the B. B. K. A.
(3.) An uniform subscription (say 2s. Gd.) shall be
paid for each member to the General Fund.
(4.) A short report, list of members (whose subscrip-
tions are paid), and balance-sheet (with cash, if
not before paid), shall be sent up to headquarters
on or before December 31st in each year.
(N.B. — Larger subscriptions not to be refused.)
5. The management of the B, B, K, A, be vested in an
Executive of twenty-four members, who shall retire
annually, but be eligible for re-election.
G. Each District Association may nominate one can-
didate for a place on the Committee.
7. Lists of nominations and retiring members be sent
to each District Secretary on a certain date ; the votinn-
thereon shall be by ballot, and the result shall be
entered on the form and returned within fourteen days.
8. No member whose subscription is unpaid on
previous 31st of December will be entitled to vote.
9. As an alternative an annual Conference might bo
held, each District Association sending one delegate (who
shall he entitled to the number of votes belonging to the
Association) for every twenty or thirty members. One
Association may, if not entitled by its numbers to a
delegate from among its own members, entrust its votes
to a delegate sent by another Association.
10. The travelling expenses of members of the Execu-
tive to be paid.
11. No special rate of subscription should be neces-
sary to enable a candidate to get a seat on the
Executive.
12. Each District Association to settle the rate of
subscription to be paid by its members, the amount to
include subscription to be sent to the General Fund, plus
expense of local management.
If the above or some similar scheme were adopted,
the interests of the B.B.K.A. (as a whole), the District
Associations, and individual members, would, to a great
extent, be identical. In considering the above the
matter of shows should, I think, be kept out of the
question, Let us get a strong (in numbers) B.B.K.A,,
with a more representative Committee (not three !), and
then the matter of arranging for shows can be dis-
cussed.
I hope, Mr. Editor, you will freely open your columns
for a full discussion, using the waste-paper basket and
editorial scissors for personal abuse (which is not argu-
ment) only. Whatever scheme is adopted let it be done
quickly.— Thomas BAPCOCK, Southfeet, Kent,
MINOBCAN BEES.
[1898.] I must beg pardon of the readers of the B. B.
Journal for having therein stated a year ago, that our
bees and the Carniolans were as like as two peas. When
Mr. Simmins sent us a Carniolan queen, accompanied by
a dozen workers, I never having seen a Carniolan natu-
rally supposed the workers were such also. That
gentleman has since informed me that was not the
case. We lost that- queen through mismanagement and
want of practice on our part, and two more queens have
since been lost through that of the Post-office authorities,
probably. So that our race is still unmixed, which I do
not regret ; wishing to know, before any further trials,
the good and bad qualities of our bees through the
capable gentlemen possessing them, which will doubtless
be made public in due time.
Apropos, I suppose you have read what our friend
M. Bertrand says in his Reuue Internationale in regard
to his Minorca queen. He seems to consider her very
prolific, keeping two frames of brood after all his other
hives had left off breeding. But the most singular part
is, that while her progeny are all born in Switzerland,
they keep up the practice so common here, of systemati-
cally and scientifically barricading the entrance with
propolis in the fall. I say scientifically, because some of
these fortifications and bastions seem for all the world
the work of engineers learned in the art of self-defence.
M. Bertrand says this art must have been transmitted
' through the egg as an immaterial quality,' according to
Vogel, editor of the Bienen Zeitung, for none of his other
colonies have done so. Is it not a remarkable fact ?
Ever since the middle of September, our apple, pear,
and cherry trees, have been in bloom as the result of the
November 29, i888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
581
autumn rains after so dry a summer. However, the bees
do not seem to visit them much, probably rinding pastur-
age more to their taste in the rosemary and cirrhosa now in
bloom, besides the numerous aromatic and medicinal
plants now covering the fields. Since the rains again
set vegetation in motion, our bee3 havo been very busy
storing pollen in large quantities. They seem to gather
a superabundance of the article, which is an incentive to
the wax-moth. But don't they look pretty when return-
ing with their heavy red, and yellow, and orange-coloured
loads, under which they seem to stagger ? For my part
I can say that, next to extracting the precious nectar —
■which in Minorca is precious — nothing gives me more
pleasure during the leisure hours spent in the apiary,
than this busy pollen-gathering.
Have you noticed what a German writer (probably
Dr. Maximo Herding) living about Granada, says of our
climate and flora? It is in L' Apiculture of Milan, for
November. Let me see whether I am good at trans-
lating from memory. The gentleman has an apiary (old-
fashioned, I think, from a letter he wrote us, but
yielding largely) in Sierra Nevada, of which he says : —
' No other chain of mountains in Europe can boast such
rich and varied flora. It, in itself, contains all that the
northern and southern countries of this hemisphere possess.
It is a perfect garden from spring to autumn. ... I
inteud when winter comes to move down the southern
slope, where grows the sugar-cane, and where the ther-
mometer never goes down to zero (32° Fahr.), and the
weather the most constant, you can imagine.' What
think yon, English apiculturists, of this realistic sketch ?
Our World's Exposition at Barcelona is drawing to a
close. It has been far more successful than any one
could imagine, thanks to the energy and unflagging
perseverance of the Catalan character. By the way,
Signor Sartoii, the Italian apiculturist, paid a visit to
it, and gives his impressions in the same number of
L'Apicoltore as to the.apicultural department, composed
of our house and a bare baker's dozen of other gentlemen,
mostly our followers. My eldest son, Frank, had put up
a pretty, stylish instalation, as it is here called, con-
taining all the modern fashions — an observatory hive
with live bees, after Simmins ; sections of various classes,
among others some diamond-shaped invented by him,
and which, combined in glass cases, formed a beautiful
crown or a star ; designs in glass, letters, &c.
Mr. Sartori has hardly done us justice, giving the
most credit to Mr. Belloch, your translator, which judg-
ment the international jury havo certainly reversed, by
unanimously awarding us not only the only one of the
gold medals (ten in all) in the Spanish department of all
industries, but the still higher award of diploma de honor.
I should add the praises sung by Signor Sartori of our
Minorca honey, but fear you will think I am fishing for
a free advertisement, as the Americans say. He adds
that Italian apiculturists did not send their products
because it would have been ' sending coals to Newcastle '
(literally, water to the ocean). But even had they done
so, I incline to the opinion that they could not have
' taken the rag off ' your humble servant and pupils,
who have persistently, and in part successfully, tried to
profit by your counsels and those of the British Bee
Journal. As to Mr. Belloch, I doubt whether he gets
any kind of a diploma, for he made a poor show. — F. C.
Andheu.
[We have seen the remarks you allude to by a German
writer translated into Italian in L'Apicoltore of Milan.
We do not know to whom allusion is made, as it is only
in an editorial note of M. de Rauschenfels, called forth by
a remark in M. Sartori's letter respecting the climate of
your country. What an El Dorado for bee-keepers,
and what a splendid chance to establish the industry
there ! We are also pleased to hear about the exhibition,
and hope that it will give an impulse to bee-keeping, and
result in making honey more plentiful, and not only a
luxury, as it seems to be at present, but an article of
common use. We see M. Sartori speaks well of your
exhibit, and says you had, besides appliances, forty jars
of beautiful {bellissimo ed ottimo) honey, and all was
arranged with good taste and intelligence. We are
pleased if in any way we have been instrumental in
propagating improved methods in Spain. — Ei>.]
OUR SCHEDULES AGAIN.
[1890.] I am very pleased to think the suggestions I
made in a previous hsue of the B.B.J, re schedules have
not fallen to the ground quite unobserved. When the
Committee of Associations, or those delegated to revise
the prize list of 1880 meet, I do hope that more considera-
tion will be given to smaller bee-keepers. It is a well-
known fact that owners of eighty or a hundred stocks
have matters all their own way, while those with their
ten or fifteen stocks are quite down in spirits to see tha
prizes all going to one or two individuals. I quite agree
with Mr. Woodleigh (1870) that a large display of
honey and honey-comb attracts the public attention; and
well do I remember the large displays my brother
William made in the years '86-87, the former at Dum-
fries, when his stand contained 17 cwt., the latter at
JPerth, when he staged 1 \ tons ; the sight of seeing so
much honey on one solid stand is a recollection never to
be forgotten. As might be expected my brother was
awarded premier honours for those displays ; but I
should like to know how many bee-keepers could stage
a similar quantity, while, if the weight had been speci-
fied on the schedule, the competition, in all likelihood,
would havo been very keen.
In order to give small bee-keepers a chance of gaining
a prize a class was introduced during season 1887 at
Perth in connexion with our 'Caledonian;' this was
for the best display under 100 pound competitors, in the
large class debarred. This resulted in being the best-
couipeted-for entr}- in the show, your humble servant
on the said occasion gaining first honours. I consider
that ten entries in a class, when a given weight is men-
tioned, has a more attractive appearance than a class
where only three or four entries are staged, no matter
how much they coutain.
Compilers of schedules should try the suggestion, —
have two classes for displays, the one under 100 pounds,
the other any weight ; this will then give small owners a
chance of a prize that hitherto they could not compete
for with any prospect to win. If Mr. Woodleigh comes
North to try his mettle against Scotchmen, I shall be
very, pleased to give him a hearty shake of the hand
and a Scotch welcome. Our shows are numerous, and
fairly good prizes are offered : the inducements are such
as might tempt many of our brethren across the Border.
Next season the ' Caledonian ' show will be held at
Melrose, one of our historic towns of fame. Let us
hope the season will be a good one, and such as will
induce many of our Scotch bee-keepers to visit the
' Royal Windsor Show ' and the Co-operative Fete. —
John D. McNally.
EXPERIENCES— 1888.
[1900.] The past season in England has been one full
of experiences to all bee-keepers. Never before within
the memory of modern apiarists has such a disastrous
season been experienced. It is true that in isolated cases
a small surplus has been obtained, but in by far the
majority, not only has there been an absence of surplus,
but the bees have been unable to gain even sufficient for
their winter consumption. In my own apiary, upon ex-
amination at end of season, four colonies only had sufficient
stores for their winter's consumption, in each of these
cases they were Italian hybrids first cross ; next in order
of meritcame the Carniolan hybrids. The pure races
were the worst off, many of them at beginning of Sep.
582
THE BEITISH BEE JOUENAL.
[November 29, 1888.
tember having less than a pound of lioney in the hive.
In this district there will not he above a dozen or so
stocks of bees survive the approaching winter, as the straw
skeppists will not feed, no matter how strongly you im-
press upon them the necessity of so doing, though the
poorer ones must not be blamed for this want of fore-
thought ; in many, very many, cases the reason is a want
of funds to provide the necessary sugar. I have this fall
driven just over 140 stocks, and in not one of them have
I found over five pounds of honey. Many stocks have
already succumbed. Although this condition of things
to the old-fashioned bee-keeper appears so disastrous,
it has its merits — it proves to him in the most marked
manner the superiority of modern apiculture over that
of our forefathers ; this will dawn upon him next spring
when he sees that by the necessary attention the modern
bee-keeper has saved his charges without loss, then he
asks himself the question, If he can, cannot I ? He will
have gained experience by the bad season of 1888.
Feeders. — Another experience of 1883 proves the
superiority of wood in the manufacture of feeders over
that of. metal and glass. On days when, owing to the
cold, wet, unseasonable weather, the metal or glass
feeders were partially or wholly deserted, but those of
wood were crowded with bees. A fault has been found
with the wood feeder, that of leakage ; this need not be.
The failure is entirely owing to the manner in which
they are manufactured. Even in cases where the manu-
facture is bad it can easily be rectified by running wax
along the joints inside. Obtain a table-spoon or small
ladle, fill this with some common wax which, after melt-
ing, pour down each comer and allow it to run in the
angle of same, treat each corner in the same manner, ami
no leakage will occur. The 'feeder must be perfectly
dry.
Feeding Swarms. — The condition of swarms that
have been fed and those which have not is totally differ-
ent, the latter being mostly found upon four orfive combs
partially built, whilst the former are in a condition to
make splendid stocks next season. Unfed swarms in
many straw skeps do not number more than about two
thousand or so bees (| lb. ), while those that have been fed
are full both of bees and combs. The contents in bees
of eight colonies, this year's swarms, driven by me in
the fall, weighed just under four pounds, and these
colonies were in fair condition in comparison to some.
The)- had not been fed at time of swarming.
Queen Rearing. — This has been almost a failure. I
have lost dozens through non-fertilisation, having had
to destroy them. Many have been lost on their wedding
flights, whilst often the weather was so bad that they
had to be entirely neglected, and when warm weather
did set in it was too late for our attentions, racking-
bees and queens in a hailstorm, with the wind blowing
'great guns,' is not anything to ' hanker after.'
The crowding of drones in a given area at time of
queen-fertilisation, and also the fertilisation of a queen,
was observed by me very successfully. I was informed
by a breathless boy that there was a swarm of bees in a
field about a quarter of a mile from the apiary, so I,
with swarm-catcher in hand, made for them. Upon
arrival I recognised at once that the loud hum wavering
from here to thereabouts and high up over the field was
that of a concourse of drones; while standing listening to
them, down, like a meteor from above, came about a
dozen drones, surrounding t he queen and her consort ; they
touched the ground just three yards in front of me, and
in an instant rose again, the pair having separated. The
drone did not die at once, as I searched for yards around
for a dead drone, in fact I spent a whole afternoon at this
occupation, causing a remark to be made that I must be
daft, hunting around in the sun lil«e that for just a dead
bee.
Secretion of Nectar. — My hives are placed in the
middle of about forty acres of Dutch clover, yet for days
and weeks not a bee was to be seen working upon it.
Upon tasting it one could not detect the slightest trace
of nectar, which in ordinary seasons is so perceptible.
No sun, but a plentiful supply of rain, means no nectar,
and so no honey. Even borage was deserted, though so
well protected from the rain entering the nectaries. — W.
13. "Webster.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE PHYSIOLOGY OF
THE HONEY BEE.— II.
The Food for the Larv.e, How Prepared.
[1901.] It is a well-known fact that all young bee-
larvaj receive a whitish jelly prepared by the bees. The
worker larvae are fed by this jelly till the fourth day;
after this their food is very different. The queen larvie
get this jelly in abundance all the time. The jelly in
queen-cells seems to be more thick and yellow, while
the food of the worker ami drone larvae is more watery ;
this is caused by evaporation, because the royal jelly is
longer in the cell than that for worker bees. Not only
this, the larval food for queen, drones, and wrorker bees,
is of different chemical composition.
The question is now, how is this jelly prepared 'i
V. Berlepsch affirmed long ago that this jelly is the same
fluid found in the true stomach of the breeding bee — chyle.
About 1872, Professor v. Siebold affirmed that this royal
jelly is secreted by glands (salivary glands), and that the
true stomach is closed against the honey stomach by a
valve, so it is an impossibility that the contents of the
true stomach should be vomited by the bees. He meant
hereby the piece n, o (see p. 509), of the stomach mouth
prolonged in the true stomach. These glands were ex-
amined and described by Siebold, and later Leuckart
had the same opinion, that the royal jelly is secreted by
glands.
There are several different reasons against this theory.
Sclninfeld still believes that the royal jelly is prepared
in the true or chyle stomach of the breeding bees. To
prove this he examined this named organ very carefully.
We have seen that the piece, n, o, is by no means a
valve, but has quite other functions. If the royal jelly
is prepared in the true stomach, and should be vomited,
this organ is no hindrance. First, the true stomach is
compressed, and a moment later the honey stomach, so
that the four lips spring into the honey stomach even to
the opening of the pharynx. Now the true stomach is
moi'e compressed, and its contents are emptied directly
through the four lips into the pharynx and outer mouth
without being mixed with the contents of the honey
stomach.
I called the royal jelly chyle. This may seem strange,
because, with higher animals, the fluid in the stomach is
called chyme, while chyle is a more digested chyme in
that time when it is assimilated with the blood. But
with bees it is quite different. Here all the digestion is
done in the stomach, and the fluid goes through the
walls of the stomach directly into the blood, while the
intestines receive the indigestible part of the food only.
So we see, if with higher animals the chyle is prepared
in a lower part of the alimentary canal, with bees
this is done in the true stomach, and the same, is called
very correctly chyle stomach.
So this chyle is the royal jelly ; to prepare it the bees
eat honey, pollen, and water (water for the purpose to
eat the pollen). The composition of this fluid is a quite
fixed one, and this composition is different in preparing
the food for queens, drones, or worker larva?. This food
goes into the true stomach in the manner described.
Here it is digested, at first to chyme and then to chvle ;
the difference' in both is caused by the time only, how
long the fluid is in the stomach. The fluid is again
vomited into the cell in the above described manner.
The queen and young worker larvas receive, we will
November 29, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
583
say, well-digested chyle, while the older the worker
larvse growj'the shorter time will the Huid remain in the
true stomach, or, in other word8, these lame receive
chyme after the four days.— L. Stachelhavsen, Selma,
Texas {American Apiculturist).
(&fyai$ front tin gibes.
Bramford Mills, Ipswich.— WM weather has caused
bees to fly about a great deal. I notice fourteen stocks
where bees were camping in pollen just as if it were
spring-time. Early honey-flow in this season good from
Trifulium incarnatum, more than 100 acres within four
miles. This lasted up to about June 8th; since that
time not more than a week in which bees brought home
any surplus. My ten hives averaged 27 lbs. — C. E.
Hitchcock.
Longhor.tlet/, Northumberland, Nor. lWi. — As regard-
ing the Morpeth Association, I do not think there has
ever been one on foot, but there might be an Association
started, as there is a large number of bee-keepers round
about. I, however, hope that some of the Morpeth
people will have given you all information required, and
I trust that such a thing will be started to encourage our
fancy. — Chas. Bell.
Bury St. Edmunds, Nov. 26th. — I am glad to Bay I
have a large garden, so am devoting a good space to bee-
plants. I am wintering thirteen stocks which have been
well fed, and none have less than :20 lbs. of stores, so
that I hope to see them safe and well in the spring. I
drove twenty-two condemned sleeps at the end of Sep-
tember, and made them into seven strong stocks, and
the weather of last month gave a grand opportunity for
feeding them up. — W. St. Ct. O.
Eallinacurra , Co. Cork, Xor. 19th. — The echoes from
the hives are for the, time of year extraordinary. Bees
are working on the ivy with ceaseless energy every
favourable opportunity, and have continued to do so
since my last almost without intermission. All the
hives still contain a large amount of brood due to natural
stimulation, and all my colonies that were weak enough
in September are now quite populous. The temperature
of the air is very high, and quite spring-like. Thrushes
are in full song, that for November is most unusual.
\ln following out your ' Hints for the doubling of colo-
nies ' in Oct. 11th I had perfect success without the loss
of a bee ; all my previous attempts in that way had been
a signal failure, and was often disgusted at seeing a hive
that I had attempted to strengthen nothing stronger, and
thousands of bees killed through fighting. Heretofore I
had not the ' know how.' — Johx J. Smyth.
The Mall House, Lismore, Nov. 23rd. — Now the si :asi i) i .
a bad one enough, is over, I think it time to send you
an ' echo,' and 1 wish it were a somewhat more lively
one. Still, with me, things might easily have been
worse. I began badly, losing three stocks, in spite of all
my care, in the spring. This left me with eleven bar-
hives which increased by swarming to fourteen; but of
these, I am sorry to say, two have perished from queen-
lessness within the last few weeks and during my
absence from home. This leaves me now with twelve
bar-frame hives, of which I am sure one will not survive
the winter, and five skeps. I had only two skeps at the
beginning of the season. So much for hives. With
regard to honey we began well. At end of May a couple
of stocks had mounted to the second storey and filled a
good many sections, but after that things went very
slowly. Still I got lyO perfect sections, and 61 lbs. of
extracted honey, from my eleven hives ; roughly speak-
ing, an average of about 19 lbs. per hive. As a matter
of fact I got the bulk of this honey from about six or
seven hives, the others doing little more than keeping
themselves going owing to swarming. The weather is
extraordinarily mild for the time of year, and to-day all
the hives were very busy carrying in lots of pollen. We
have not had a single touch of frost ; in my garden I
have purple and lavender clematis in bloom, polyanthus,
wallflowers, carnations, roses of all sorts, Christmas
roses, pentstemons, violets, poppies, and many other
flowers. But of course any night may see the end of all
this. I noticed this season in some of my hives that the
bees were miserably small; in one particularly they were
almost like flies. I suspect your correspondents who
attribute small bees to badly nourished grubs are in the
right, as it was certainly not due to old combs with con-
tracted cells. I never much believed the latter theory,
as 1 have seen swarms of splendid-sized bees out of horrid
black old combs in skeps. I have had more work this
season than in a good year, and have fed liberally, but
still 1 shall think myself very lucky if I bring nine bar-
frame hives and three skeps through the winter. 1 hear
already of numbers of colonies dying out. Here, where
the idea of feeding is altogether too much of a new-
fangled notion to be believed in, the loss will be immense.
— 1e attended to. and those only of personal
interest nil! be answered in this column.
John Sitart. — Honey-yielding Plants. — 1 . The names of
plants inclosed are many of them useless as bee-flowers.
The best are borage, limnanthes, mignonette, corn-
flower, and sunflower, the remainder are valueless to
the bee-keeper. 2. Excluder-zinc, when placed in the
body of the hive, very much impedes the work of the
bees. It is a proper ambition of the bee-keeper to
discover the queen when necessary, and we should
recommend you not to consider this operation as im-
possible. 3. We see no reason why your stocks, having
four frames covered with bees, should not pass through
the winter, provided they have a sufficiency of stores.
The mildness of the weather induces your bees to take
occasional flights.
J. W. Harrison. — Wasps. — In ordinary seasons, in the
month of October, a change seems to come over the
spirit of wasps; they appear, then, to change their
nature and to be less savage and spiteful. About that
time they are evidently affected with the approach of
the cold seasou, when their instinct teaches them that
their further attention to their young will be of no
service. Upon the first attack of frost they all perish,
except the few females reserved to the following
spring for the reproduction of the species. The wasps
you have noted in the tree-trunk, protected by their
position from the inclemency of the weather, have
not yet been touched by the cold ; but it is unusual to
534
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[November 29, 1888.
find a wasps' nest in full working order so late in the
season.
U. P. 0. — Making Sugar-cake. — Instructions for making-
■sugar-cake will be found in Modern Bee-keeping and
in Mr. Cowan's Guide-book. Treacle is not a desirable
wintering food for bees.
E. G. — The sugar-cake forwarded is too hard for the
bees to use. When properly made it should, when
rubbed between the finger and thumb, be as yielding
as granulated honey. The moisture has been driven
out of it. The sugar forwarded, if made in accordance
with the recipe in Mr. Cowan's Guide-book, should
have produced a serviceable sugar-cake.
C. S. T. — Moving Hires from England to Scotland. — In
moving hives great distances three principal points are
to be attended to : 1 , the rigidity of the frames ; 2,
sufficiency of ventilation to prevent the suffocation of
the bees; and, o, a watchful eye over them through-
out the transit, more especially during the changes of
conveyance. The first may be attained by screwing
strips of wood across the frames, the second by cover-
ing the tops of the hives with perforated zinc or
canvas, and we may trust you for the third.
T. M. D. — Uniting. — The bees shoidd not be disturbed at
the present time ; uniting should have been done a
month ago, it must now be postponed to next season.
See that your stocks have a sufficiency of food to last
them well through the winter.
Received from Mr. James Saddler, confectioner, For-
far, a sample of the cream candy for feeding bees manu-
factured by him, The sample weighs about 4J lbs., and
is 10 x 6 inches ; and this size is recommended by him as it
will cover the ordinary winter nest. In using it two sticks
§ inch square should be laid across the frames under the
slab : this will enable the bees to consume it rapidly, as
they can get to the whole face at once. If any other
size is preferred, put the slab into a clean pan and make
it as hot as you can hold the finger in ; it can then be
poured into any form of mould, and it will again become
firm. If a small piece is worked between finger and
thumb it will be seen how similar it is to granulated
honey. We consider that this candy is equal in merit to
Good's candy, and it is sold at a very reasonable price.
business ^Directory.
f-*H
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 25Ga Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
BrjRTT, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Eegent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wben & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin,
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Camiola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sonb, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Keht * Co., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may be obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents : —
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Malion, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BALDWIN, S. J.. Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
DURRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford,
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon,
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wlgston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensuni Street, Norwich.
RUDKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail'
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L., 130 High Street, Lowestoft.
THE
British Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting' our Home Industries, to hecome Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of the
Association's work.
Subscriptions, 5s. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £5.
The Association carries out its work by —
The holding of Annual Exhibitions ;
Assisting County Associations ;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture;
The disposal of Bee-produce, &c, &c, &c.
Secretary: John Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
London : Printed by Strangewats & Sons, at their Printing Office,
Fields, in the County of Middlesex i and Published for the Proprietor
Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in the Parish of St. Giles's-in-the-
by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster Row, in the same county.— Not. 29, 1888.
Communication* to the Editor to be addrested ' Stranoewavb' Pbintinq Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 337. Vol. XVI.]
DECEMBER 6, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
^fcitnrial, jjofes, &t,
IN THE DARK AGES.
It is with bee-keeping- as with many other arts; a
study of its early history shows its exponents and
votaries were believed to possess some peculiar power
by the aid of which they practised their craft. The
high - priests of every idolatry, from Baal-worship to
Mumbo-jumboism, have been ever eager to assume the
garb indicative of the possession of uncanny power,
which an ignorant people were but too ready to clothe
them. Given ignorance, groping along in the dark, the
mind, prone enough to give a dreadful superstitious
shape to every strange thing it stumbles across, and im-
posture is, by this state of things, almost courted. You
have, indeed, a highly charged soil ready for the first
charlatan who chooses to assert the possession of super-
natural gifts, to drop his seeds in. Here, at this day,
near the dawn of the twentieth century of civilising
Christianity, a man needs but to claim the holding of
some secret power, to be at once surrounded by a crowd
of believers who present him with a earie blanche of
credulity. Be he a quack doctor in the market-place
with a special pill, a spirit-rapper in the drawing-room,
or a thought-reader in the palace, he shall not lack
followers, who even persist in believing him endowed
with superhuman gifts in spite of his denying protesta-
tions, supposing him honest enough to discard, or modest
enough to decline, the idea that he is not as other men.
Ignorance, credulity, and rank superstition, are an inter-
weaving trinity which have pervaded the dark ages of
civilisation — and of bee-keeping. They still stalk about
amongst us. Old notions cling with such wonderfid
pertinacity to our art, even to this day, that it is difficult
to shake them off. We have skeppists who ' won't have
no science ' using section-crates on Hat-topped skeps ;
we have, too, educated men who don't believe any good
is got from contemporary bee-literature, after having
learnt what little they know of it as a science from bee
periodicals (but who are not slow to profit by the science
of the past). Then there are sundry survivors of the
Kmabto race. These show that such old men of the sea
would throttle scientific bee-keeping, if light were not its
mainstay and truth its sheet-anchor.
Bee-keepers of long standing, who ought to know
better — Heaven help them !— still adhere to the tradition
that a start in bee-keeping must be made by a gift of
bees, if one is to succeed with them (we can conceive of
the proposed recipient holding this view) ; or that gold
must be the price of a swarm (shrewd old bee-keeper !).
Ting, tang, with kettle and pan, is to him not a claim to
ownership, but a mystery handed down from his fore-
elders, therefore not to be called in question. The bees
also recognise in him the true bee-master, indeed, and
will not sting when he is nigh ; but let the unsuspecting
stranger enter within his gates in his absence, and, nous
avom change tout cela, a sentinel instantly proceeds to
welcome him by administering its customary subcu-
taneous tribute. Should there be a death in the family,
the bit of black crape must be fastened to the skep, the
sad news must be whispered to the bees at night, or they
will surely pine and die. If the affection of the bees for
the defunct have been of a lively nature, perchance they
may dispatch a delegation to accompany the dear de-
parted and bring back a token that all passed off well,
in the shape of a resinous exudation from the coffin,
surely if —
' Imperial Cassar, dead, and turned to clay,
Might stop a hole to keep the wind away,'
a souvenir may serve to stop up a slit in a skep ?
Francois Burnens, the assistant of Huher, is reported
to have compelled his bees to show sympathy with a
bereaved family by turning the hives topsy-turvy.
Hobbs, seated in his ingle-neuk, reads his marvelful
bee-book to his sleepy wife till Homer himself nods ;
what wonder if he takes all he reads as fact without
metaphor, and believes his bees weird little things
possessed of powers far beyond the realms of reason?
Maraldi's slug is stung to death, whereupon poet Evans
informs us —
' The indignant host
Lay the pierced monster breathless on the ground,
And clap in joy their victor pinions round,'
— poetic license run riot. The fact is, we really know so
little of absolute truth about our favourites, that active
imagination surrounds them, in which many theories
(absurd and otherwise) find a sweet sustaining medium.
Tell the enlightened bee-keeper of to-day that by
holding the breath one becomes sting - proof, and in-
stantly a credulity takes possession of the mind, which
only semi-suffocation and sharp stings can displace. An
American writer — Miner — coolly disposes of the whole
question of scientific research, by evidently concluding
that ni ithing further is needed after reading his book : —
' The curtain has been raised,' says he, ' and man has be-
held enough for man to know. As the wisdom of God is
past finding out, so is the instructive wisdom of the little
bee — a direct attribute of the Architect and Creator of
all animate and inanimate nature — beyond the pale of
human knowledge.' Further on in his bee-book we are
informed, that ' a thousand years hence darkness and
mystery will hang over this subject, aud man will behold
and wonder, but to fathom the secrets of their intuitive
wisdom he never will be able ; ' and, almost immediately,
in order to allay a natural curiosity, Mr. Miner presents
us with the dogma that the sex of workers is neither
male nor female ! This blind leader of the blind, this
586
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 6, 1888.
spreader of error, has the audacity to again venture into
tlie regions of prophecy, and tells us ' there hare been so
many tinkers at work of late years in forcing bees out of
their natural habits, that it would not be surprising if
ihe whole race should become extinct before the be-
ginning of the next century.' We have thus only about
a decade in which we may indulge in our hobby. In
his day no two kinds of pollen were stored in the same
cell, and he places beyond our pale of knowledge the why
and wherefore of bees being able to distinguish one kind
of pollen from another. His book, as a whole, intended
as ' a light shining in a dark place,' is a parcel of
egotistical errors enunciated with all the assumption
and self -opinion of a Dogberry. It is pleasing, in
passing, to read that Father Langstroth said, thirty
years ago, ' How many superstitions, believed in by
intelligent persons, might be easily explained if it were
possible to ascertain all the facts connected with them.'
These superstitions, however, in many cases hold the
field. We have Virgil with his queen-bee — ■
' God-like to behold,
Her royal body shines with specks of gold
And ruddy scales.'
We have Shakespeare with his ' king and officers of
sorts ; ' and Bagster (' what a falling off was there ! ') next
giving us the queen and her high state officials. To-day
we have a hive-government not unlike our own constitu-
tion. Truly, the history of bee-keeping is highly ^sym-
bolical of progressive political government.
We have had the erroneous teaching that the queen
is a despotic ruler, always attended by the twelve
apostles, the chain uniting her to her subjects being
linked by affection ; and again, in storing, we are told,
' If the cells are already half-filled, they are covered with
a kind of cream, which always rises to the top, and pre-
vents the honey from running out of the combs; which,
as I have told you, are placed horizontally in the hive.'
Cannot you perceive a bee busy with her mandibles,
boring a small hole through the cream ? Huber has
discovered the ears to be in the mouth, for he stopped
the mouths of several bees with paste and set them at
liberty, after which he found that ' they were insensible
of every odour.' Of swarming, ' some people say the
noise is occasioned by the queen, who makes a speech to
her subjects before she leads them out. Others say that
she rouses them with a land of trumpet, to give them
courage for the undertaking.' Spies bring to the queen
' a report of the results of their search, whereupon her
majesty sends some of her officers of state to prepare the
place for her reception.' The queen only lays royal eggs
every third day. The aforesaid Bagster tells us in his
book that ' there are two descriptions of males — one not
bigger than the workers, supposed to be produced from
a male egg laid in a worker-cell ; ' and that ' the Homeric
maxim, that " the government of many is not good," is
fully adopted and vigorously adhered to in these
societies.'
What was written by Bagster in 1834 holds good in
our time, and is pertinent: — 'I have universally found
the lower classes of people adverse to all instruction in
the management of their bees ; their fathers, grand-
fathers, and so on up to Noah, followed this or that
method, and therefore it must be good. All innovation
is dangerous, and considered as infringing the sanctity of
antiquated customs.'
Nutt tells us on no account are we to drive our bees,
it is a ruinous practice, and he demurs to the dictum
that the old queen invariably goes with a first swann,
but now and then, at her royal pleasure, she sends out a
junior queen, herself remaining regnant at home.
So it is, romance and absolute invention of detail (to
call it by no other and stronger term) have taken the
place of a plain narrative of facts as observed by the
early writers. Some of their works are intensely
amusing reading, such as the Female Monarchy of the
Rev. John Thorley, who states that a princess is not
only proclaimed queen but crowned,
The dark ages of bee-keeping have been prolonged.
The gloom has been intensified by the child-like imagery
and babble of some of those we are pleased to call the
' early fathers.' For a whole century — up to the time of
Langstroth, in point of fact — the bee-keeper has had to
feed his mind on literature not at all unlike the contem-
poraneous rubbish the science of chemistry had foisted
upon it — an olla-podrida of astrology, witchcraft, and
fraud. Is it then a marvel, as regards bee-keeping, that
crass ignorance and^superstition still lurk in dark corners
of the mind; but foolish prejudices and beliefs still
obtain as the heirlooms and traditions of the rustic bee-
keeper, when we reflect on the pabulum of their
ancestors' mind - searches after the mysteries of the
craft ?
USEFUL HINTS.
Weatheb. — Reports from most parts of the count rj-
speak of mild weather — of cowslips, primroses, geraniums,
roses, mignonette, all in bloom and perfuming the air.
And now we are in December and our 'bedding plants'
are still blooming unprotected in the open air. Still
there has been an almost entire absence of sunshine,
plenty of fog, heavy raiu, and high winds. Our bees
nave kept within their hives and we have kept within
ours also. The weather has not been such as to entice
either them or ourselves to wander forth over the green
meadows and flowery fields. No doubt a change will
soon come over our dream. In this climate of ours
those who anticipate a perpetual spring will soon fiud
out their mistake. Meanwhile we may well feel thankful
that the winter is advancing and our bees are healthy
and well provided with weather-proof hives and plentiful
stores, so that when the cold blast comes, be it short or
long, they and we have little to fear. The improvident,
thoughtless, and careless ones will be the sufferers, or,
rather, have been so already, for their bees, in too many
instances, alas ! have crossed the Lethean river.
Hives and Stands. — Hives, whether skep or frame,
should be carefully looked over to see that all is sound,
staunch, and rain-proof. Colonies saturated with
moisture, from ill-fitting, chinky roofs or covers, can
hardly be expected to live and flourish, and the rough
winds, which have caused havoc amongst the ships on
our coasts, will have tried to the utmost the soundness
of many a hive-stand. Stands on four good stout legs
we consider a necessity in this country, and hives should
stand at a distance of 18 inches, at least, from the
ground.
Hives placed near the ground, whether on bricks or
otherwise, absorb moisture, and too often the bees perish
from this cause alone. Dryness is essential to safe
wintering. Skeps may stand on bricks, four deep, and
between the bricks and the floor-board strips of wood
should be laid, the whole being protected by a cover I
sufficiently large to carry off the drip.
Food. — ' Amateur Bar-frame ' (1890, p. 509) sends us
a correction. The ' confectioners' dust sugar,' which we
advised for making Good's candy, is, he tells us, the
' iceing sugar ' of the trade. No doubt he is right, and
we thank him for the hint. We have found it at our
confectioner's under the name of ' dust sugar.'
In case of starving colonies there is no better food for
the winter months, and none more easily assimilated by
the bees than this, viz., a mixture of iceing sugar and
warm liquid honey, well kneaded together, to the con-
sistency of stiff dough. We repeat this because it is very
important that colonies short of food should not be
allowed to perish. The prospective dearth of bees is
likely to be sufficiently large without further additions.
The plasticity of the food is one of its greatest merits, as
it can be packed between the combs, in close proximity
to the bees, or pushed down above the cluster. We have
December P, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
587
no experience of the ' cream candy ' manufactured by-
Mr. Saddler, and recommended in the last issue of the
Journal, p. 584, but, from the description there given,
we imagine that it is similar to ' Good's candy,' and is no
doubt nn excellent food.
Dysentery generally attacks colonies in ill-ven-
tilated hives. The internal temperature becomes too
high, breeding ensues, undue excitement and increased
consumption of food follow; then comes severe weather
— perhaps long-continued frost — the brood is deserted
and perishes ; the abdomen, overcharged with food and
distended to bursting, produces death in the adult bees ;
the hive becomes indescribably foul by the evolution
of injurious gases from decaying larvae and the putri-
fyiug bodies of the defunct bees; and finally the colony
perishes.
Upward, or over-ventilation, is also a great evil ; the
bees become cold, condensing vapours bedew the combs,
rendering the temperature of the hive still colder ; the
bees are compelled to consume large quantities of food
for heat -producing purposes ; cold weather prevents
their exit from the hive for cleansing flights, and with
distended, bursting abdomen they perish miserably.
Alas ! alas ! if only bees and men could maintain the
happy medium and keep in the via media. Upward
ventilation, if any, should be insensible ; plenty of warm
covering above, open entrances and ventilation below, no
disturbance, weather-proof and well -protected hives,
abundance of wholesome food, a fair amount of popula-
tion on few combs, young queens, and all will be
well.
Snow. Enemies. — Brush snow from the hives ; shade
entrances from the sun's rays while snow is on the
ground ; be on your guard against the bees' enemies, and
— Rest and be thankful.
Diplomas. — The American Bee-keepers' Association
has decided to issue diplomas to experts in apiculture,
after due examination, on a similar plan to that estab-
lished in England, finding it desirable that those who
aspire to the charge of apiaries should possess a public
guarantee of proficiency in all things appertaining to
apiculture. We sincerely congratulate our Canadian
(for Canada is to be included) and American brethren
on their decision. Nothing, according to our belief, has
tended more towards the popularising and extension of
apiculture in these realms than the sending forth of
qualified men to the remotest parts of the country to
teach the art of bee-keeping to the sons of toil as well as
to other classes. The work of the American expert will,
however, differ in some respects from that of the British.
Its object, we apprehend, will not be so much philan-
thropic as utilitarian, and advantageous to the already
established apiarist. Skill and ability in the management
of large apiaries, with an eye to profit, will be the chief
desiderata.
Cyprians and Syrians v. Italians. — Five years ago,
in delivering an opening address to the ' Eastern Bee-
keepers' Convention ' (U.S.A.), Mr. Thompson, its Presi-
dent, reported that, ' His daughter, who had manipu-
lated his bees, was greatly in favour of the Cyprian and
Syrian bees. She finds them,' said he, 'much gentler to
handle, and more easy to get off the combs. She can
manipulate at the rate of ten colonies of these races to
seven of the Italians. Four Cyprian colonies yielded
297 lbs. of honey ; four Syrian. 247 lbs. ; four Italians,
142 lbs.' What would be said now to any one who
should thus report ? And yet we believe, with gentle
and proper management, the manipulation of one race
ia as easy and practicable as that of another. Not that
some races, and even colonies, are not more gentle and
less easily provoked than others, but so much depends on
the manner of doing the thing, and on surrounding
circumstances, that we believe, and we do not speak
without experience, Syrians and Cyprians can be as
easily handled by those who understand them as blacks
and Italians ; and we further believe that had either of
these sadly-maligned races been the indigenous bees of
this country, we should have heard glad pseans — songs
of triumph — chanted in their praise. How many have
given these beautiful races a full and fair trial ? How
many have condemned them on hearsay evidence alone ?
How many on a simple excited trial of one colony only?
Yes, both in America and in England these beautiful
and excellent races have been condemned almost without a
trial. How many hybrid colonies have been mistaken for
the pure races, and reported as possessing the vilest of
tempers ? And we refuse to take the word of such men
as Benton — men who have given their lives to the cause
— because, forsooth, we think they speak from interested
motives; or, in American phraseology, ' have an axe to
grind.' Truly we English are a suspicious race. He
woidd be a wise man who should forecast the future of
the present much-vaunted race of Carniolana — yellow-
banded or grey-banded — a decade hence !
Now they are more gentle, now they are more prolific,
noio they are better honey-gatherers than any other
race, now they are the ladies' bees, but what will they
be ten, or even five, years hence ? Shall we venture a
guess ? Either forgotten, or so thoroughly hybridised as
to be termed the best stingers in existence. Or it may
be so entirely absorbed into the English race as to be
indistinguishable. >SVe transit gloria mundi. Probably
they will have fulfilled one purpose — that of lining the
purses of some, and depleting those of others. "Was it
for this latter purpose that bees were created? We are
told by the immortal Virgil that, ' from intense love of
their king (queen), they will expose their bodies iu war
and seek a glorious death by wounds ; ' also, that ' some,
being led by these appearances, have said that the bees
are endowed with a part of the Divine mind.' And
this, that we may ' grind our axes,' and feather our
nests. Truly, this is a realistic age, an age in which the
'main chance' must be looked to, an a^e in which the
'almighty dollar' must and will prevail. Already we
have lived long enough to doubt the truth of that saying
of Seneca, 'Si ad opinionem ii:as nunquam eris dives.'
All experience tends to prove the contrary. So let us at
once strike out the ' nunquam.'
Politics. — We have no desire to enter upon tho
' politics ' of bee-keeping, but we commend to the notice
of our readers an excellent article entitled ' County
Associations and the B. B. K. A.' in the pea-keepers'
Record for December, just to hand. Without inter-
fering, we may perhaps ask the question, 'What would
happen if the B. B. K. A. were to remodel itself on the
lines of the Royal Agricultural Society of England ? '
Surely County Associations are sufficiently established
to be able to stand by themselves P There in no
affiliation of County Agricultural Associations to the
' Royal.'
The Honey"-Bee and its Work. — Professor Miall
opened in the Leeds Philosophical Hall, on Saturday, a
series of lectures in which various scientific subjects are
to be treated from a scientific standpoint, by a most in-
teresting address on ' The Structure of the Honey-Bee. '
The topic coidd not have been more timely, for in the
library of the Museum the Leeds Naturalists' Society
was holding an exhibition of bees, honey, hives, and
many other things calculated to instruct and to please
apiarians. The lecture theatre was well filled by natu-
ralists and others concerned in bee-culture. With the
assistance of illustrations in great variety, Professor
Miall described in detail all that the microscope has
revealed as to the structure of the honey bee, whose life
and work were concisely sketched, the review receiving
additional point from the introduction of some highly
suggestive incidents drawn from the eventful career of
the humble bee.
588
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 6, 1888.
THE ANATOMY OF THE HONEY-BEE.
Prof. Cook gives us a Talk on Bees' Legs.
Bee'* hind l«g, magnified
Fiff. 1.
In the following articles, giving
with accurate illustrations the
anatomy of the honey-bee, I shall
spare no pains to secure accuracy,
both in description and illustra-
tions. I will first give attention
to the legs of bees ; and in the
present article to the posterior
legs, prefacing my article with
the remark that no author or
writer, so far as I know, has
done the subject complete justice,
either with pen or pencil.
All students of natural history
now believe that organs of animals
have been modified to adapt them
to the uses to which they are put .
Thus in all animals organs most
aged are most modified, and so
most useful in describing and
classifying the animals. Hence
the bee - keeper, knowing how
important the hind - legs of
the worker-bees are in the bee
economy, would expect them to be greatly modified ;
while the scientist, noting the extreme modification,
would feel as certain that they had important and varied
uses in the life-work of the bee.
The leg of the worker-bee, like that of many other
insects, consists of nine joints. The first joint next to
the body (Fig. 1*) is triangular, or, rather, sub-conical,
in form ; short, and covered with compound or pollen-
gathering hairs, and is called the coxa. This fits into a
similarly shaped cavity on the under side of the bee's
thorax — the coxal cavity — and thus forms the articu-
lation of the leg with the body. The second joint is in
the form of a truncated cone ; is about as long as the
coxa, but smaller, and is also covered with compound
hairs. This is the trochanter. The third joint is known
as the femur, is much the same in form as the tro-
chanter, but, is nearly three times as long, and is also
beset with the pollen-gathering hairs. The fourth joint,
known as the tibia, is flat, and triangular in outline,
broadening greatly as it extends from the body. On
the outside this has a smooth shallow cavity (Fig. 2)
* We are indebted to the kindness of Mr. A. I. Root for
the use of these illustrations.— Ed.
which forms the upper part of the pollen-basket. This
cavity is margined with stiff simple hairs, which ex-
tend out and toward the end
of the leg. They help to
deepen the cavity. Those on
the front edge of the leg
curve toward the opposite
edge. A few of these hairs at
the end of the tibia are quite
long, and curve so as to nearly
reach the opposite edge of the
leg. As will be noticed in the
figure there are also a few
compound hairs on the front
edge of the tibia. On the
inside, at the outer end of the
tibia, is a row of spines which
help to form the curious jaw-
like apparatus seen at the
joint, or articulation, between
the tibia and next segment,
or basal tarsus. In describing
the jointed part of an insect,
as leg, antenna, or body, we
speak of one piece of each part
as a joint, ring, or segment.
The fifth joint, or first or
basal tarsus, is very broad, and
really sub-rectangular, as seen
in Fig. 1. This broad form is
peculiar to the higher genera
of the family Apidcc, or bees.
On the outside (Fig. 2), espe-
cially on the superior back
corner, the pollen-basket is
continued, and also deepened
by stiff hairs. Above, on the
inside, is a sort of toothless
jaw, which completes the in-
teresting apparatus already
referred to. On the inside, are
nine rows of bright yellow
stiff hairs. These act as so
many combs to collect the
pollen from the pollen-gather-
ing hairs. We seldom catch
and examine a bee in the
working season that does not
show some pollen -grains ad-
hering to these beautiful
combs. The four remaining
tarsi are much as usual, as
are the two claws and intervening pulvillus at the end
of the foot.
The claws are toothed, and the pulvillus is broad.
The claws not only enable the bees to hold on to any
rough substance, but also to hang in clusters, as seen
when the bees swarm. The intervening pulvillus secretes
a viscid substance which enables the bee to walk on a
vertical sheet of glass. As often seen, bees find this
difficult if the glass is powdered with dust.
As already stated, the higher genera have the broad
basal tarsus ; and the highest — notably Apis and Botnbus
— the pollen-cavities. In the carpenter bees the basal
tarsus is narrower, and alone possesses the cavity. In
the cuckoo bees, which steal into other bees' nests, the
basal tarsi are wide, but the pollen-baskets are wholly
wanting. In the lower bees, those with short tongues,
like Aiulreme, the first tarsus is narrow, as in other
insects. The pollen-gathering, or compound hairs, are
quite common among bees, often covering much of the
Bee's HndUegj magnified.
Fir- 2.
December 6, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
589
tody, especially on the lower side. The peculiar jaw-
like arrangement between the tibia and tarsus I find
only in the worker-bee of the genus Apis, and in the
queens and workers of the genus Bombus. This is as
we should expect, if the function of these forceps is to
grasp and convey the wax-scales to the mouth. The
beautiful pollen-combs on the inside of the basal tarsus
(Fig. 1) are peculiar to the hive bees, or bees of the
genus Apis. Such bees need much pollen, and so are
well provided with organs to collect it. While the
stingless bees of Mexico have well-developed pollen-
baskets, they are without the pollen-combs. The absence
of the stiff spur — tibial spur — at the end of the posterior
tibia is also peculiar to our honey-bees, or bees of the
genus Apis.
The compound hairs are peculiarly fitted to colled the
pollen from the stamens of the (lowers, and to hold it
till it is combed off by the beautiful combs already
referred to. In some genera of our wild bees the pollen-
brushes are very large on the femora, and in souie the
pollen-baskets are on the trochanter and femur.
The posterior legs of the queen are much the same
form as those of the worker. They are large, but have
not pollen -baskets, the highly developed hairs, the
curious jaws and pollen-combs, which serve to dis-
tinguish the worker. The drone has weak legs, with
simple hairs; the tibia is more narrowed toward the
femur, and the basal tarsus has rounded angles, Here
we find no pollen-baskets, and the jaw-like joint is
absent. The drone's legs are even simpler, or less
modified, than the legs of the queen.
We sci' how useful are the posterior legs of the worker-
bees. They aid in walking ; they sustain an enormous
weight when bees cluster; they gather, transfer, and
carry the nitrogeuous food (the pollen ) and the propolis ;
they grasp and carry forward the delicate wax-scales,
and aid to clean off the pollen as the bee frees its legs
of this substance when the latter is pushed off into the
cells of the comb.
There is no wonder, then, that these parts are useful
in classifying this part of the great insect world. Thus
we say, the higher bees have the broadened basal tarsus,
and the pollen-gathering hairs. The genera Bombus and
Apis, with the stingless bees, have the pollen-baskets
well marked, while only the two genera, Apis aud
Bombus, have the jaw-like joint, and only Apis the
pollen-combs. The lower bees, like Andrerue, have all
the tarsi narrow. As some of these Andrence look much
like bees, and often steal into the hives to pilfer honey,
it is well to know their peculiarities.
In our next we will describe the anterior and middle
legs Of the worker-bee, which are also very interesting. —
A. J. Cook, Agricultural College, Mich. '(Gleanings).
(To be continued.)
Jforcip.
BRAZIL.
Among the various races of bees which I succeeded in
collecting, there is one that I do not at all wish to see
increased. This is the Trigonafiaoeola, a stingless bee,
commonly called by the natives here ' Cagafbgo,' meaning,
fire excrement.
Not knowing what kind of an insect I had to deal
with, I had not, when I went to remove them from
their abode, taken any special precautions against their
attacks, the consequence being that I shall have very
good reasons for remembering the warm reception they
gave me for the remainder of my life. In fact, my
thoughts were so much taken up with the idea of adding
yet another specimen to my bee collection that I was
paying very little heed to the effects of their attacks
when they flew at me at the commencement of my
operations, until I felt compelled to take notice of their
doings by reason of the effect they had upon my skin.
At last I was obliged to conclude that if my new bees
were deprived of the familiar sting, they were at all
events supplied with a good set of teeth, of which they
were making free use at my cost. My head and arms
soon became covered with their bites. These, to make
matters worse, were poisoned with a caustic liquid they
are privileged to supply, and the effect was simply torture
itself.
But I refused to be beaten. Notwithstanding their
furious darts at me, the nauseous smell of the liquid
poured into my wounds, causing great pain, and the
warlike sound of their peculiar buzzing round my ears,
I stuck to my work until completed, and then lost no
time in beating a hasty retreat from the scene of
operations, taking my prize with me, but pursued for a
long distance by my assailants.
As soon as 1 had a chance, I applied fresh water to
my wounds, thereby obtaining a certain amount of relief,
but I felt far from well for several days afterwards.
Later on, the skin on my arms and head became rusty,
a- it were, by the action of the liquid used by the bees,
aud peeled off in chilis.
Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, I did not fail to
attend to my bees, which 1 eventually placed, honey and
all, into a box, which they soon filled with comb. The
expeditiousness with which they did this was, iii my esti-
mation, a compensation for their bad temper. Still, I
was not Ion.' m discovering that they had more bad
than good qualities, for, as soon as they found out
that I had been feeding the other bees, they rushed
out of their box or hive in great numbers, and straight-
way made for the fed Btock, of which they were soon in
full possession, by turning out their inhabitants. Nor
were they satisfied with taking away every particle of
honey they found iu them. Owing to the great heat
t ley produced, the combs in the robbed hive began (o
get soft, and in this condition they were carrying wax
away as they would pollen.
Upon another occasion when I transferred two stocks,
they took advantage of their weak and confused state to
turn them all out, and took possession of thsir hives.
When I noticed this the robbing process was too far
advanced to be of any practical use my stopping it, so I
stood there observing how these bees, small as they
were and without stings, could have the upper hand
with the conrrnon races, three times their size and well
armed. When bees belonging to the robbed stock
returned home from the field, these Trigona flareola
waited for them at the entrance with a most arrogant
attitude, and compelled them to lay down their load
then and there.
I attributed the victory of these small bees over the
others to the potent smell, sui generis, and, of course,
also to their biting qualifications, which are most painful.
I also discovered that, contrary to what their name,
caga fogo (fire excrement), might lead one to suppose,
this liquid is not emitted through the abdomen, but
through their mouth. — E. Blondbt (translated from the
Apiculteur of Paris).
AUSTRALIA.
Hunting Bees. — The wild bee of Australia differs
little in size or appearance from our common horsefly,
and is stingless. Most of the trees in that country are
hollow, and it is in the cavities of the branches that the
I s deposit their honey, at a considerable distance from
the ground. It is of an aromatic taste, and chiefly
gathered from the leaves and blossoms of the different
trees that clothe the whole country, from the summits
of the mountains to the sea-shore, with the exception of
occasional plains, which are of rare occurrence. By the
aborigines of Australia this honey is regarded as a great
luxury, and it is very interesting to note with what saga-
city they contrive to indulge their taste for it, searching-
it out with infallible eyesight, and with amazing deli-
590
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 6, 1888.
cacy of touch. Their method of finding- these natural
hives, which are not numerous, is curious, not only from
the fact that the most minute observation and the most
delicate manipulations must have been required to
enable the inventor of it to succeed, but also because it
displays a knowledge of the natural history of an insect,
such as I can venture to say a large portion of the civi-
lised world does not possess.
From the absence in many parts of the bush of
Australia of flowers, the little native bee ma)' be seen
busily working on the bark of the trees, and, unlike the
bee of this country, which is ever on the move from
flower to flower, it seems to be unconscious of danger.
This may arise from the vastness of the solitudes in
Australia, which are seldom or ever disturbed, except
by a passing tribe, or by its own wild denizens, which
are far from numerous. The bee is therefore easily
approached, and the bright, clear atmosphere of the
climate is peculiarly favourable to the pursuit.
A party of two or three natives, armed with a toma-
hawk, sally forth into the bush, having previously pro-
vided themselves with soft white down from the breast
of some bird, which is very light in texture, and at the
same time very bluffy. With that wonderful quickness
of sight which practice has rendered perfect, they descry
the little brownish, leaden-coloured insect on the bark,
and rolling up an end of the down feather to the finest
possible point between their fingers, they dip it in the
gummy substance which a peculiar sort of herb exudes
when the stem is broken; they cautiously approach the
bee, and with great delicacy of touch place the gummed
point under the hind-legs of the bee. It at once adheres.
Then comes the result for which all this preparation had
been made. The bee, feeling the additional weight,
fancies he has done his task, and is laden with honey,
and flies off from the tree on his homeward journey, at
not a great distance from the ground. The small white
feather is now all that can be discerned, and the hunt al
once commences.
Running on afoot amid broken branches and stony
ground requires, one would think, the aid of one's eye-
sight; but with the native Australians it is not so.
Without for a moment taking their eyes off the object,
the}' follow it, sometimes the distance of half-a-mile,
and rarely, if ever, fail in marking the very branch
where they saw the little bit of white-down disappear
at the entrance of the hive. Here there is a halt, the
prize is found, and they sit down to regain their breath
before ascending the tree, and to light a pipe, to which
old and young, men, women, and children, are extremely
partial.
When the rest and smoke are over, with one arm
round the tree and the tomahawk in the other, the black
man notches the bark, and placing the big toe in the
notches of this hastily constructed stair, ascends till _ he
comes to where the branches cnnimence. Then putting
the handle of the tomahawk between his teeth, he climbs
with the ease and agility of a monkey, until he reaches
the branch where last he saw the white-down disappear.
He then carefully sounds the branches with the back of
his tomahawk, till the dull sound as distinct from the
hollow sound tells him where the bees are. A hole is
then cut, and he puts his hand in and takes the honey
out. If alone, the savage eats of the honey until he can
eat no more, and leaves the rest. But if others are with
him, he cuts a square piece of bark, and after having his
part as a reward for his exertion, brings down a mass of
honey and comb mixed up together, which, though not
inviting, is greedily devoured by his partners below.
SWITZERLAND.
Those of the bee community who have been following
the suggestions contained in the paper read at the last
Quarterly Conversazione of the B.B.K.A., and the dis-
cussion which ensued therefrom, bearing upon the rela-
ive position of County and other Associations, can hardly
fail to derive an additional amount of interest from their
knowledge of the fact that a similar idea seems to
be running in the mind of Swiss bee-keepers. It is
certainly strange, if not an actual sign of the times, that
the same want should have been felt in both countries
almost simultaneously, as it will be seen from the
following remarks made in the Swiss Revue Inter-
nationale (T Apiculture of last month when commenting
upon the result of the work done of late by a section of
a bee Association. We proceed, therefore, to give a
translation of our Swiss contemporary for the benefit
of our readers : — ' Our Cote section has just held its
autumn meeting at Begnins. The Chairman gave a
summary of the work done from the beginning, and
dwelt upon the objects they had in view. He urged
the members to assist each other mutually, adding that
that while assisting a neighbour, we can add to our own
experience The number of members reaches
already sixty, a very encouraging figure to start with !
But we question whether the fact of their being spread
over a large district is not a drawback. In our esti-
mation, if a section is to be in a position of rendering sub-
stantial aid to our cause, it should consist of bee-keepers
residing within a certain locality ; or if more than one
locality be grouped together, they should be situated
close to each other. They will then be able to hold
friendly meetings, assist each other in various ways,
club themselves together for the purchase of expensive
utensils, journals, ;to buy wholesale when advanta-
geous, and combine generally for the disposal of their
honey, &c, &c. All these advantages are unobtainable
when, like in the case of other sections, the members
have to travel long distances if they wish to meet. To
overcome these difficulties, could not sub-sections be
started, each presided over by a member of the Com-
mittee ? '
We will keep our readers informed of the effect these
suggestions of the Revue are likely to have in Switzer-
land ; in the meantime we will watch their development
with interest.
YORKSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
A Committee Meeting of the above Association was
held at the Church Institute, Leeds, on the 1st inst. In
addition to others, there were present the Hon. Sec. of
the Horsforth and Craven branches. Mr. C. Howes, the
Secretary of the Hull branch, wrote explaining his
absence.
After the Hon. Secretary was authorised to make
certain payments, a lively discussion took place on the
respective merits of wooden-walled hives versus skeps
for wintering bees in. Paint outside, damp within ;
propolis inside versus damp without, that was the ques-
tion ; whether ' to bear the ills we have, than to iiy to
others that we know not of.' Mr. J. Clark led off the
subject, and from his practical success in straw-walled
hives over admittedly badly-built wooden ones, he spoke
to much purpose. Advantages pro and con were well
discussed, resulting in a proposal by Mr. A. P. C
Burniston (Hon. Sec. Horsforth branch), carried nem.
con., that Mr. W. Dixon, 5 Beckett Street, Leeds, be.
instructed to construct for the Association a hive to be
built of straw and some other material, which should
contain at least ten standard frames, to be capable of
supering, &c, the selling price not to exceed 15s.
The Hon. Secretary, Mr. Grimshaw, next explained to
the Committee the steps he had recently taken respecting
the pending proposed changes in the constitution of the
B.B.K.A. (opening up the counties to subdivision and
opening the Committee of the B.B.K.A. to provincial
representation). A unanimous vote of approval was
taken of this matter, and it. was hoped that the hands of
those gentlemen, who sacrificed so much for the benefit
of the B.B.K.A., might be thus strengthened.
December 6, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
591
(fforrcspcmbcitrc.
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention it-ill be taken ofanonymoueeom.
Hiuiticatians, and cor respondents are requested to write on one tide of
the paper only, and give their full names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn o» separata pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shovos, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Boohs for Review,
&c, must be addressed only to ' The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
io., must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Jungs Langlcy, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements.)
%* In order to facilitate reference. Correspondent*, when spsafeing oj
any letter or query previously inserted, v-ill oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
MINORCAN BEES.— BARRICADING.
TRACTING ENTRANCES.
-CON-
[1902.] I willingly respond to your question in last
week's Journal, p. 574, on the characteristic supposed to
be 'peculiar' to Minorcan bees of scientifically barricading
their entrances in the autumn, and respectfully beg
leave to say that the habit of barricading is by no means
'peculiar' to that particular race, although as a matter
of fact they have, as far as I have observed this year,
developed the characteristic in greater degree than any
others. So long ago as January, 1879, that very able
and observant apiarist, ' A Renfrewshire Beekeeper,' put
on record, p. 177, vol. vi., B.B.J. , the following under
the heading ' A Severe Winter:' — ' Towards the end of
September I discovered the two side entrances of one of
my strong Stewarton colonies, each five inches long,
entirely barricaded with "walls of propolis;" and subse-
quent examination of the entrances of friends' stocks
showed how generally contraction with the same material
had been adopted — our little favourites thereby display-
ing the wonderful sagacity with which they are
endowed in forecasting the weather. In the autumn of
1877 no such barricades were built, and a mild'winter
followed.'
My Minorcan stock barricaded its entrance, but not in
the way suggested by your illustration, p. 573 ; they
made a sheet of propolis extending from the bottom rail
of the frame next to and parallel with the entrance,
attaching it to the upper side of the entrance itself, and
thence down to the floor-board, leaving about an inch in
width of the entrance open, the same being about \ an
inch high. A cast which had become queenless and had
had two full combs of Minorcan brood given to it
showed a desire to narrow its entrance, but apparently
was not strong enough, and the entrance is now deco-
rated with beads of propolis attached to its upper side at
irregular distances from t-ach other.
My heading to this paper will give an excuse for saying
a few words on this particular 'cast.' As I have said, it
became queenless, and two frames of Minorcan eggs and
brood were given to it, but from these resulted a
wretched fertile worker whose antics were amusing, to
say the least, though they formed the subject of much
anxiety and careful observation. In that hive there
were at one and the same time, on one side of a beautiful
worker comb, large numbers of unmistakable drone
brood, numbers of sealed brood that by appearances
could not be told from workers, and a number of queen-
cells, several of which hatched out drones, of course. I
say ' drones of course,' because I have never found a
queen, and in the queen-cells I opened I found drones
only.
For the fun of it I have at this moment, 12.40 p.m.,
in a gleam of sunshine, opened this hive. There are
about 1500 bees, chiefly drones, some brood of the
puzzling type or types above described, and plenty of
stores, chiefly due to feeding. If any one woidd like a
few of the drones I will gladly send them all alive on
immediate application. To all intents and purposes they
(as a stock) are moribund, and I shall make no attempt
to save them.
My idea, when they first began to propolise the en-
trance, was that they were making a, demonstration
against what I will call the nitty theory of wide entrances
for winter, and I thereupon looked around and found,
in almost every instance, where the entrances had not
been partially closed, that the bees were practically filling
them with their bodies, scores being engaged in defend-
ing the huge openings, and giving the idea that whole-
some activity prevailed. This was, however, soon put to
rights, and I have not now, to my knowledge, a single
stock that has not its frames across the entrance, or that
has an entrance way more than an inch wide and half
an inch high. — C. N. Abbott, Southall, Dee. 3rd.
P.S. — I hope to offer a few further remarks for your
next on these subjects. — C. N. A.
A COUNTY DOWN BEE GARDEN.
[1903.] The pleasure was lately mine to visit the bee-
garden of a succcessful amateur bee-keeper in the county
of Down ; and as we Irish are generally supposed not to
have kept bees till within the last few years, and even
now to know and do little about them, I wish to tell
your readers what I saw in this place. The time was
on Michaelmas I lay last, when nearly everybody was
busy feeding stocks preparatory to packing up for the
winter.
Mr. Paul M' Henry, the honorary secretary of the
North-east of Ireland Bee-keepers' Association, met me
by appointment at Dunmurry station, four miles on the
Great Northern Railway from Belfast. The village of
Dunmurry is worthy the notice of tourists, though it
was once, and that not so Ling ago, a far more pictu-
resque spot than it still must be admitted to be. The
water yet splashes over the big wheel. How well I re-
collect the numbers of pigeons t hat used to crowd the
moss-grown roof of the mill ! The quaint old meeting -
house -lands unchanged in its 'green,' where the dust of
generations of sturdy Presbyterians rests. A fen' aged
cottages retain their trim gardens, set full of old-
fashioned flowers, the fine trees are as usual populated
by noisy colonies of cawing rooks, and a remnant of the
ancient earthwork, or ' dun,' from which the name is
derived, can be still pointed out. But there are rows of
freshly built brick houses, and many snug villas, which
betoken that before long Dunmurry will be absorbed in
the suburbs of the city of Belfast.
From this a narrow byroad led us past some gentle-
men's seats prettily situated in well-wooded grounds,
and then a path took us to the bleach-green of Seymour
Hill, where a Mr. Charley carries on the various pro-
cesses of bleaching and finishing linen, the fields there-
abouts being covered with a mantle of white webs like
snow in summer; but there was no summer in 1883.
Close by this we crossed the small river called the
Lagan, every foot of fall in which throughout its
course is utilised for manufactories of linen. SVe were
then in the county of Down. Tliis flat valley of the
Lagan, with its wide fields, its abundant trees, its well-
cultivated fields, its neat dwellings with a general look
of cleanliness and thrift over them, always reminds me,
more than does any other part of Ireland, of a bit of
English rural scenery.
A little way down the tow-path of the canal which is
here parallel to the river, and up a shady lane overhung
by beeches and limes, and we reach our destination,
where the faithful house-dog examines the visitor, and
welcomes his master, and quickly fraternises with the
former.
The house of my bee-keeping friends is an antique,
thatched farmhouse of the small proportions and plain
exterior prevalent in the district, and is covered with
tea-roses, pyrus japonicas, and cotoneasters.
592
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 6, 1888.
After we had had a few minutes' rest and a refreshing
glass of milk, Mr. M'Henry's brother joined us, and we
moved towards the bees. The garden in which they are
kept is close to the public road, only a whitethorn hedge
intervening. This fence had latterly to be allowed to
grow a couple of feet taller than it formerly was, in
order to save persons while passing being hit in the face
by the insects on their flight. Not long ago, the driver
of a vehicle from Belfast, to whom modern bee-hives
were a novelty, was passing with some passengers on his
car to whom he was heard to remark, ' "What a queer
place for a graveyard!' And his error was perhaps ex-
cusable, there being forty-five hives standing in this half
rood of ground, and all are painted white.
The Messrs. M'Henry informed me that they have
tried in their time many hives, amongst them being the
Woodbury, the Renfrewshire, the Quinby, the treelog
or rustic, the Pettigrew straw with supers, Abbott's Irish
Combination, and the Anglo-German. This last was
such an enormous affair that it now makes two good-
sized hives after having been bisected. But most of
those at present in use are 21 inches wide, and 19 inches
high in front ; 2(3 inches deep, or long, from front to
back, and 16| inches high at the back. These are made
of inch deal, with double walls, packed, the frames being
parallel with the front. The roof slopes from front to
back, and is covered with calico and painted, which
these bee-keepers, who took the hint from me, agree is
the best of all protections against wet. Every hive is
provided with a 'lift,' or super case of nine inches for
summer use, but these had been all stored away previous
to my visit. The legs of these hives are attached to the
bottom board or floor, on which the hive is moveable.
The flight-hole is twelve inches over the ground and the
flight-board is nine inches deep. The porch is a simple
saddle of two pieces of wood, and the doorwav is pro-
vided with slides that allow of its being varied from
half to nine inches. All the frames are of the Standard
size of the B. B. K. A., which has been universally
adopted in the north of Ireland. On them the Messrs.
M'Henry have used distance pins, broad shoulders,
"W. B. C. metal ends, and Abbott s wooden pegs, but for
the future they intend doing without such aids, and
spacing the frames by the eye alone.
The 4J x 4| sections are the only size the brothers use ;
their crates hold twenty-one, and they have both tin and
wood separators. As to slotted dividers, they told me
they could not give an opinion, not having had a fair
season's work with them. Mr. P. M'Henry told me he
used a paraffin lamp and melted wax to fix his founda-
tion, and could do it quickly and securely ; he has some
new appliances for the purpose, but prefers to stick in
this, and in many other things, to the old plan.
In the year 1887 the yield of these hives was 1100
pounds. They go in exclusively for comb honey, but
the produce of the wretched weather of 1888 had been
so poor that I found fast feeding in full swing. Seven
hundredweight of sugar had already been given in syrup,
and another hundredweight was ready to be made into
candy, over the cakes of which enamel quilts will be
placed on the frames. With Neighbour's Improved
Canadian Rapid Feeder, it was found possible to get a
starving stock to take twenty pounds of heavy syrup
within the twenty-four hours. Both brothers spoke
highly of its efficiency, and I had the gratification of
seeing several on hives with the bees busy emptying
them.
They have also made use of the feeders of Ross of
Stranraer, Raynor, Lonsdale, Simmins's New Rapid
Dummy, and Meadows' Rapid, but think Neighbour's
the best. Everything was being done to provide a
plentiful commissariat and abundant winter clothing for
their bees, the Messrs. M'Henry considering that if bees
are kept comfortable with warm packing in the cold
season they consume less stores, and hence they have
every hive ' happed ' on the top of the frames with thick
quilts and cushions, some of which were of chaff.
The races of bees that they keep are the pure English
black or brown, and a crossed Ligurian. These last are
beautiful insects, as active, and nearly as bright in colour,
as the pure Italian Alp bee. One or two of the stocks
were pointed out to me as being of a very irascible nature.
But though many hives were slightly inspected from the
top of the frames, and bees were on the wing everywhere,
there were no applications of their weapons to our hands
and faces. While examining the hives a redbreast ap-
peared and picked up earwigs from the inside as soon as
the roofs were lifted off. This bird made its nest last
springtime under the drooping fronds of an Aspidium
fern growing in a pot in the greenhouse, and had its
' exits and its entrances ' by a hole through which the
stem of a vine gains admittance. It was surprisingly
tame, came when called ' Bobby,' and snapped up its
delicacies with evident appreciation.
The bee-garden is well stocked with trees and bushes
of the large and small fruits, and quantities of arabis,
crocuses, and wallflowers, are specially cultivated in it
for the spring delectation of the inhabitants of the hives.
I noticed that water was supplied to the bees in a large
galvanised iron trough filled with sawdust, and that they
were largely availing themselves of it.
In a corner of the garden is a wooden bee-house, like
the one described and figured at p. 57 of Cheshire's
Practical Bee-keeping, published about twelve years ago,
and made to hold eight skeps. It is now converted into
a handy store for odd frames, sections, crates, feeders,
smoker, packing, &c. Among its varied contents I
saw a queen-nursery frame, containing twelve cages
for queen-raising ; it is almost identical with one figured
and described at p.. '306 of Cheshire's bees and Bee-keeping,
vol. ii. It had not yet been used, but I learned they
intended trying it next season. Here also was a home-
made winter-passage cutter, about the need of using
which my friends and I gave no opinion.
Having gone the rounds of the hives, old and new,
and discussed their points, and smoked our pipes in the
greenhouse, where, by the way, was a perfectly grown
specimen of the exquisite fern Todea superba, we were
called in to tea at which the venerable mother of the
home presided. Mrs. M'Henry chatted about her sons'
employments, and bee-fancying as their profitable re-
creation, in a way that showed she entered most cordially
and intelligently into them all. Though past fourscore
years, she is surprisingly active, and in full possession of
all her faculties. She exhibited to me a large bell-glass
made more than half a century ago in Belfast for super-
ing on a flat-topped straw skep, and she described the
anxiety it caused her to get it home in safety for her
husband, and how she had to carry it the whole distance
in her own hands. Such a glass would hold nearly
twenty pounds of honey in the comb. Her sons have
evidently inherited their father's tastes. Mr. Paul
M'Henry, sen., was one of the intelligent and advanced
bee-keepers of his day, and kept from ten to fifteen
hives. And, all honour to his memory, he never brim-
stoned a single stock.
Exactly such another, or the same, big bell super on
the flat-topped skep, is figured and described in a Survey
of the County of Down by the Rev. John Doubourdieu,
and published in 1802. This writer mentions 'the supe-
rior management of bees with as much skill as humanity'
by two County Down gentlemen, who practised this
'method of obtaining honey without killing the bees.'
Mr. M'Henry, sen., also nadired straw skeps by means
of bottom boxes, and afterwards used Nutt s Collateral
hives and square box-hives with fixed frames. Portions
of some of these I saw preserved as memorials of the
past.
On their well-stocked bookshelf they have a curious
volume in which is bound up a quaint tract in rhyme,
December 6, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
m
entitled, The Panorama; or, A Journey to Minister. A
serio-comic poem, irith historical, national, and natural
sketches of Ireland, from the days of Queeti Bess to the
Forty-seventh year of the present reign. Printed in 1807,
in Dublin, by J. J. Varrick. In this production there
occurs a notice of bee-keeping which shows that more
than eighty years ago Ireland was not so far behind the
world. The lines are as follows : —
' To these, and rarer qualities,
Tim adds the skill and care of bees ;
In spring observes their swarms and hives 'em,
In autumn suffocates or drives 'em ;
If sick in winter — Tim, they tell us —
Their fluxes stops without Amellus.'
Here also I noticed Langstroth's standard work, Taylor's
book, Dzierzon's Rational Bee-keeping, Cheshire's Prac-
tical Bee-keeping. Modern Bee-keeping, the British Bee
Journal, the American Bee Journal, and the Bee-keeper's
Record; and I had every reason to know that the
volumes had been often and carefully studied.
I was next taken to a spacious workshop, lately fitted
up in the farmyard, for making the various appliances
they require, and where there were stored up piles of
super covers, packages in paper of empty sections and
crates, frames, boxes for carriage of honey, and the et
ceteras of a regular bee-farm, though bee-keeping is only
the occupation of the M'llenrys' after hours, one brother
being a diligent farmer, and the other engaged in a linen
warehouse in Belfast.
Having some time to spare before starting to catch
my return train, I was conducted over the farm, and
introduced severally to the colts, horned cattle, prize
pigs and sheep, poultry and rabbits, and, last of all, to
the loft devoted to a colony of homing pigeons which
are found very convenient for bringing messages from
Belfast. B
Another glance round the charming scenery of the
district, witli its peeps of snug farmsteads and rich mer-
chants' mansions, the graceful spires of Drumbeg and
Drumbo churches, the County Antrim mountains, and
County Down hills, the tall factory chimneys of Lambeg,
and the time has arrived to say good-bye. I shake
hands all round, and Mr. Thomas M' Henry gives me a
packet containing what he calls some ' Irishman's cut-
tings,' i. e.t rooted plants of Pelargoniums, which I bring
away as keepsakes along with pleasant recollections of
my father's, my own, and the bees' friends at Bally-
skeagh. — H. \V. Lett, M.A., Aghadery Glebe, Lough-
brickland, Co. Doivn.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1904.] I have read with interest the correspondence
that has appeared in the B. B. Journal respecting the
above. It is evident that the time has arrived for radical
reform in County Bee-keepers' Associations— that is, they
must be worked on an entirely new basis, or inevitably
collapse ; at least such is the case with the Association
to which I belong. In your last issue, Mr. White makes
mention of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire being
amalgamated, — a proposal with which I heartily agree,
and, with your permission, will offer a few suggestions
for the working of the same. My idea is that a central
Society should he formed for the two counties, which
could be called ' The Cambs and Hunts Bee-keepers'
Association,' branches of which should be established
throughout the two counties. Each branch, or district
Association should have a secretary, treasurer, committee,
and, if thought desirable, a president. It has been sug-
gested that such Associations should be affiliated to the
' British,' and should hold local)annual shows, — to which
I strongly object. To be worked properly a district
Association ought to consist of not more "than twelve
parishes, to which the requisite affiliation fee would be a
serious item, and the prizes offered at their annual show
must necessarily be few and small. But that is not
all. The whole of the prizes, both money and medals,
would to a certainty be, year after year, swept off by the
same very limited number of persons, which would be
hard and unfair on those who, for causes beyond their
own control, are placed at a discount, and who would
therefore be heavily handicapped by the regular clique of
prize-winners; this would not be encouraging for new
members to join, nor for old ones to continue their sub-
scriptions, and would, in my opinion, be courting failure
from the commencement. I would therefore suggest as
an amendment that each branch should contribute a
stipulated amount to the Central (Cambs and Hunts)
Society, which should be affiliated to the ' British,'
whose fee need not necessarily be limited to one guinea.
One grand annual show could then he held alternately in
Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. But before dis-
cussing the functions of the Central Society, let us see
what advantage there is to he gained by forming a
District Association.
1. Early in the year each member could forward to
the secretary, or a committee appointed for the purpose,
a list of bee-keeping requisites he might require for the
following season ; each one would then get his goods at
wholesale price, and everyone combining would be
mutually benefited — simply an extension of the co-
operative principle.
'J. The Society would be able to fix the price of honey ;
so that, instead of underselling one another, as is at
present too often the case, every one in the district
would have a chance of selling his produce at a re-
munerative figure ; they could in fact practically mono-
polise the local honey trade. Members having honey for
sale could communicate with the secretary, stating
quantity and description. The whole of the honey
within the limits of the District Society could be easily
collected to one spot, which has never been practicable
with County Associations. The secretary could then
communicate with wholesale dealers with a view of dis-
posing of the whole in one lot, or if necessary a qualified
member coidd be sent to Lundon to ascertain the wants
of dealers and prices offered. The Society would thus
procure the best possible market fur its members' pro-
duce. I see no difficulty in the way of this. Excursion
trains are run from all parts during summer and autumn,
the fare for the return journey being in most cases con-
siderably less than the ordinary single fare, and the
train timed so as to give excursionists a long day in
town.
A committee meeting could be held as often as neces-
sary. At the end of the season a general annual meeting
should be held, which meeting should commence with a
first-rate supper, to which members of other branches of
the central society should be heartily invited. The
secretary should then give a report of the year's working
of the society ; all should be clear and above-board, and
beyond all suspicion. The business of the society having
been dispensed with, the rest of the evening could be
occupied with a general conversation on matters apper-
taining to bees and bee-keeping; and if the same could
be interspersed with an occasionally lively song and a
moderate amount of smoke, so much the better — a sort
of free-and-easy. I feel confident that a district society
worked somewhat on the above lines could be made self-
supporting, and that every member would be mutually
benefited. The central society would then have prac-
tically nothing to do but collect subscriptions from those
who might be induced to contribute, and arrange annual
shows. At present, one who wishes to exhibit must
either show against a labourer, who may be working for
10s. or 12s. per week, and own, perhaps, four or five
stocks, or against those owning large apiaries, and who
devote most of their time to bee-keeping; this wants
altering. There should be at least four times the present
number of classes, and as many open classes as possible.
594
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 6, 1888.
The society should hold their annual meeting in connexion
with the annual show; a public luncheon should be pro-
vided. The business of the Association having been
considered, papers relating to bee-keeping should then
be read and discussed. A report of the papers read,
and the discussion thereon, would be published in local
newspapers and read by everybody, which I am inclined
to believe would do more to popularise bee-keeping
than any attempt that has been previously made by
County Associations. The above is a hurriedly written
letter which I have not time to elaborate, but trust that
the suggestions it contains will be freely criticised by
others, especially prominent bee-keepers in Cambridge-
shire and Hunts. — A. Shabp, The Apiary, Huntingdon.
THE BKITISH AND COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1905.] I cannot agree with vour correspondent, Mr.
C. N. "White (1896), that from 'the perusal of many of
the late issues of the B.B.J, it is evident something is
wrong with regard to the connexion of the Central and
the County Associations.' I have followed this corre-
spondence, and fail to find that anything has been
published tending to show that the relationship is in
any way unduly strained.
Mr. White states that the Central Society does 'not
do as much as they might to foster the growth and
promote the success of the county associations.' May
I ask whether Mr. White, as a county secretary, has
at any time made suggestions either at the quarterly
meetings or to the Committee of the B. B. K.A. which
would tend to benefit the county associations, to which
a deaf ear has been turned by the Central Society ;
and further, will Mr. White explain what he con-
siders the Central Society with its limited income
might do to further the interests of the county asso-
ciations which it does not do already ? As a member of
the Central Society I believe our Committee are most
anxious to do all they possibly can to foster the growth
of and assist county associations. No one, I am sure,
regrets more than themselves their inability to respond
to the many calls which are made upon them for assist-
ance. Mr. White also states ' half the committee should
consist of county secretaries or representatives.' Now,
what do we find from the last Annual lieport? No
less than five county secretaries are members of the
Committee, the sub-Committee for county associations'
work having two of the most able amongst them; and
further, we have it on record that at the last election
two other county secretaries were nominated, but declined
to serve, one ex-secretary being elected.
There is not much to be said in reply to Mr. A. D.
Woodley : he has given us two long epistles consisting of
all representation and no taxation.
No doubt, as Mr. White states, there is room for
improvement. We have not yet reached the 'millen-
nium.' By all means amend the constitution where it
needs amendment, but in doing this let us be careful not
to destroy, but to strengthen, its power for doing further
good work. When this is done let us hope that we
shall still find those well-known names on the Com-
mittee of the B. B. K.A. (to whom the bee-keeping
industry owes a debt of gratitude) which now appear,
together with the names of Mr. A. Woodley and other
prominent bee-keepers enrolled amongst the list of
subscribers to its funds. — A Membeh of the Central
and of a County Association.
BEST HONEY FOR WINTERING.
[1906.] Repeatedly, during the past ten years or more,
have correspondents to our bee periodicals stated that
they ' reserve frames of sealed clover honey, to be
returned to the bees for winter stores.' Others have
seemed to prefer basswood honey, while others have been
fully as positive that full stores Mere as good if not
safer winter food. Only a few weeks ago, replies to a
query in the question department of one of our journals
showed a great diversity of opinion among several of our
leading apiarists. Now, why all this diversity of opinion,
and what are really the facts ill the matter? And as
this thing of obtaining the best winter food for our bees
lies at the very foundation of successful wintering, I will
give my views, hoping to draw out the ideas of others
until some slight advance on our present knowledge be
made. I will confine myself entirely to the question of
best honey, not touching the feeding of sugar syrup at
all, leaving that to those who have had experience in the
use of that kind of food.
For reasons not worth while to mention, a large num-
ber of bee-keepers will not or cannot use sugar, so this
subject of best honey cannot be dismissed by simply
giving the advice, ' Use sugar.'
During the first ten or twelve years I kept bees in
Iowa, the crop of early or white honey was usually quite
small, rarely being one-third of the entire crop, while
the yield from buckwheat and fall flowers was abundant.
For the last five or six years conditions have entirely
changed, so that three-fourths or more of my crop have
been white, mostly from the clovers, while the yield of
dark or fall honey has been very light. With this
change of the honey season came a change in the result
of wintering, and the cause had to be investigated. I
think that nearly all fruit-raisers have noticed the fact
that, as a rule, a full crop meant also a crop of good
quality, while a light crop meant also an inferior quality
of fruit as well as small quantity. This seems to be a
rule of very wide application, the conditions necessary to
the production of a full crop seeming to be also necessary
to the bringing it to its most perfect condition. This
rule, which is so prevalent in the fruit kingdom, seems
also to govern in the flower world, in all that pertains
to the secretion of nectar. So far as I have observed for
a number of years past, whenever any one kind of
flowers yields honey largely, especially if the yield is long
continued, the quality of the honey is almost certain to
be good ; while if the yield is light, the quality will be
correspondingly poor. Wet and dry weather modifies
this rule somewhat, but to a much less extent than I used
to suppose was the case.
Several years ago, at the time when my harvest of
white honey was so light, I noticed over and over again
that, if any colonies died during the winter, it was almost
certain to be one which had had quite a quantity of
white hone}7 when going into winter quarters ; and when
I found any combs in the spring containing white houey,
even if fully sealed, it was very apt to be more or less
fermented, while fermented dark or fall honey was
rarely if ever seen. This occurred so often that I finally
adopted the rule of management, never to leave any
light honey at all in the combs during winter. I stated
at one or more conventions, that I had adopted such a
rule, but I didn't understand the reason for doing so as
well then as I do now. As I have already said, some
five or six years ago, the relative yields of early and late
honey radically changed, and with it came a correspond-
ing change in qualities, and the immediate result was a
serious loss in wintering — not so disastrous a loss as I
suffered before using chaff hives, but yet too serious to
be at all funny — some forty per cent one winter. This
set me to studying as to what was the cause of such a
complete change, and I am now satisfied that the whole
story can be told in words, ' A change in the quality of
the winter stores.'
I noticed, while extracting, that the fall honey was
different from what I usually obtained. Had samples of
these later crops and of former ones been submitted to
experts, I have no doubt that each would have unhesita-
tingly pronounced one sample as having been taken from
unsealed, the other from sealed combs, even when no
such difference was the case. The truth is, the samples
December 6, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
595
would have been entirely different when first taken from
the flowers ; and no amount of curing, either in or out
of the hive, could have made them equal.
I have noticed for a long time past, that the first yield
from any particular flower, such as clover, basswood,
buckwheat, &c, was almost invariably of poorer quality
than the later yield from the same source would be.
This is particularly true if the yield continues for some
time, say from two to six weeks. It has been not at all
uncommon to obtain a better quality of honey, both in
body and flavour, from unsealed combs, filled two to
four weeks after the commencement of clover harvest,
than from sealed combs filled at the commencement of
the same harvest. This fact wants keeping in mind
when selecting winter stores.
The following is a brief summing-up of the opinions I
have arrived at :— That there is no essential difference
in the value of different kinds of honey for winter stores :
that the relative value of the different kinds of honey
varies in localities and seasons ; that the particular source
which gives us the best yield of honey each season is
usually of the best quality ; also, that where honey is
used as a winter food, much better success will be
attained, when these facts are observed and acted on.
There are, of course, many other considerations to be
taken into account in connexion with winter food
for bees, but I have confined myself closely to the point
of what is the best honey for winter stores, and I hope
others will give their views and see if we cannot come
nearer to an agreement on this point which is so vital a
one in connexion with successful wintering. — O. 0.
Poppleton (American Gleanings.)
MELLICRATON.
[1007.] The medical receipts of our ancestors are
well known to contain some curious and, to our mind,
disgusting ingredients. Here is one into which honey
entered, and may, on that account, prove interesting to
British and Irish bee-keepers, as well aa other readers of
the British Bee Journal. ' The hart of an ape, sod
and dried, whereof the weight of a groat drunk in a
draught of stale Hunny sod in water, called MelHcraton,
strengthened the heart, emboldeneth and driveth away
the pulseand pusillanimity thereof, sharpeneth one's under-
standing, and is soueraigne against the falling euill.'
This will be fonnd in Edward Topsell's History o/Fovre-
fuoted Beastes, printed in London 1607. — H. W. Lett.
#clj0es front % |jibes.
Cockburnspalh , Nov. 20. — Total failure of honey in
Berwickshire. Speaking for myself I have only taken
about 30 lbs. from eleven bar-frame and nine Stewarton
hives; compared with last year and from fewer hives I
took UoOlbs., have made use in feeding 4i cwts. of
sugar since the middle of September. — James Ppingle.
Money C'ott, Weston, Leamington, Dee. 3. — Bees here
had a good fly yesterday, so much so that I knew we
should have a lot of wet soon, which we have had to-
day.— John "Walton.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purchased, or replies giving snch
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish oar Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in advance
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt oj their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
G. Faun worth. — Planting Shrubs. — It is rather late to
plant shrubs now, as it should have been done about
the end of October and during November. We should
prefer waiting until March, and then transplant during
fine weather. Pyrus - malus, Mespilus canadensis,
cornus mascula, and "Westeria sinensis, are all very
ornamental and good for bees. We should certainly
find a warm place in the garden for Buddlea-globosa,
as the bees are very fond of it, and visit it all day long
when the weather 'is fine. You could not plant suffi-
cient heather in your garden to make any appreciable
difference to the honey harvest.
Mr. Robinson. — ' Willesden card' may be procured at
the Willesden Paper Depot, 34 Cannon Street. We
are advised that samples, with prices, have been
forwarded to you.
J. R. W., NataL— 1. South African Queen.— We shall
be pleased to receive the South African queen, and
trust that she may arrive safely. 2. Coccidcv. — We
have looked with much interest over the contents of
of the two boxes forwarded. The cottony-covered
creatures in box No. 1 are, without doubt, a species
of Ortonia. At a first glance, the similarity of legs,
antenna;, hairs, and eggs, seems to show this, but as to
the species we cannot yet say. We have prepared
drawings and specimens, and have submitted them to
Mr. Douglas for his opinion. The box contained a
few eggs, not distinguishable from those laid by the
former specimens ; and we found also a few young
ones, just hatched, and quite lively, so that we now
are in possession of the early stage. The box was
strewed with detached legs of the young, the debris of
a very numerous family, the cause of whose destruc-
tion undoubtedly was a ladybird which had been in-
advertently enclosed in the' box. This insect was
well fed and lively on arrival, but it was something
like sending a crate full of young ducks with a weasel
enclosed. 3. Psychidcc— The box No. 2 contained two
kinds of larva?, inhabiting cases made of cut stems of
grass; thev were alive on arrival. We find from
inquiries that they are the larvse of Psyehida3,but which
species cannot be" determined unless the perfect insect
can be obtained. They seem well known, being common
in India and China. As to the idea of the Kaffirs of their
killing cattle, we do not believe that they can do any-
thing of the kind. Being feeders on harmless vegetable
produce, they would not be likely to poison vegetable-
feeding animals; then, as they are air-breathing
creatures, it is thought that they would inevitably
perish amongst the liquids and acids in a cow's paunch
or stomach, even if they survived the somewhat trying
process of chewing the cud. They will, however, be
examined at the Bacteriological Laboratory to see if
thev contain any germs of such bacilli as anthrax, fee.,
but the story seems to be purely mythical. In China
fowls and o'ther birds are fed upou them, whilst in
India and Ceylon they are regarded with superstitious
awe from a belief that they contain the transmigrated
souls of bad men who, for certain misdeeds in life, are
condemned to go about thus carrying a bundle of
sticks! This is no doubt as true" as the Kaffir tale.
German observers know them as ' Sacktragers.' They
are still very lively if put into a warm place ; but if
cold they remain inactive, carefully closing up the
doors of their houses before they go to sleep. The
small species generally climb to the top of the box and
suspend their houses "there before they go inside, then
they close the doors and remain dormant until warmed
up again.
V. Ii. Baldwin. — Cane Sugar and Granulated Honey. —
Honey contains different kinds of sugar: — 1, cane
sugar; 2, fruit sugar or glucose ; 3, inverted sugar, so
called from its turning the plane of polarisation to the
left, or inverting the action of the fruit sugar. There
is also a fourth sugar evidently distinct, but its nature
is not known with precision. Under the action of a
ferment contained in the honey the cane sugar
changes to sugar of the second and third kinds, and as
596
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 6, 1888.
these are less soluble than cane sugar, the clear liquid
gradually becomes opaque and granular ; that is, the
honey is said to granulate or crystallise. Honey varies
much in its composition according to its age, the
rapidity with which it has been gathered, and the dif-
ferent flowers from which it has been procured. You
may in some degree deduce from the above to what
extent honey in the candied state differs from cane
sugar ; but as in the different analyses which have
been made of honey the amount of cane sugar varies,
it does not behove us to speak with assurance. Please
repeat the other queries.
A. Tubkington. — Feeding Skeps, — As the bees bestow
much labour in fixing the hive to the floor-board, it
is not permissible that these attachments should be
disturbed for the purpose of feeding. If there be a
hole at the top sugar-cake may be given under a basin
or flower-pot, cosily covered up. If without a hole at
the top, warm plastic candy may be placed over the
entrance, when it will lie taken with avidity.
G. Gould. — Commencing Bee-keeping. — The position
you describe will do for quiet bees. You could not do
better than try pure Carniolans. We strongly advo-
cate double-walled hives.
Cwch Gwenyn. — 1. Hive-making. — Allow either f or £
an inch clear between bottom bar and floor-board. 2.
Can's metal ends. — These are nice so long as they are
kept free of propolis on the ends. The frames you name
are not essential to success. If we may offer you a
word of advice, it is that you will earnestly endeavour
to become a good bee-master and avoid ' fads ;' it will
be a saving to you of time and money.
J . Pringle. — Purity of Honey. — The sample sent is quite
pure. The quality is inferior.
A. J. Parish.— Purity of Wax. — The wax, sample of
which we have received, is pure.
Corkectious, page 5:)4.— Alter (l) into (1)1) on the first line from
the top. Alter (c) within the illustration to (W). And insert the
word not before quite correct on line 14 from the top of the first column
on page 534.
pgjusiness ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howabd, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webstek, W. B., Binfield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B„ Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J. , Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, HertB.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
NOTICE.
The British Bee Journal is published by Kent & Go., 23 Paternoster
Row, and may bo obtained of all local Booksellers, and of the fol-
lowing Agents :—
ABBOTT, BROS., Southall, London, and Dublin.
ANDREU, F. C, Port Mab.cn, Minorca.
APPLETON, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
BALDWIN, S. J., Stanley Road, Bromley, Kent.
BLOW, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
DDRRANT & Co., Booksellers, High St., Chelmsford.
EDEY & SONS, St. Neots, Hunts.
EDMONDSON BROS., Dame Street, Dublin.
HANDBY, W., Hasland, Chesterfield.
HOLLANDS, W., Waddon Road, Croydon.
MEADHAM, M., Huntington, Hereford.
McNALLY, R., Glenluce, N.B.
NEIGHBOUR & SON, 149 Regent Street, and
127 High Holborn, London.
REDSHAW, C, Canal St., South Wlgston, Leicester.
RICE, J. J., Wensum Street, Norwich.
RUOKIN, F., Belton, Uppingham.
SMITH & SON, 186 Strand, London; and at all Rail-
way Bookstalls.
WITHLNSHAW, A., Newcastle, Staffordshire.
WOODLEY & FLOOD, 26 Donnington Road, Reading.
WREN, L„ 130 High Street, Lowestoft.
TIHIIE
British Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting our Home Industries, to become Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of the
Association's work.
Subscriptions, 5s. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £5.
The Association carries out its work by —
The holding of Annual Exhibitions ;
Assisting County Associations ;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture;
The disposal of Bee-produce, &c, &c, &c.
Secretary : John Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts-
London : Printed by Stranqeways & Sons, at their Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in the Parish of St. GUes's-m-the.
Fields, hi the County of Middlesex; and Published for the Proprietor by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster Row, in the same county.— Dec. S, 1888.
Communication* to the Editor to be addressed ' Stbanqeways' Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 338. Vol. XVI.]
DECEMBER 13, 1888.
[Published Wekkly.]
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS AND THE B.B.K.A.
We have much pleasure in calling the attention
of our readers to the following excellent article from
the Record of this month, and commend it to
their careful attention. We do not wish for obvious
reasons to enter into the discussion at the present
moment, but we would like here to [joint out one
fact which seems to have escaped the notice of all
those who are asking for county representatives on
the Committee of the Central Society, and that is,
that nearly all the present members of the Central
Committee are members or on committees of County
Associations. With the article of our contemporary
we are in perfect sympathy, as in it the whole
question is discussed in a calm and unimpassioned
spirit. — Ed.
Not without serious misgivings do we gather from
what took place at the recent quarterly meeting of the
British Bee-keepers' Association, and from subsequent
correspondence in the columns of the B.B.J., that a
rather alarming phase in the politics of bee-keeping baa
been reached.
Ever since the Record has been guided by its present
Editors, it has been our rule to avoid, as far as possible,
entering into controversies of this kind; but when we
see small disagreements among good friends of the cause
wbich are likely to develop into more serious dissensions
if not checked in time, it behoves all who care for the
prosperity and well-doing of what we love to call ' our
hobby ' to use every endeavour to restore that unity i if
effort on the part of the powers that be, without which
failure is inevitable.
In this spirit we depart from our established rule, not
with the intention of joining in any lengthened contro-
versy on the subject — that may be left to others, and to
more suitable channels for discussion — but with an earnest
hope that a word of well-meant advice may, like oil cast
on troubled waters, tend to soften down differences
which seem to us more apparent than real. It is no
secret that matters have not worked quite smoothly of
late between the committee of the central body and the
gentlemen who are chosen to represent County Associa-
tions affiliated to it. The latter consider they have a
substantial initial grievance, in that the committee of
the B. B. K. A. — who, no doubt, are guided by rules laid
down — do not treat them with sufficient consideration,
and that the position they occupy at quarterly meetings
is not consistent with the importance of their position as
representing a large and influential body of bee-keepers.
This, however, is a comparatively small matter aud
would soon be put right; but there are more serious
differences of opinion with regard to the powers conferred
on the committee, and it appears to be the object of the
'reformers' to try and introduce such changes in the
constitution of the B.B. K. A. as will, in their opinion,
infuse new life and vigour into the parent society, and
laterally into all associations under its control.
From the published accounts of what has already
taken place, and, aided by some small amount of light
from ' behind the scenes,' it appears to us that the most
serious change contemplated is the proposal to make
County Representatives e.r officio members of the execu-
tive committee, and giving them an equal vote with
committeemen elected in the usual way. This involves
SO wide an extension of the franchise that it would, if
carried out in its entirety, completely revolutionise the
present constitution of the Association, seeing that its
elected committee of management might be outvoted on
any question, whenever the county representatives de-
cided to oppose them. On this ground we may reason-
ably expect that the geueral body of the members of the
B.B.K.A. will endeavour to modify the proposed arrange-
ment in some way, rather than consent to the transfer of
(lie government of the Association to new hands ; and our
advice to the— shall we call them — malcontents is to
agree to a compromise, and to both pari tea we say, ' Bear
and forbear.' By so doing we feel sure that a plan may
be devised allowing something like equal power to each.
As already said, we believe the objections to the new
plan to be more apparent than real, because, when it
comes to practical working, our view is that the power
of governing the Association is likely to remain in the
hands of the ordinary committee as before. Except when
matters of unusual importance are under discussion
county representatives will surely never be expected to
attend meetings held in London monthly. Those from
northern counties find it more than enough to put in an
appearance quarterly ; aud so we expect the new voting
power will seldom be exercised in the transaction of
ordinary committee business, and more seldom still on
that of sub-committees.
What we deprecate most earnestly is anything savour-
ing of a policy of exasperation, which would surely tend
to alienate many influential friends of the cause, who
have hitherto been its chief support and mainstay. We
have a strong impression that many members of the
present committee would gladly retire and leave the
work to younger and more active men, if they could be
assured that the future of the Association would not be
imperilled by their retirement. We may be wrong, but
this is our impression, and we certainly share in the
feeling if it exists. No one can, as we think, honestly
doubt that a great deal of such public importance as we
can ever hope to see attached to a minor industry like
bee-keeping, is due to the social position of its present
patrons, and those who take an active part in promoting
its work among the humbler classes of the community.
It is also an undisputed fact that the committee of the
B. I!. K. A. is composed of gentlemen with no personal
598
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 13, 1888.
interests to serve, and whose motives are above suspicion ;
they have given a large amount of time entirely for the
good of others, seeking no reward other than to see the
cause prospering ; and we would ask those who would
improve the committee by making it ' more democratic,'
if they consider the democratic element more likely to be
unselfish in their motives than those who up to the pre-
sent time have carried on the work ?
Hence we say, if the power is to be transferred prac-
tically to the County Representatives, care must be taken
that the most influential gentlemen it is possible to secure
are selected. Not that we imagine that honey-producers,
appliance-dealers, and bee-traders, are less disinterested
or less selfish than other men or less worthy of public
confidence, that is not the point at all ; but we do know
that dissatisfaction will be sure to follow, if, for any reason,
the executive committee is not entirely above suspicion.
The second important change proposed is, that any
Bee Association, whether a County Association or not,
be received into affiliation with the central body, on
payment of the usual fee, and undertaking to publish a
properly audited statement of income and expenditure in
conformity with the rules of the B.B.K.A. A third
proposal — which, with one or two minor matters, com-
pletes the programme of reform aimed at — specifies that
at all shows held under the auspices of associations affi-
liated to the B.B.K.A. not less than two-thirds of the
prizes shall be offered for open competition. This, by
the way, is a very admirable suggestion, as it will
effectually prevent a frequent source of scandal, where
small associations are suspected of distributing the bulk
of their prizes among the members of their own execu-
tive. In endeavouring to follow the various arguments
used by the ' reformers,' we find that some uncertainty
exists even among themselves as to the aims and objects
they have in view. At least, the Editor of the Berkshire
Bee-keepci — himself one of the most energetic opponents
of the B.B.K.A. committee as at present constituted —
by inference takes the Rev. J. L. Seager to task for
endeavouring to sacrifice the County Associations for the
benefit of the parent body.
This is rather hard on Mr. Seager, seeing that be is
the one member of the committee who goes in heartily
for reform, in opposition to most of his colleagues ; and
earnestly desires to see new life infused into what some
call the 'dry bones' of the central association. The
Editor of the B.B is also entirely wrong in supposing
that the committee of the B.B.K.A. are desirous of sup-
pressing couuty associations. .lie says : — ' It is the
" British," it turns out, that is in a " bad way," and the
Couuty Associations are to be sacrificed for its benefit.
There is one all-important view of the case which
strangely does not appear to have presented itself to
those complacent would-be disposers of the fate of the
County Associations, viz., that of the County Associa-
tions themselves. Are they so sure that the associations
will tamely submit to the dictation of a body in the con-
trol of whose affairs they have little or no voice ? ' If,
as we understand it, affiliated associations receive in cash
value more from the B.B.K.A. than they bestow in affi-
liation fees, with what justice can the committee be
accused of sacrificing Counties to increase the number of
affiliated societies for the benefit of the ' British ? '
As a matter of fact the committee appear to have no
desire to sacrifice any association. The proposal to
admit non-county associations into affiliation comes from
the reformers themselves, and is one of the points of
their programme.
We agree that, to suppress county associations and
establish in their stead a number of weak little bee
societies or clubs, would be a retrograde step of the
worst kind ; but it does not seem likely that this will be
the result. Probably a few strong non-county associa-
tions will spring into life where the surroundings are
especially favourable to their development ; but good,
well-managed County Associations will be able to hold
their own, for obvious reasons.
Our main purpose, however, in referring to the subject
under discussion is to offer a word of advice to the more
active spirits, through whose instrumentality, we believe,
some much-needed reforms will eventually be carried
through. To these we say, Don't go too far ! and don't
go too fast! Above all, do not forget that the gentlemen
who are now at the head of the bee-keeping movement
have laboured as hard and as effectually a3 the best and
most earnest of you in past years to promote our pursuit.
They have spared neither their time nor their money,
aud have looked for no other reward than the general
good of the community. As already said, we must not
shut our eyes to the fact that it is because gentlemen of
influence aud high social position have associated them-
selves with bee-keeping, and have taken an active part
in the work, that we owe a great portion of what
strength there is in the movement. We desire, as
earnestly as any one, to see an infusion of new blood
into the management of the parent Association, and we
believe that a little of the democratic element will be an
advantage ; but we must earnestly protest against any-
thing tending to alienate the present committee, and
perhaps cause them to throw up the care and worry
which its duties entail. Some measure of reform is
needed, we admit, but when it comes to transferring the
power entirely and completely from one set of bee-
keepers— and they the oldest and most experienced — to
another; many of them just now full of that delightful
enthusiasm and hopeful zeal which is a more or less
pleasant memory of the past to us veterans ; we say,
Don't / ' Bear and forbear ' should bs the guiding-
motive ; wisdom will not die when the present com-
mittee disappear; neither will all the talents be embodied
in a committee of new men, if such be tried ; but if the
discussion of the vexed questions now disturbing us be
carried on at the coming annual meeting in a spirit of
mutual concession, we believe that a strong and efficient
executive may be formed which will cheerfully carry out
any new measures likely to benefit the cause we all
desire to see benefited.
Our personal interest, as representing the Record, is
identical with that of all bee associations; among their
members are our correspondents, and to a large extent
our subscribers. It may therefore be taken for granted
that our sympathies are entirely with the Couuty Asso-
ciations and their work, but, to enable the counties to do
the work well, there must be some cohesion : and, besides
this, it is still mire important that there be an influen-
tial central governing body at the head of all, with
sound laws to the observance of which all will heartily
conform. The more representative this body is the
better, aud it seems but reasonable that associations duly
affiliated should be entitled to representation on the
committee. At the same time the fact should not be
overlooked that the members of the ' British ' who sub-
scribe— many of them liberally — to its funds, have an
equal claim to a fair share in the voting power of its
own executive committee. These simple facts duly
borne in mind, and just a little conciliatory spirit infused
all round, there should be no difficulty in restoring
harmony among gentlemen having but one object in
view, and that ' the greatest good to the greatest
number.'— W. B. C.
Mildness op the Season. — In a letter, dated Ilarm-
ston, Lincolnshire, December 7th, Mr. R. R. Godfrey
writes : — ' I enclose a few flowers which I gathered in the
fields this morning, and upon which I found bees in num-
bers.' The flowers enclosed were, — Daisy (Bel/it perennia),
Mustard (Brassica alba), Common Bean (Faba vulgaris),
White dead-nettle (Lamium album), Red dead-nettle,
(Lamium rubrum), Jagged Cranesbill (Geranium clis-
sectum), Doves-foot Cranesbill (Geranium mol/e).
December 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
5f»9
THE ANATOMY OF THE HONEY-BEE.
Anterior Legs of Bees.
(Continued from j>. 589.)
Next to the posterior leg's the anterior are most in-
teresting objects of study. The first three joints of
these legs (see Fig. 1) are not essentially different from
the same in the posterior legs. The compound hairs are
abundant, and, as seen in the microscope, are very beau-
I if ul. The tibia is not modified, as seen in the posterior
legs, but has a strangely modified tibial spur. Fig. 2.
The fioat log of a bee, with enlarged view on the right. — Fig. 1.
This resembles a short-handled knife. The part answer-
ing to the blade is strengthened at the base by a sort of
knob ; it is wide anf Mr. \Y. D. Slade, who came down from Cheltenham
for the occasion. In responding, Mr. Slade spoke at
some length on bee-keeping, which was listened to with
much interest. The health of the local Secretary was
drunk with musical honours. In responding, Mr. Brown
thanked them all for the kind way in which they drank his
health. He also hoped he should see as many members at
their monthly meeting as there were there that evening.
He was glad to say that the meetings were doing good work.
LINCOLNSHIRE BEE-KEEPERS'
ASSOCIATION.
A preliminary meeting of the above was held at Mr.
EL S. Forinan's* Upgate, Louth, on Friday, the 7th inst.
Mr. II. C. Smith presided. Letters were read from
several gentlemen regretting their inability to be present,
but wishing every success to the movement. Mr. J. II.
Houghton, 'F.R.G.S., of Louth, was, on the motion of
the chairman, seconded by Mr. John Dales, appointed
Secretary of the Association.
Alter a discussion as to the desirability of resuscitating
the Association, and the reading of a number of letters,
all of which strongly recommended this course, the
following resolution was unanimously passed, 'That in
the opinion of this meeting it is desirable to reorganize
the Lincolnshire Bee-keepers' Assocsation.'
A code of rules and regulations, based upon those of
the old Association, and which had been submitted to
Mr. John Ruckle (Secretary of the British Bee-keepers'
Association) for suggested additions or curtailments, was
then discussed, and, with some slight alterations, passed.
It was decided to ask the President and Vice-President
of the old Association to retain their positions in the
new Association. Several names, however, were added
to the list of Vice-Presidents. Several names were
suggested as acting Committee for the coming year.
The Secretary was instructed to communicate with the
gentlemen named, and when he had received replies,
call another meeting.
We believe, from the tone of this meeting, that a very
successful Association will be formed.
[We desire to congratulate those who have taken a
part in the above movement, and trust that success may
attend their efforts in reorganizing the Lincolnshire
B. K. A— Ed.]
602
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 13, 1888.
€BXXt8$mXb£Ytttt
The Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
hy his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their veal names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee ofgoodfaith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
&c, must be addressed only to 'The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," cjo Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.C All business communications relating to Advertisements,
&c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Zings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
\* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
MINOEOAN BEES.
[1908.] Although not in a position to give informa-
tion as positively as I should like to do in some respects..
I am able to bear out the truth of one of the characteris-
tics -with which they have been credited by Mr. Andreu,
and that is, their propensity for breeding. Owing to
the bad weather and my own indisposition my bees,
although well fed from the beginning of July, were not
finally overhauled until November, when, during several
fine days, every impervious quilt was removed, and the
bees, so far as I was able, were carefully packed for
winter. I was assisted by an able expert, and when we
came to the stock containing the Minorcan queen I pre-
vented the use of everything in the nature of a pacifier,
and determined to see what the bees would do under
ordinary handling. We wore veils but no gloves, and
we examined the whole of the combs, beginning at the
back, and scraped and cleansed the frames and all the
inside of the hive, returned everything to its place,
except such Cnmbs as it was determined to withheld,
and covered them up to stand the winter without having
received a single sting; and hence I am inclined to believe
that the characteristic 'gentleness' may be added to
that of 'prolificness,' when speaking of the merits or
demerits of Minorcan bees. The November examination
revealed the fact that four Minorcan queens in Combina-
tion hives were still laying, and had patches of brood,
the original having five combs fairly stocked with eggs,
sealed brood, and hatching bees, all surrounded with
ample stores in first-rato order. — C. N. Abbott, Sout/iall,
Dec. 8th, 1888.
[We have been informed that Mr. Blow noticed the
Eropolisation at the entrance of the hive of Minorcan
ees in his apiary at Welwyn on July 10th. His
Minorcaus have left three spaces through which they
enter the hive.— Ed.]
I IOTJNTY ASSOCIATIONS.
[1909.] Undoubtedly, if Mr. Seager has done nothing
more, he has succeeded in raising the whole question, not
only of County, but also of the British B.K.A., and I
feel sure that good will come out of it, for it is far bet ter
that evils, if they exist, should be discussed in the light
of day than that they should smoulder in darkness.
I will, with your kind permission, notice one or two
references to my previous remarks. To the writer of .
' Useful Hints ' I can only say that, notwithstanding his '
Latin quotations and ambiguous references to the discus-
sion, I will yield to none, not even to the able writer, in
wishing for the welfare of the British B.K.A. In speak-
ing only for myself, I feel sure that I am echoing the
sentiments of those other gentlemen who have taken
part in the discussion. I feel sure that in every effort
successfully made to improve and strengthen our worthy
parent we are in a great measure helping forward the
cause of the County Associations in which we are all
deeply interested. I had hoped that some member of
the British < lommittee would have entered tin' arena on
their behalf earlier, but lam glad thai 'A Memberofthe
Central Committee ' ha3 at last broken silence, though I
regret that he has felt it necessary to shield his name
under a nom de plume. It appears from his opening re-
marks that, although within the charmed circle, he has
not yet discovered that the bond of sympathy between
the British and County Associations is unduly strained.
Perhaps it would be more correct to state that bond
is being loosened, that the cause is more of a negative
than of a positive nature. Your space, Mr. Editor, will
not admit of my furnishing ' A Member of the Central
Committee ' with a lengthy illustration of my argument,
but it exists, as is borne out by almost all your corre-
spondents. He alludes to the fact that a certain propor-
tion of the British Committee being County Hon. Secre-
taries. Quite true, but our point is that they should be
sent there by their respective counties : they are on that
Committee by virtue of the weight of their private sub-
scriptions and personal influence, and not by the affilia-
tion of their respective counties. It seems to me that
the great bone of contention is the qualification necessary
to get on that Committee and the want of voting power
by the county representatives. I feel sure that when
these two points are considered the difficulty will be in
a great measere removed.
The British B.K.A. will be stronger from the fact that
it will speak with one voice on behalf of the whole body
of bee-keepers in the country, and the result will be that
the counties will rally to the. support of the British, both
morally and financially, from the fact that they would
form an integral part of the same. I quite agree that
great care should be taken that any alterations should
not be of a destructive nature, but rather to strengthen ;
and if the above change were made that the B. B.K.A.
would strengthen ; audi believe that, if such were the
case, every one of the present Committee would be elected,
and they would be supplemented by colleagues from ali
parts of the country enabling them to speak with an
united voice. That being so, I feel sure that, grant the
representation, the counties will bear the necessary taxa-
tion.
Like our little friend, the sting of your correspondent's
letter is in its tail. He hopes that my name will be
among the subscribers to the funds of the British. I
can only say that, limited as are the world's goods at my
disposal, when I see the British B.K.A. take up the posi-
tion in respect to the national bee-keeping question to
which it is entitled I shall be most happy to give my
mite to its support, but until then, like many others, I
prefer to give it to my own County Association. — A. IK
Woodley, Heading. '
FEEDING AND PACKING FOB WINTER.
1 1910.] Replying to suggestion of 'Useful Hints ' in
Journal, I give a little of my experience and practice
this autumn. At the end of July 1 had taken only very
few sections, not one of which was fully finished, and
only fifty or sixty pounds of extracted honey, while many
stocks (notably those that had Carniolan-bred queens,
mated with Ligurian drones) had any amount of bees,
but no honey, although when the' weather was very bad,
they had been fed the same as other stocks. Other
Carniolan stocks were much the same, or very little
better; they had increased enormously, and had been
swarming mad all the season. So much SO, that I could
not help remarking, that my English and Ligurian stocks
had better sense, as I only had one stock of Ligurians,
and not one stock of English bees, swarm at all. I do
not say this about the Carniolans to run them down, as
I have been well satisfied with them in good seasons (1
have kept some for over ten years), they boat either
English or Ligurians in the quantity and quality of the
honey gathered, more especially in the appearance of the
comb honey. Of course in such a season as the one just
past their very prolificness has been against them.
December 13, 1883.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
(103
As regards feeding up for winter the difficulty seemed
to me, how to keep the bees alive, and yet not hare to
keep so many old bees that would naturally die in the
course of a few weeks. I fed them only just enough to
keep them from starving through August, and then in
September began to feed them up for winter. Here I
may say that I made my syrup — or rather my wife did —
by pouring boiling water on granulated sugar, with just a
bit of salt added, and stirring till it was all melted. It
was made as thick as it possibly could be, so as to melt all
the sugar ; but it was not boiled at all — too much of a
job for that — and it was wanted at once, and a lot of it,
too. I fed the majority of the stocks with quart pickle-
bottles turned up on some rather fine perforated zinc, tak-
ing them by turns, so that I fed the same stocks about
every third night ; a few I fed up in about four nights
each, using one of Simmins' circular tin-feeders, which
hold about seven pounds of syrup. I thought I would try
some of Meadows' first-prize rapid feeders, as I had no
time to make any myself. I could not get to see many
things for the crush at the lloyal at Nottingham, so did
not see the ' rapid feeders '; I sent for three of them, but
did not like the look of them when I had got them, or
the thought of having to pour the syrup in while there
are bees in the feeder ; there appeared to me to be no
means of the bees getting away quick enough without
getting daubed: so I returned them and requested Mr.
Meadows to send me one of the circular tin feeders of
Simmins' similar to the other one I have. He exchanged
them, but made the remark that he thought I was
'behind the times;' however, if that was the cause, I
certainly would prefer to he so.
Another wholesale feeder I used was one of Simmins'
dummy feeders, a wooden one, which holds seven or
eight pounds of syrup, which I filled about four times
for each stock I fed with it ; but it was not so handy,
especially when I wanted to move it to feed another
hive, as it took so long to get the bees out. I certainly
prefer the circular tin feeder, because when it was
required to be moved to another stock, I could take it
off from the feed-hole and shake the bees out iu no time,
then it was ready to be placed over the feed-hole of
another stock to be used again, and nothing required to
be disarranged about the quilts. I never found any
difficulty about its being too cold being of metal, as
some might think, I did not always feed with warm
syrup, only when it happened to be freshly made.
I took as many spare combs away as I could when I
first began to feed, but was obliged to leave ten or eleven
frames iu some hives, there was such a number of bees.
Here, again, in giving some young queens in place of old
ones, I found the difficulty, as ' Useful Hints ' said about
the bees taking to fresh queens while being fed, also in
opening hives, which I was obliged to do either first
thing of a morning, or just before dusk at night.
After feeding up most stocks with from twenty-eight
to thirty poundsof syrup each, 1 began to pack them for
winter. 1 do not use chaff at all, having had a bother
with it years ago through using it loose upon the hives,
and at back of the dummies. I think 1 mentioned in
' Queries ' about using green blind stuff upon the frames,
not particularly because I think it better, but because I
got a lot of old blinds cheap, and they answer the
purpose very well ; over this stuff I place about three
thicknesses of scouring flannel, and on the top of that a
couple of folded rice or sugar bags ; if sugar bags, they
had to be washed before being used ; in some cases old
woollen counterpanes are folded and laid on instead of
bags, also at back or sides of dummies the spaces are
filled in with the like materials. As a rule I only have
the entrances about two, or at the most three inches
long by about § inch high, though I did think of
opening them a little wider for winter, but the mild
weather coming on again and continuing so long, it does
not appear advisable, as I find on looking round the bees
are oa the look-out to try to rob if they could get a
chance, and with entrances full width it. would only
entail more work for the bees to protect themselves.
I think I have given my plan of feeding, packing, &c,
as n >ar as I can do it. I do not claim that it is better
than any other, or that it is the best way, but I generallv
get my bees through the winter pretty well, and ready
for the honey flow the next year — when there is one.
I have always read the writings of ' Useful Hints '
with great pleasure and profit, and hope he will long-
writ' for the Journal, as I am well aware he knows ,,f
wJiat he writes ; also ' Amateur Expert,' I trust he will
continue to jot aud enliven us with a few of his spicy
sayings, a bit of humour does us good sometimes, only
he must mind and not tread on folks' favourite corns, —
John Walton, Honey Colt, Weston, Leamington.
BEE-KEEPING IN RUSSIA.
[19] 1.] Please accept my best thanks for sending me
your ' Wintering Bees,' and for your kind attention in
sending the ' Aptfuge.' I cannot take advantage of your
good intentions to send me more, for I have the address
of the dealers of this liquid, and, having obtained it, I
tried it once. But being accustomed as I am to the
stings of bees, without, however, neglecting the gentle
behaviour and politeness due to them, I quite forgot to
notice the effect of the essence with which I was per-
fumed.
Our bee-keeping increases more and more in experts,
more especially amongst schoolmasters, to whom I
dedicated my book, Ptchelovodstvo. I am pleased that
I aimed at directing my instructions iu bee-keeping to
this class of people who are needy and intelligent, aud
without occupation during the summer,
I am glad to know that you have given up perforated
zinc excluders. According to my ideas, its necessity-
arises from the whim of inventors of long shallow
frames, as it diverts the natural inclinations of the 1 i
to store honey abuve the brood-nest, which is admissible
when the height of the hive is sufficient.
It was with great interest that I read in your British
Bee Journal, 1838, No. 825, p. 449, the different methods
of covering the frames. It appears to me that the
i - utial merit of such a covering does not consist so
much in the nature of the stuff used as in the space
which separates it from the frames, so that the bees can
neither propolise nor gnaw through it. To attain this
end, I have tried successfully a woollen covering with
wooden laths (one inch wide) nailed at certain distances
apart on both sides of this material, and with separators
between them, such as small pieces of zinc, bent square,
and nailed to the laths on the underside, in order to
raise the covering to between a quarter and three-eighths
of an inch. At the same time this allows the bees a
passage over the frames. For the winter keeping on the
super I place on this covering a layer of dried leaves
(see B.B.J., No. 330, p. 512). — A. PE Zoubaheff,
St. Petersburg, Koe. \7th.
NOTES ON BEE HIVES.
Section's with Abtificial Attachment Cells.
[1912.] During the past summer I have been making-
some experiments upon the above, which I can report
very favourably upon without further trial. I will at
once say my custom is not to mention a thing until I
have fully tested it. I shall lie glad to hear if anv bee-
keeper has tried the above fully, with a description of
their method of working and the apparatus used. By
means of engraved rollers, I had attachment cells made
on all the four inner faces of 4\ x 4j x 7 to the foot
sections: and although the season here was of such an
604
THE BRITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
[December 13, 1888.
unfavourable kind for good work, the results enable me
to state the above is well worth a fair trial.
I am opposed to using- full sheets of wax foundation in
sections, or even the usual triangular strips, and am of
opinion that such is not absolutely necessary to secure
perfect sectional honey, and also that there is no profit
in using wax-foundation for sections, notwithstanding
the mathematics which have so often been paraded.
I find one of the largest English apiarian suppliers
cannot retail Dadant's thin foundation under Us. 3d. per
pound, and Dadant's extra thin super or surplus founda-
tion under 3s. 6(7. per pound, cut into the exact size we
require ; but from Messrs. Dadant's price list, which
they have just forwarded to me, I find that the price for
Dadant's thin foundation is Is. ('»/., per pound, about
seven feet to the one pound, and Dadant's extra thin
super foundation is 2s. per pound, about eleven feet to
the one pound, and at this price any quantity and any
size may be purchased.
The best way to avoid composition foundation is to
import direct, and if the Secretaries for County Associa-
tions could collect a number of orders, the various sizes
desired could be obtained, and the cost of transit would
be very little in addition per one pound. Messrs. Dadant
guarantee every inch pure beeswax, and the same as the
samples they supply. — T. Bonner Chambers, Tref
Eglwys, I 'aersws, Montgomeryshire.
QUEEN-CAGE.
[1918.] I enclose you a drawing of my new queen-
cage. If the idea carried out in the making of it — viz.,
that of the bees liberating the queen themselves at the
No. 1. Table of tiu to rest on the top of frames.
No. 2. Hole in which to place queeu.
No. 3. Slide to cover same.
No. 4. All tin.
No. 5. Wire of the ordinary stamp fastened under table No. 1 on
one side and took under the bottom up to under the table on the
other side.
No. 6. Tin Bh utters working stiffly on frame iron to keep candy
from falling outward.
No 7. A projecting piece [of tiu inside cage to keep candy from
falling inside on queen.
No. 8. Open end.
usual forty-eight hours — will he instructive and interest-
ing to any of the readers of your Journal, you are at
liberty to make it known.
I have been at some little trouble and some little ex-
pense over it ; and as I am only a working man, and keep
bees chiefly for what can be made out of them, I must
confess that the cage has beeu before a well-known
company for sale, and was after a long delay accepted
by them at a little under the price asked for it; but as
that was so lung in coming to hand — viz., several months
— I became impatient and wrote for its return; and as
many things in your Journal, written by others who
doubtless did not get their knowledge without labour
and expense, have been very helpful to me in my bee-
keeping experience, 1 in turn am anxious to help others.
Let me say of my invention that the idea occurred to me a
little over two years ago, after having rather blunderingly
liberated a queen from a pipe-cover cage. Two or three
angry bees were anxious to make acquaintance with her
majesty before she was well out of cage, which said
acquaintance was resented, and so took to herself wings
and fled away. She was part of my riches, as she with
her attendants had cost me eight shillings ; and although
she returned and was speedily at work, the failure or ex-
perience was not lost upon your humble servant, who
thought the matter over with this result, viz., this queen-
cage in its present state, for which I claim the following
advantages: —
That going to the hive to liberate the queen is not
required, which operation in the hands of a novice often
excites the bees, which anger is thrown upon the queen,
and, doubtless, often results in the loss of the s.ime.
Neither is there any danger of the queen taking wing or
of injury in the liberating process.
Again, the two candy cakes put the bees in the best
of tempers, which is all in favour of the queen's accept-
ance.
It can be made for about the same price as other well-
known cages that are in the market, viz., about one
shilling.
The candy cakes can be made in tin or wood frames
the size of the cage end, which frames should be without
top or bottom, simply ends and sides, so that the candy
can be shoved out with your ringer and thumb. If a
frame was made with twelve compartments that would
charge the cage six times. If any of your readers have
a fancy to try this way of introducing their queens (next
season, of course,) they can get any tinman with ordinary
ability to make them the cage, the frames and candy
they can make themselves ; only let me warn them not to
make the candy so hard that the poor bees cannot bite
it. ( Ir if any dealers in bee appliances, &c , care to make
any use of this idea they are quite at liberty to do so to
their heart's content, as it is not protected in anyway
whatever. — J. W. Blankley, Denton, Grantham,
Lincolnshire.
MICROSCOPIC TESTS OF HONEY— ARE THEY
INFALLIBLE ?
[1014.] Your inquiry in reference to the reliability
of the scientific tests for honey is very opportune.
1 made the past winter, in revising my book, a careful
investigation of this whole subject, and I am led to
doubt the existence of a sure test for honey, either
chemical or by aid of the polariscope. As you doubtless
know, there are two kinds of sugars — cane, and the
glucose group, or reducing sugars. The latter are so
called because they reduce the copper sulphate, when
made strongly alkaline by the addition of caustic potash.
Of the reducing sugars we have the glucose of our
factories, honey, liver sugar, digested starch, or the sugar
of digestion, &c. The chemist using the copper test as
given above calls all these sugars identical, simply because
they give the same reaction with the sulphate. I don't
believe they are the same. If so why will bees forsake
common commercial glucose for honey ? or why will they
die on the purest commercial glucose, and thrive on good
honey? Cane sugar will not reduce the copper salt;
and when eaten by animals it must be digested to be
December 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
605
absorbed and assimilated. Thus when we eat cane sugar
we do what the bees do with nectar — we convert it into
a reducing sugar, very likely the same as honey.
As will be seen by the above, nectar contains cane
sugar. Indeed, the cane sugar in nectar often equals in
amount all the other sugars put together. Analyses
show, however, that the amount of this cane sugar in
nectar varies. Let this be remembered : The amount uj
the different sugars varies in the nectar of different flowers.
Again, as the bee sins nectar it is mixed with the secre-
tion from the racemose glands of the head ami thorax ;
and this acts like our own digestive seci'etions on the
cane sugar, and changes it to reducing sugar. Now,
suppose the bees are gathering very fast from the bass-
wood, for instance, where a single colony may gather
over 20 lbs. per day ; does it stand to reason that they
can digest this nectar as perfectly as though they were
gathering from some source where they secured their
stores in mere driblets ? Thus in such cases of very
rapid gathering the digestion would be less perfect, and
the honey would contain much cane sugar. Slay this not
account for the marked sweetness of basswood honey ?
In this connexion it is suggestive that, in the various
analyses which have been made of honey, the amount of
cane sugar varies. Thus I find the analyses generally
give from one to three per cent of honey as cane sugar.
Yet not infrequently the amount equals five or six per
cent, while in some cases even twelve and sixteen per
cent of honey has been found to be cane sugar. Here,
then, mark the second uncertainty. Owing to the more
or less rapid gathering, the digestion of nectar is more or
less perfect. The chemist then would find much cane
sugar, and would report adulteration, when the honey
was entirely pure, right from the bees, and through them
from the flowers; but owing to imperfect digestion, the
cane sugar was very prominent. Such honey would be
sweeter than though more reduced, or digested, and so
might have higher intrinsic value.
We see, then, that, the chemist cannot tell us abso-
lutely whether honey is adulterated or not. There is
reason to believe that absolutely pure honey has been
pronounced as probably adulterated. The chemist was
honest and able, but did not understand the whole ques-
tion or its many difficulties.
But what of the polariscope test ? This test depends
on the property of various substances to deflect the rays
of polarized light to the left or right. Thus, cane sugar
changes the polarized ray to the right; so does dextrose,
one of the reducing sugars of honey. On the other
hand, lasvulose, another of the elements or sugars of
honey, bends the ray strongly to the left. Dextrose and
leevidose are often called invert sugars ; for when cane
sugar is heated with a mineral acid like hydrochloric, it
is changed to dextrose and laevulose. Dextrose and
lsevulose are obtained from fruits as well as from honey.
Glucose is a term used to designate all the invert or
reducing sugars, and is exactly synonymous with grape
sugar.
Now, usually honey rotates the ray of light, owing to
the ljerulose, from two to twelve degrees to the left.
From two to twelve, — are not these numbers very
suggestive ? In the first case, two degrees ; there was
likely much dextrose, possibly aided by not a little cane
sugar or sucrose ; while in the latter case the lsevulose
was in the ascendancy. Now suppose the ray bends
wholly over to the right. ' Hey ho ! ' says the scientist —
' adulteration !' when, in fact, it was pure honey; but
the cane sugar and dextrose were still more pronounced.
Surely, if the ray often varies from two to twelve, left-
handed rotation, we may certainly believe it will often
show a right-handed deflection. I fully believe that
we have as yet no reliable methods to detect adul-
terations.
I am very certain that adulteration is never practised
by bee-keepers, and is very rarely practised, if at all in
these days, by dealers. This opinion is not a mere guess,
but the result of extended inquiry.
To conclude, Mr. Editor, 1 have already commenced
just such a series of experiments as you suggested in last
Gleanings. By aid of our chemical department we shall
soon know the exact truth of the matter. We shall not
only test the present methods of analysis thoroughly,
hut shall strive to find if there is a method which is sure
and practical to tell pure honey from that which is adul-
terated.—A. J. Cook, Ai/riinltaral College, Mich.
{Gleanings in Bee Culture).
WINTERING BEES. (1807.)
[1915.] The article by your Gottenberg correspondent
is most interesting, but 1 hope he will be good enough
to tell us whether he winters his bees under enamelled
cloth, or with upward ventilation ?
Probably the bees at the North Cape live in holes in
the rocks, substituting a foot or two of rock for an inch
or two of chaff-packing. But could not the numerous
persons who annually visit the North Cape in the Ceylon
he induced to investigate this point?
With respect to wintering generally, when discussing
the necessity for winter passages, &c., I think some
regard should be paid to the different races of bees and
the description of hive used. For instance, winter pass-
ages may be very necessary in single-walled hives, but
can they be required in double-walled hives packed with
cork-dust where the bees are crowded under enamelled
cloth ?
Cheshire says that bees will cluster against a hive-side
when packed with cork-dust, and a peep into my hives
last month fully confirmed this statement.
Another point to which I should like to allude is the
advice in the books to extract all unsealed honey or
syrup when packing for the winter. I have not met
with a bee-keeper who is in the habit of doing it, and
surely it may be omitted (except in extreme cases), as it
would excite the bees most objectionably and would
involve great labour if the hives are numerous. Will
your readers inform me if it is a commi m practice amongst
leading bee-keepers in dealing with Enylish bees?
Perhaps your Gottenberg correspondent would kindly
tell us what course he adopts with regard to winter
passages and extracting unsealed honey? — T. F. L.,
Brondesbury.
BEES AS EDUCATORS.
[101G.] No sooner does a person become the owner
of a colony of bees than he looks around to see what are
the prospects of future gain. Heretofore he drove or
rode along the highways, noticing the ruts, bridges,
fences, and houses, but now his vision takes in a wider
range. His observation is quickened, and trees, shrubs,
and plants, have put on new life, as it were, to his en-
livened faculties. From the first opening buds in Spring
until the last rustling leaf has fallen, his interest never
lags, as he constantly wratches the opening flowers, and
notes with pleasure the busy workers roaming over them
in quest of treasure to store in their hives.
What was to him once a useless weed, to be cut down
with the scythe, or whacked off with the hoe, is clothed
in beauty and becomes a priceless treasure. Whoever
saw any beauty in the tigwort, or watched for the
appearance of its tiny cupboard, looked down into their
depths for the first appearance of sparkling nectar, but a
bee-keeper? Or whoever saw any utility in Spanish
needles, or beggar-ticks ? There is a bond of friendship
i -si-ting between the bee-keeper and nectar -bearing-
plants, and they appear to spring up to greet him
wherever he goes. The Indian calls white clover ' The
White Man's Foot,' and well he may, for its modest
flower soon appears as the harbinger of peace and plenty.
606
THE BKITISH BEE JOUKNAL.
[December 13, 1888.
Soils. — The interest thus awakened in plants soon
takes on a wider range and extends to the soil. Seeds
of sweet clover (rnelilot) are scattered on gravelly soil,
take root, penetrating deeply, keep it from washing and
dying ami add to its fertility. Dreary wastes thus
become clothed with verdure, adding to the beauty of
the landscape and yielding choice nectar, tit food for
gods. On a recent trip of a dozen miles on a railroad
leading out from this city, we were agreeably surprised
to rind this plant growing luxuriantly nearly the whole
distance, and some deep cuts were so covered with it
that the soil could not be seen. It is to be hoped that the
officers of the railroads will appreciate the utility of this
plant in keeping the soil, from washing away and pre-
venting damage and danger thereby, and foster its
growth. I have seen the yellow variety of this plant
growing on the borders of salt marshes on the shores of
Long Island Sound.
Marshes and wet lands along rivers and water-courses,
come in for a share of attention by the bee-keeper. His
eye quickly detects anything in the interest of his winged
stock. If by digging a ditch and running off water the
growth of favourite bee-plants is promoted, it is done.
He then benefits his neighbours as well as himself, for,
as the ground becomes dry, blue grass and the clovers
will take root, thus promoting grazing for stock, and
malaria will disappear. New plants will spring up as if
by magic, the button bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
growing in water. It seems as if the seed of honey
plants rattled from the bee-keepers' clothes. The seed
of many honey plants is food for birds, which are our
friends and co-workers in destroying many noxious
insects. — (Mrs.) L. Harrison, Peoria, Ills. {Prairie
Farmer)
LATE QUEENS.
AltE YOUXO QUEENS THAT REFUSE TO LAY LATE IN
THE FALL NECESSARILY UNFERTILE P
[1917.] I have just had my attention called to a
matter which interests me from a scientific point of
view. One of the most prominent queen-breeders in the
Northern States writes me that his queens which have
come forth from the queen-cells on and after September
15th are none of them laying, although he has practised
feeding them. Drones are abundant, and have been
flying freely every two or three days, and often for
several consecutive days together. Some of the queens
have flown out that were more than ten days old. He
adds, further, that some imported queens which have
just arrived he has failed to make lay, even though he
has fed the colonies.
This breeder is of the opinion that these queens are
impregnated, and will lay all right if kept till another
spring. One of the queens was sent me for microscopic
examination, that 1 might confirm or disprove the
breeder's opinion by a discovery of the facts.
The queen looked like a non-laying impregnated queen.
I examined the contents of her spermatheca, and found
that she had been impregnated. The contents swarmed
with the thread-like sperm-cells (spermatozoa), which
positively attest that she had successfully mated (see
ia>t edition of Bee-Keepers Guide, p. 102, where the
sperm-cells are illustrated and the process of fecundation
fully described). Now, it seems well established that,
while laying, the queen is fed with chyle, or digested food,
by the workers. Is it not probable that, in this case, the
workers, realising that the time for egg-laying for this
season is past, refuse to yield of their digested aliment,
and so the queen, of course, cannot lay ? I believe the
explanation lies just in this fact. The workers refuse to
feed the queen with the proper food, and her eggs are, as
a consequence, not developed. Of course it is just pos-
sible that living so long — months— before egg-laying, she
may never be a very fertile queen, possibly be wholly
sterile ; but I should not expect this. It is a frequently
observed fact that when a queen once stops laying in the
fall, at the close of the honey-harvest, feeding ofttimes
wholly fails to start egg-laying again. It seems to me
quite probable that the cause is the same as before. The
worker-bees refuse to furnish food of the requisite
quality.
Have not some of our extensive queen-breeders, like
Hutchinson, Alley, Koot, &c, observed on this matter of
queens before ? If so, have they found such queens any
less valuable the next year ? I hope our friend who has
just sent me the queen for dissection will keep all the
other queens, note results carefully next spring, and
inform us of the facts. I think the matter an interest-
ing one, and very possibly it has practical significance
as well. — A. J. Cook, Agricultural College, Michigan.
(American B. Journal.)
INTRODUCING VIRGIN QUEENS.
[1918.] It is the exception to the rule that any colony
or nucleus that has been queenless seventy-two hours or
more will readily accept a young queen just hatched
from a cell. With such introduction of young queens
almost every bee-keeper is familiar. After a queen
becomes twelve hours or more old, the conditions for
her safe introduction are changed, and it becomes an
exception to the rule if she is not killed if introduced by
any plan of direct introduction. Special conditions
must be created, the most essential of which is absolute
queenlessness of the colony or nucleus to which it is
desired to introduce such a queen. By this is meant
the taking away of the queen and all unsealed brood.
These measures, whatever else is done, are imperative to
success. And further it is also required, as a rule, and
particularly with each of the yellow races of bees, that
the colony or nucleus has had a laying queen for at least
twenty-one days, or until her young bees begin to
hatch out.
If the attempt is made before this to introduce an old
virgin queen, and especially if to a nucleus that has
several times been deprived of its queen before her brood
hatches, there will be found no trouble to introduce the
queen, but she will not be allowed to fly out and mate,
but will be balled to death on her first attempt to leave
the hive. This, however, is a common occurrence where
queens just hatched are run into such nuclei, and often
occurs in full colonies. The trouble in all such cases is
from laying workers.
There are also certain details of procedure required to
insure uniform success, but the following may be de-
pended upon: — We will take, for example, a virgin
queen received by mail, that may be from one to ten
days old ; she is placed where she is safe for twenty-
four hours, but not near the hive selected to introduce
her. First, remove the reigning queen. The next day,
towards evening, prepare a hive or nucleus with one
comb of honey, and fill out with frames of empty comb
or combs of all sealed brood, or with frames of founda-
tion. Cage the virgin queen alone in a cage having a
little 'Good' candy, and insert next to the comb of
honey or brood. Now shake all the bees into this pre-
pared hive, or upon a sheet in front of the hive, and
give the combs from which the bees are shaken to
another colony. The bees will be greatly excited over
the loss of their brood, but will get quiet during the
night. In forty-eight hours the queen may be liberated
in the evening, and is certain to be well received, and to
mate in a few days. After she has mated and is laying,
the brood taken away may be returned, or that from
other colonies given, as desired.
In giving all sealed brood to the prepared colony,
great care is required to exclude any unsealed brood, for,
should there be only one worker egg left, failure is
almost certain, as the bees will choose it rather than the
December 13, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
607
mature queen. When I use sealed brood for the purpose,
it is always taken from a colony that has been queenless
not less than nine days, and all cells removed.
Virgin queens inayr also be introduced to any full
colony that has been queenless nine days after first cutting'
out all cells ; but the young queen, if more than twelve
hours old, must be caged from twenty-four to forty-eight
hours. They may be introduced to nuclei in the same
manner, but are liable to be balled when they attempt
to lly out to mate. Probably one half to two thirds of
the queens so introduced will be allowed to mate, the
risk diminishing with the strength of the nucleus.
The writer has tried almost every experiment to
introduce old virgin queens, but with poor success,
except by the methods here given. The first is well-
nigh infallible, as it is also in the introduction of laying
queens. — Dr. G. L. Tinker, JVeio Philadelphia, O.
(American Apiculturist).
A FEW THOUGHTS FOR CHILDREN ABOLT
YOUNG BEES.
[1910.] There is a good deal more in a colony of bees
than the honey and wax they produce. They are models
of industry, neatness, and order. About the first lines
engraved on the plastic clay of my memory', are those of
Watts:—
1 How doth the little busy bee
Improve each shining hour,
And gather honey all the day,
From every opening iiower.
' How skilfully she builds her cell,
How neat she spreads the wax,
And labours hard to store it well
With the sweet food she makes.'
Children should be taught to watch the bees as they
go in and out of their hives, and, particularly, notice
that each individual bee has a duty to perform for which
it is accountable. The guards protect the entrance
against all intruders, and no enemy is allowed to pass
without resistance. It i.s amusing to watch a bumble-
bee as it tries to evade the guards and gain access to the
rich stores within. How soon his back is mounted, and
'policemen' tit his side bring him forth, as he loudly
buzzes and struggles for freedom. Bees from neigh-
bouring hives are not allowed to enter without showing
their passport, which is a well-filled sac of nectar, while
all paupers are denied entrance. Woe betide the moth
that has the presumption to knock at the door of a strong-
colony of Italians, for it will never try that game again.
When the young drone-bee emerges from the cell, he
looks around for something good to eat. If he is not fed
by the field-workers, he goes to a cell and helps himself.
This he is allowed to do ad libitum, until his duties com-
mence, which in his case is to fertilise a queen. He
daily sallies forth in quest of her, to perform the task for
which was the purpose of his creation, and in the per-
formance yields up his life. If he is not needed for this
duty, he must 'walk the plank," for no needless members
are allowed, but all must succumb to the good of the
commonwealth.
The young worker is allowed a few days to eat and
digest food, wdien her duties as nurse to the larvae and
queen commence.
The duties of the queen are so onerous, in the produc-
tion of so many eggs, that her system is not capable of
sustaining the draught unless her food is given her in a
half-digested state, so that it readily assimilates. The
queen, even, is not allowed in the hive if she does not
perform her duties properly. She must not ' skip any
stitches," but go round and round in a circle, using every
cell; and her progeny must be able to perform their
duties, or she is ejected. Woe betide her if she rears all
' boys ' and no ' girls,' and her owner finds it < nit.
When the worker's duties of a nurse are completed,
she takes a rest in secreting wax and building comb, and
is allowed a play-spell after dinner, that she may learn
tlie location of her hive. Perhajps she is given a lesson
now anil then in stinging, as she is always an adept at it.
and ready, on the least provocation, to ' curl her tail.'
We see moreof her in her capacity as guard and field-
worker than in any other.
She attends strictly to business, and, when gathering
clover-honey, does not stop to smell the fragrance of
roses, pinks, and posies, but goes quickly from one clover
blossom to another. There is harmony in Nature, and
Bhe must carry the fertilising powder from flower to
flower, so that the seed will germinate and the plant be
perpetuated.— (Mas.) L. Harrison, Peoria, Ills. (The
Prairie Farmer.)
Podin-gtox, Bedfordshire.— Alecture'on 'Bees and
Bee-keeping by the improved method of the Bar-frame
System,' was given by the Rev. E. Eade, rector of Farn-
dish, in the schoolroom on Thursday evening, 29th ult.,
by the kind invitation of the Vicar, the Rev. Seneca W.
Winter. The lecture was illustrated by the excellent
lantern transparencies of Mr. Watkins of Hereford,
which gained the bronze medal at the Royal Show at
.Nottingham this year. These transparencies show the
practical work in connexion with the new system, such
a- driving the bees instead of killing them to take their
stores, examining the brood, taking of sections, &c. The
transparencies include also enlargements of parts of the
bee, such a< the tongue, the sting, the hind leg, with its
pollen basket, and wax pincers, and the first leg, with
its hairs, comb, and eye-brush, &c. After describing
these parts, and showing the wonderful arrangements of
the bee for fulfilling the purposes for which it was made,
and after showing that the value of the bee consists, not
only iu its gathering nectar to convert into honey aud
making wax, but also in fertilising the flowers and
causing an increase in fruits and seeds, the lecturer
strongly advocated the improved method of bee-keeping
as being more humane and profitable than the old straw-
kep system. The lecturer exhibited also specimens of
the improved appliances, such as a bar-frame hive com-
plete, section boxes, and extractor, &c. The lecture was
highly appreciated throughout, and a hearty vote of
thanks was accorded for a most interesting and instruc-
tive evening's entertainment.
A Slight Empbcn bment.— Over a public-house door
once hung a signboard, on which was painted a bee-hive,
and the following lines underneath : —
' Within this hive we are all alive,
Good liquor makes ui funny ;
, If you are dry, step in and try
The virtue of our honey.'
A wag passing that road, however, thought he could
improve the truthfulness of the inscription, so he altered
it as follows : — ■
' Within this hive we are dead and alive,
Bad liquor makes us funny;
If you are dry, step in, and we'll try
To diddle you out of your money 1 '
ocs ixam tjn |jibcs.
Denton, Lincolnshire, Dee. 7th. — Weather far sur-
passing that of July. East night the glass did not go
below 45", whilst several times here iu July it went
down to 35°. To-day has been like an April day, birds
singing most sweetly ; roses, jasmine, stocks, polyanthus,
Christmas rose in bloom, and snowdrops look like
blooming by Christmas if this continues; the fruit-
buds plumping up and getting dangerously forward.
Queen-wasp Sy fn i ly, of which (lure -cum.-, n itwith-
608
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December IS, lggg.
n
standing the wet season, a goodly number, several have
been destroyed. Bees have had some grand flights more
or less this last mouth, which activity, although pro-
ductive of health, also means a greater strain on winter
stores, which some of us will do well to remember, and
have some good candy ready at hand. — J. W. B.
North Leicestershire, December 8th. — Bees were in full
flight on seven occasions in November, and on the 2nd,
4th, 5th, and 6th inst. Temperature has been high,
several times above /JO", and on the 5th it reached 54°.
On that day the bees were on the wing from 8 a.m. to
3 p.m., some few carrying in light pellets of pollen.
Daisies by the hundred bespangle the pastures, and the
following plants are showing plenty of bloom : — Butter-
cups, violets, hepatica, primrose, gillyflower, stock,
arabis, red and white dead-nettle, and various sprouting
'greens.'— E. B.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
Letters or queries asking for addresses of manufacturers or correspon-
dents, or where appliances can be purcJiased, or replies giving such
information, can only be inserted as advertisements. The space
devoted to letters, queries, and replies, is meant for the general good of
bee-keepers, and not for advertisements. We wish our Correspondents
to bear in mind that, as it is necessary for us to go to press in adyauci
of the date of issue, queries cannot always be replied to in the issue
immediately following the receipt of their communication.
All queries forwarded will be attended to, and those only of personal
interest will be answered in this column.
R. Baldwin. — 1. Hives in Cellars. — Put the hives out
as soon as pollen can be freely obtained — in your
locality, probably April. 2. Either use no floor, or,
otherwise, block up the hive one or two inches from
same.
A. Paterson. — Recipe fur making Candy. —Into a tin
saucepan put about three-quarters of a pint of water,
let this boil, and gradually stir in 0 lbs. of white lump
sugar. Keep it boiling, and stir to prevent burning.
To test when it is done, dip your finger into cold water,
then into the boiling sugar, and back again into the
water ; if properly done, it will be crisp and brittle : or
drop a little on a plate, and if it sets tolerably hard in
cooling, it is done enough. If very sticky and soft, it
must be boiled a little longer. When hard, take off
the Are, and stir till it begins to set ; place paper into
saucers, and pour the candy out into them. In half-
an-hour it will be hard and ready for use. Great
caution is requisite to prevent it from being burnt,
as burnt sugar is injurious when it is fed in cold
weather.
Sunny Side.— 1 . Fumigating. — We see no way except
emptying the hives flrst. 2. Winter Supplies. — We
should give a half more than you name. 3. Evapora-
tion.— We have no data to help you. 4. Syrup. —
About \\ cwt.
J.W. B. — Contagion of Foul-brood. — Decidedly, if proper
precautions are not taken.
business ^Directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Road, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Burtt, E. J., Stroud Road, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchings, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Binfleld, Berks.
Woodlet & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Reading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour A Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
METAL ENDS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neiqhboub & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
COMB FOUNDATION.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Regent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothard, G., Welwyn, Herts.
COMB FOUNDATION MILLS.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
HONEY GLASS MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Blow, T. B. , Welwyn, Herts.
Pearson, F., Stockton Heath, Warrington.
TIT IE
British Bee-keepers' Association
Established 1874.
President: THE BARONESS BURDETT-COUTTS.
THE Committee appeal to Bee-keepers, Manufacturers
of Bee-keeping Appliances, and others desirous of
promoting our Home Industries, to become Annual
Subscribers or Donors to any Special Branch of the
Association's wrork.
Subscriptions, 5s. and upwards per annum.
Life Members, £5.
The Association carries out its work by —
The holding of Annual Exhibitions ;
Assisting County Associations;
Sending out Lecturers and Experts ;
The publication of Literature relating to the best
methods of Bee-culture ;
The disposal of Bee-produce, &c, &C, &C.
Secretary : John Hdckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
London • Printed by Stranueways & Suns, at thoir Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in the Parish of St. G"08'8-1"-']16-
T! Tt ':., th0 County of Middlesex; and Published for the Proprietor by Kent & Co., 23 Paternoster Row, in the same county— Dec. i», l«s».
Fields, in t
British
Communications to the Editor to be addrened ' Stbanqewayb' Pbihtiho Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C.
[No. 339. Vol. XVI.]
DECEMBER 20, 1888.
[Published Weekly.]
(Btntaxmlt |lotiast fa.
HONEY IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
Recently a correspondent made an inquiry as to
the places from which honey was imported into
this country and the uses which were made of the
honey so imported. We promised to reply to this
'inquiry as soon as we were in possession of the
Annual Statement of the Trade of the United
Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Pos-
sessions for the year 1887.' This Statement, which
is now before us, is compiled in the Custom House
from the documents collected by that Department,
and presented to both Houses of Parliament. We
may therefore place full reliance on the figures
therein contained.
The following tabular statement specifies the
countries from which honey was imported in 1887,
with the amount and value thereof: —
cwt. £
From France 1,262 2*783
„ United States of America . . 3,50:2 5,343
„ Spanish West India Islands 4,379 3,628
„ Chile 3,189 2,808
„ Other Foreign Countries. . . . 509 048
Total from Foreign Countries 12,901 15,210
From Australasia 129 249
„ British West India Islands 550 502
„ Other British Possessions . . 3 4
683 815
Total 13,589 10,025
From the above we deduce that the mean value
of the honey imported was 1/. 3s. 7 c/. per hundred-
weight. There is a considerable noticeable differ-
ence in the value of the respective honeys : that
from France obtains the highest price, viz., 21. is. Od.
per hundredweight ; that from Australasia 1/. 1 8s. Sd.,
and that from the United States 1?. 10s.; while the
mean of those from the Spanish West India Islands,
Chile, and the British West India Islands, is about
17s. 3c/. ; and we presume we are justified from
the price in arriving at a valuation of the quality
of the honey.
But a considerable amount of the honey im.
ported is, again, exported to other countries. The
following are the amounts re-exported ; —
cwt. £
ToGermanv ^OG 3,782
„ Holland' 4,274 30*J
„ Other Foreign Countries 3,087 2,892
Total to Foreign Countries. . 10,907 10,220
To British Possessions 145 275
Total 11,H2 10,495
The mean price of the above is about 18*. 10vu. is a needless expense when a
report, as good, if not better, could be inserted in one of
the county periodicals, and cost perhaps nothing at all.
— Dunbar.
THE B. B. K. A. AND AFFILIATED
ASSOCIATIONS.
[1920.] I was agreeably surprised to see the article
from the pen of the veteran Mr. W. B. Carr copied
from the Record into the pages of this Journal issued on
the ltith inst. As it is one with which the most radical
reformer can find 1 he least fault, though 1 do not agree
that any very alarming phase in the politics of bee-
keeping has been reached. For obvious reasons, my
being appointed one of the Sub-Committee to consider
the advisability of altering the rules of affiliation, I do
not wish to enter into any of the 2'ros or cons of these
alterations, but write only to agree with Mr. Carr's
timely warning to ' bear and forbear.'
I am quite sure that if he had been present at the Sub-
Committee meeting held a short time since he would not
have for one moment thought that we looked anything
like a formidable band of conspirators, as a more unim-
passioned assembly never took place ; one of the points
which took precedence of everything eLse was the fact that
the leading lights of the present Committee were those
who had for years, with unfailing energy and even con-
siderable monetary loss, brought the industry of bee-
keeping to its present flourishing and exalted position,
and also inaugurated each one of the County Associations.
The British B. K. A. have spent their energies in the
production of County Associations. AVhy should they,
then, endeavour to swamp the mother Association ?
Such is far, very far, from their object. The object
aimed at, and that solely, is to place the British on even
a firmer footing than she now has ; to increase her
financial stability, and not to alienate themselves from
her or from other Associations, but to forge a stronger
bond that will defy any attempt at severance.
There will be no attempt made to sever the friendly
relationship which must exist between the parent and
affiliated Associations if bee-keeping is to prosper ;
neither is there, or has there been, the remotest hint
that County Associations are to be sacrificed for other
affiliated Associations. This latter is simply an ogre
conjured up in the imagination only. The effects of the
wished - for reform must, and will, have an exactly
opposite effect, and has been signally taken note of in
the deliberations of the Sub - Committee. — W. B.
Webster.
SEASONS.-
-EXPERIENCE.
STINGS.
-REMEDY FOR
[1024.] The season in Scotland has been very wet,
and it being my first at bee-keeping, I think I hear some
of your readers saying, ' It will finish you then ;' but
not so, for considering the season and my inexperience, I
think I have done fairly well.
In the beginning of the season I had two stocks in
frame-hives, and one in a skep ; altogether three stocks,
from which I had five swarms, disposed off in the
following manner : two were put in frame-hives and
fed, one in a skep, one sought a home of its own, and
the fifth was successfully returned to the parent stock in
a frame-hive, but never took to the sections.
My honey, amounting to between 50 and 00 lbs., was
taken as follows: — 39 lbs. from frame-hive, which did
not swarm ; 12 lbs. from other frame-hive and its first
swarm ; and 7 lbs. from the stock in skep, which I drove.
I make some of my frame-hives (single-walled) myself,
others (double-walled) I get from the village joiner,
from whom I also get my crates, feeders, &c. I do not
know in which hives the bees will winter the best, but
I woidd rather have the single-walled for ease i n working
with. My single-walled hives are made with a middle
tier, which gives plenty of room over frames (which are
British standard size) for packing. To make sure of
straight combs, I think the frames should not be more
than If in. from centre to centre. I tried some li in.,
but the bees built up between them.
I have eight stocks to winter this year, three of which
are made up of cottagers' driven bees, which can be got
here for the driving. There was very little honey to be
found in the cottagers' skeps this autumn. I think from
twenty hives which I drove there would not be 15 lbs.
of honey. I have been advising them to feed, but they
seem to grudge the expense, so instead of strong stocks
next year they will most likely have empty skeps.
The following is a good remedy for stings : — Into a
phial of about one gill capacity, put one teaspoonf ul of
ground alum, and one teaspoonf ul of powdered ammonia,
fill half full of warm water, but do not cork, or it will
burst the phial. When settled, fill up, cork, and shake,
and it is ready for use. The bottle must be heated
before the warm water is poured in, or it will break
Shake the mixture before using. — Wigtonshire, Dec. 1.
WIDE ENTRANCES, RAPID FEEDING, AND
IMPERYIOUS QUILTS.— DYSENTERY.
[1925.] There you are ! ladies and gentlemen, with
three matters of theory, which, when carefully practised,
will fill your apiaries with the fourth, i.e. dysentery, and
consequent destruction. It is astonishing to me, Mr.
Editor, that bee-keepers are not content to go forward
on well-known highways that lead to success, and that
there is so strong a disposition to make short cuts along-
doubtful and disused roads that are misleading, and end
in disappointment and destitution. Wide entrances for
winter are bad, rapid feeding for winter is bad, and im-
pervious quilts for winter wear are bad also, and those
who practise or use them will have cause to remember
my warning when it is too late — i.e. when dysentery
and death are decimating the bees and filling the hives
with corruption. I do not think any one will make even
pretence-of-pretending that entrances 0 in. wide do not
cause hives to be colder than if they were only 1 in.
in width, and more particularly when the combs within
the hives hang at right angles to the said entrances.
618
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 20, 1888.
Nor will it be pretended that an impervious quilt will
permit the escape from the hive of the moist vapours
naturally generated by the bees in greater or less degree
in proportion to their consumption of stores ; but all will
agree that heat may pass through such quilts more or
less, no matter how carefully they may be padded.
Here, then, we have the moist vapours retained in a
cold hive with the inevitable certainty that it will con-
dense and form water, which water, saturating the hive,
will make it colder still, and will cause the bees to con-
sume their stores more largely for the production of
heat, and in the generation of heat more moist vapour
will be produced, and there will be more condensation
and more water, and the usual results will follow, much
intensified if late rapid feeding has prevented the stores
being properly stowed round the bee-nest, evaporated,
and sealed over. Years ago, before the B.B.J, appeared,
and its late editor (myself) had not assumed the position
of ' bee-keepers' adviser,' when solid crown-boards had
not given place to porous quilts, and 'feeding ' had not
become a science, the ' wintering of bees ' was the chief
stumbling-block in the way of all bee-keepers, dysentery
running riot and playing havoc in almost every apiary,
and slaying the bees by thousands. The early numbers
of the Journal contain reports of many cases of dysentery,
and much advice on the subject, and in No. 19, for
November, 1874, in an article from my pen, there are
shown the causes of the disease and the means of pre-
vention, and what I then wrote I adhere to now, after
fourteen years' further experience with wide open eyes.
A cold hive, sealed against the escape of the vapours
evolved from the bee cluster, and becoming colder and
colder as its walls become damp, moist, and saturated,
forces the bees to increased and increasing consumption
of food for heat-producing purposes, and this acts and
reacts in various ways; one of which, though not
generally known, very much increases the liability to
dysentery. It is a peculiar fact, that the abnormal con-
sumption of food for heat - producing during severe
weather causes such general disturbance and excitement
of the bees and queen, that ovipositing is almost certain
to be commenced and patches of brood to be produced ;
and, as a consequence, bee-pap has to be forthcoming,
necessitating the services of many nurse-bees and the
gradual filling and distention of hundreds of them with
faecal matter, which they cannot discharge because of
the cold and the impossibility of a cleansing flight. I
have written, and widened experience confirms me in the
belief that it is true, ' that bees cannot, discharge them-
selves except when on the wing ' — and therefore those in
the condition above named, being unable to fly, burst in
the hive, poisoning the atmosphere with their filth, and
adding to the causes of sickness and disorder. In early
days I opened many dysenteric stocks, and always found
breeding going on, combs soiled with filth, and dead and
dying bees upon the floor-boards ; but now-a-days the
disease has no terrors. I use a porous quilt (well padded
above), which permits insensible upward ventilation, and
the passing away of moist vapours from the hive. I
never permit rapid feeding, but give the bees time to
store and evaporate their syrup. I narrow the hive
entrances to about three-quarters of an inch in width,
and I permit a little ventilation under the back dummy,
which prevents accumulation of deleterious gases in the
bottom of the hive, and, as a consequence of these pro-
ceedings, dysentery and I have parted company for many
years. — C. N. Abbott, Southall, December 8th.
[Our correspondent is rather hard on the advocates
of the three modern theories on which he descants, and
his forecast that 'a fourth ("matter of theory?") i.e.
dysentery,' will supervene, causing destruction in our
apiaries, is, we think, hardly to be deemed trustworthy
when considered in the light of modern experience.
During the last four years we have wintered successfully
from forty to fifty colonies under the precise conditions
condemned, viz., under enamelled cloth, supplemented
by warm quilts, or chaff or cork cushions, with ample
lower ventilation, and we have experienced neither
internal dampness nor dysentery, albeit under the old
system we suffered from both, and especially from the
blocking up of the narrowed entrances by dead bees
and refuse matter. As regards the advantages of rapid
feeding, we thought there were hardly two opinions,
especially in a season like the present, when winter
stores were simply nil. Our own colonies were fed
from rapid feeders during the latter part of August and
throughout September, and their stores were duly
ripened and beautifully sealed over. As we find things,
so we speak, and we are quite sure our old friend would
not wish us to act otherwise. We may add that some
of our colonies are wintered with entrances the whole
width of the hive ; these were kept wide open, and
merely protected from drifting snow and rain, while our
frames all range at right angles to the entrances. — Ed.]
EXPEDIENCES.
[1926.] I beg to tender my sincere thanks for the
good and timely advice contained in your Journal;
advice which, had I been without, would have ended in
total loss of stocks to myself, and to several of my
friends. I am sorry that I can't induce bee-keepers to
invest in the weekly Journal; they don't see the good
to be derived by so doing as I do. They think they
have done very well hitherto, and expect to do likewise
in the future. I do know this, that had I not gained
the knowledge by a careful perusal of your Journal,
Record, &c, bee-keeping in my own immediate neigh-
bourhood would have by this time been over.
I have six stocks on frames, all fed. To feed I have
used 1 cwt. of sugar as advised, fed to bees by use of
three rapid feeders, my own construction, from know-
ledge of how to make per Journal, over the frames a
cake of candy from an excellent recipe in December
Record.
Yesterday, Sunda}', I could not resist the temptation
of looking to see how matters stood. I had a theory ;
this was it: The weather here in the Fylde, has been so
mild since the departure of autumn that, except on a
few occesions, the bees have been almost daily stirring
(I mean, a few dozens of them) ; on sunny days more
especially so. This constant exercise must necessitate a
larger consumption of food, and hence the stores to
carry them through the winter must be greatly dimin-
ished. That being the case, whilst the weather is open,
I thought I would look. I looked, and satisfied myself
that if the weather does not turn to frost, and be like a
' gradely ' winter, as we say in Lancashire, skeppists or
bo.vists will have been thrust out, and probably as many
bar-framers too. So I made my cakes and put them on,
wrapped up snug. This is how I do it : Contract to
number of frames able to cover, pack behind dummy
with cork-dust, or scales or husks from the windmill,
which are perfectly dry, having been stoved. This
packing is in a bag of paper just the size of spaces, and
kept up in its place in front by tacks, so as not to
obstruct entrance or exit. Quilt on top of cake, and, of
course, top of frame also. I procured four boxes from
grocer (mustard boxes), made them size of hive (interior
measurement), tacked quilting on bottom, filled, up to
depth of 3 in. with cork-dust. Above box is a sack
doubled thrice. Entrance about 3 in. wide, J in. high.
I was visited by the expert on September 19th,
who found two stocks queenlejs, of which I was well
aware. Young queens were in the hives, but not ferti-
lised. He advised me to unite or buy queens. I bought
one from Webster, and introduced it. It immediately
began to lay, and I strengthened it by two bars of brood
from two best hives. The other young queen was born
August 29th, I had hopes of her becoming fertilised,
December 20, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
619
and -would not supplant her. I had watched her come
and go many times, but -without success. On September
25th I noticed eggs. Good. But, I thought, don't be in
a hurry. Will they be fertile ? that is, produce workers ?
In a few days the capping satisfied me. I put on a
feeder, and had the satisfaction of soon seeing eggs and
brood on four frames, the centre ones being almost filled.
Is it exceptional for queens to mate at that age, over
thirty clays?
On Saturday last, having noticed the ravages of wax-
moth, I fumigated all spare combs and sections with
sulphur, and packed up securely. Not that I had not
done so before ; I had them in air and insect-tight boxes,
but it was well I looked at them.
In one of my rapid feeders, which had not been
emptied, I found two dead bees and a queen. I am
satisfied it was a queen by comparison — length, shape,
&c. Now, how is it that a queen was found in the
rapid feeder ? Is it a circumstance before noticed ? Do
they themselves go in quest of food ? The worst about
it is, I can't remember from which hive the feeder was
taken, having used three. Will you kindly answer my
queries and accept my thanks for past favours ? — Honey
Flow.
[It is very unusual for a queen to be fertilised so late
in the season, there must have been drones in your or
some neighbouring hive. Fertilisation thirty days after
hatching is also an unusually long period, but in your
case there was no means of telling but what she had been
fertilised some time before. Queens when fertilised late
in the season are often rather dilatory in commencing egg-
laying ; by this you will see that no doubt she was ferti-
lised some time before the expiration of thirty days.
Are you quite sure it was a queen you found in the rapid
feeder ? Bees drowned in syrup frequently become so
elongated that a novice might mistake such an one for a
queen. You should have sent her to us for identification.
An accident of this kind might occur at the time of
placing on feeder, the excitement consequent on same
causing the bees to rush up in a body to the feed, the
queen being carried along with them. If you have the
bee still in your possession and will send it to us we will
definitely settle the point for you. —Ed.]
NOTES ON BEE-HIVES.— SECTIONS.
[1927.] As the subject of glass sections is being dis-
cussed at the present moment, I should like to say, during
the honey season of 1886 Ihadsomeglass sections worked
which were made from round 2-lb. honey-bottles. I
took my glass cutter and cut slices off the bottle, like
Fig. 1. It was difficult to cut the
bottles, but I managed to make
sufficient to try what I wanted.
The black lines on Fig. 1 will show
where the cutter was applied.
I took two slices, each -',■" wide
for each section, placing a sheet
of Dadant's extra thin wax found-
ation— between these slices, and by
means of a small amount of pres-
sure, the foundation was firmly
fixed instantly and without the
slightest trouble, excepting cutting
the superfluous foundation from
around the outside.
Next, each section was placed in a frame (very similar
to what was illustrated in Gleanings a few weeks ago)
made from a rectangular piece of wood H inch thick.
Holes were turned out on the lathe of sufficient size to
contain those circular sections. The rectangular piece of
wood was cut to fit within a Heddon wide frame, and
then it was sawn into two equal parts.
Fig. 2 will show the shape of the wood block with
Fig. l.
three holes into which the glass sections are placed.
The block fits into a Heddon frame not delineated.
Fig. 2.
These sections looked lovely ! I had them beautifully
sealed over, not a single pophole in any of the few that
were prepared.
If the glass sections had been cast they would have
been excellent. Was it not curious that a similar idea
should have occurred in America, only wood was used
instead of glass ? — T. Bonner-Chambers, F.L.S., Tref
Eglwyt, Caersws, Montgomeryshire, November 27th.
CROWN-BOARDS.
[1028.] I should like to suggest to the writer of
(1806) that he will find the crown-board he purposes
making improved if he divides it into three or four
parts. I have one divided into four parts, each part is
four inches wide, and has a quarter-inch rib underneath.
It has been in use since last March, and I am so well
satisfied with it, that I intend making more like it. It is
a great advantage to the bees to be able to run over the
tops of the frames, also to have the tops of the frames
free from propolis is a great comfort. The tearing off of
the cover, be it calico or cloth, is very irritating, both to
the manipulator and to the bees, and often disarranges
the frames ; also it gives the bees a lot of hard work to
plaster it down again. I consider the covering of a hive
the most defective part of the hive, and greatly needs
improvement. The crown-board is indestructible, and is
by far the cheapest in the end since only one flannel is
required, and even this can be dispensed with. There is
no crushing of bees when replacing the boards, as with
the ordinary cover.
I adopt the same plan with my section-crates. The
crate holds eight sections, and a lid with a quarter-inch
rib underneath covers the crate. The passage over the
sections of course checks bee-passages in the sections,
and prevents propolis on the top of the sections, and
facilitates work. The lid can be lifted off with one
hand to see how the sections are getting on ; owing to
the ease of lifting it the bees offer, as a rule, no objection
to its removal. Both these arrangements will be found
lacking in some respects, since a disadvantage is the
companion of every device under the sun. — Hive.
(£rlj0cs from % giks.
Pontypridd (near), December lith.— My sixteen stocks
have so far withstood the rigour of winter (?) exceedingly
well. To-day, during a burst of sunshine, they enjoyed
a general flight, and did a little business besides in the
way of pollen-gathering, which proceeding at this time
of year seems to me to be decidedly heterodox. Whence
was this pollen ? Mr. Dobbie does not credit borage with
any pollen value, or I should have no doubt in saying
that this late bee-bread came from that source. I
certainly observed the bees, laden with small white
620
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 20, 1888.
pellets, busily engaged on these flowers. It looks as if
1 shall have borage in flower for some weeks yet. —
East Glamorgan.
Kirklandhill, Dunbar, December Wth. — Perhaps it may
be of use to you to say how I make my candy for bees.
I first make ' autumn ' syrup and into this stir ' iceing
sugar ' till the stuff is like ' Good ' candy. I find it
excellent. — Ditnbab.
Malta, December 8th. — Hives going very fairly well.
Bees not been shut up yet for a single day, and the honey
coming in fast, and heaps of pollen. Native queens
breeding fast ; in fact, in two strongest hives I have to
take away full combs and substitute empty to give her
room. Foreigners — Ligurian and Cyprian — not doing
much ; they are not yet acclimatised. I find feeding
only necessary in August, September, and October.
Unless we get some rain, I fear much for clover crop.
I fancy natives much resemble Minorcans — very small
and black, and determined honey-gatherers : very prolific,
and somewhat savage. — Malta.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS.
A. W. F. — Orer-salted Syrup. — The sample of food sent
was much, very much too salt; there must have been
quite a large quantity put in, as half-an-hour after
tasting it we could still taste the salt distinctly. We
must own that we have never dosed our bees with
salt in so immoderate a manner as to cause any destruc-
tion of stocks. We should consider that the food was
too salt for their consumption, and so they had starved
rather than eat it. The surviving stock, no doubt,
had stores of its own and so had no occasion to feed
from the salted stores. An immoderate use of salt
will 'kill some animals, especially the carnivora, but
whether such applies to hees we are unable to
tell.
R. S. — 1. Sufficiency of Stores. — We should feel inclined
to say that your bees have sufficient stores to tide them
over the winter; but as you appear to be apprehensive
of their food running short, you could quietly insert a
cake of candy over the frames without disturbing the
cluster. 2. Watertight Hives. — By covering them with
Willesden Card.
T. D. G. C. — We regret that we are unable to say whether
the lecture adverted to has been printed in e.rtenso.
Professor Miall, Philosophical Hall, Leeds, would be
able to give the desired information.
J. D. M. — We thank you for trouble taken in for-
warding the extracts ; but we have neither the desire
nor the time to notice their origin.
J. W. — Hive blown over. — We quite approve of the
means vou have taken to rectify the mischief.
J. K. — The sample of sugar sent is very good, but nqt
quite as suitable as the 'iceing' sugar for the purpose
proposed.
*#* In consequence of the intervention of Christmas day,
our next number will be published on Monday, the 2ith.
We should therefore be obliged by all communications and
advertisements being forwarded by Saturday, the 22nd. The
next number will contain Title and Index to the Volume
for 1888.
^Business directory.
HIVES AND OTHER APPLIANCES.
Abbott Bbos., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin
Appleton, H. M., 256a Hotwell Boad, Bristol.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Bubtt, E. J., Stroud Boad, Gloucester.
Edey & Son, St. Neots.
Godman, A., St. Albans.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Hutchinos, A. F., St. Mary Cray, Kent.
Meadham, M., Huntington, Hereford.
Meadows, W. P., Syston, Leicester.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
Stothabd, G., Welwyn, Herts.
Walton, E. C, 82 Emmanuel Street, Preston.
Webster, W. B., Bintield, Berks.
Woodley & Flood, 26 Donnington Boad, Beading.
Wren & Son, 139 High Street, Lowestoft.
HONEY MERCHANTS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin,
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. & 127 High Holborn.
FOREIGN BEES AND QUEENS.
Abbott Bros., Southall, and Merchants' Quay, Dublin.
Baldwin, S. J., Bromley, Kent.
Blow, T. B., Welwyn, Herts.
Benton, F., Laibach, Carniola, Austria.
Edey & Sons, St. Neots.
Howard, J. H., Holme, Peterborough.
Neighbour & Sons, 149 Begent St. f the various kinds
of wax other than European, the West Indian,
Egyptian, and Barbary wax are highly prized.
The American wax, of which large quantities
find their way into this country, has evidently not
come within the cognisance of M. Dennler.
The principal use of wax for many years was for
Divine service, and as Christianity spread so did
the consumption of wax increase. The bleaching
of wax was a distinct trade, and some idea may be
formed of its extent by the fact that in Hamburg,
towards the end of the seventeenth century, there
were above fourteen bleaching-houses for wax.
The wax trade suffered a great diminution at the
time of the Reformation, seeing that tapers were
disused at the services of the Protestant churches.
At the present day the use of wax is not confined
to its powers of giving light ; it is extensively used
for many other purposes. Its ductility and firm-
ness render it essential in making wax figures and
in modelling. It is also found very serviceable for
many housekeeping purposes. Wax is employed
largely in medicine, as also in numerous cosmetic
specialities. At the exhibition that took place in
Zurich some years ago there were shown twenty-
two different articles in which wax was a con-
stituent.
We now proceed to extract from the ' Annual
Statement of Trade' the amount and value of wax
imported and exported in the year 1887. The
following tabular account specifies the countries
622 THE BRITISH
; — ■
om which wax has been imported, together with
the amount and value of the same : —
cwts. £
From Germany 7,049 15,:i71
„ France 2,722 13,975
„ Portugal 313 1,483
„ Italy 390 2,100
„ Morocco 1,613 8,013
„ Madagascar 700 3,847
„ Japan 1,433 3,597
„ United States of America 4,318 32,852
„ Chile 530 3,535
„ Brazil 1,250 3,043
„ Other Foreign Countries 847 3,787
Total from Foreign Countries 21,270 91, 003
From West African Settlements 778 4,584
,, British Possessions in South Africa 1,322 0,872
„ British East Indies 079 3,073
„ Hong Kong 475 1,238
„ Australasia 682 3,871
„ British West India Islands 1,140 7,085
„ Other British Possessions 130 701
Total from British Possessions 5,218 28,324
Total 20,488 119,927
It would be very difficult to offer any opinion as
to the quality of the wax brought into this country.
There are so many different kinds of wax, vegetable,
mineral, and insect, that without the aid of the
experienced analyst, it would be impossible to pre-
dicate the virtues thereof. We may, however,
from the value stated deduce the quality of the
article. The mean value of the wax imported is
11. 10s. Gi/. per cwt. The United States send a
large amount, and their wax fetches the highest
value, viz., 7/. 12s. 2c/. per cwt. Germany sends
the largest amount, but the value is only about
2/. 4x. per cwt.
The following amounts are re-exported : — ■
cwts. £
To Germany 1,230 3,760
„ Holland' 1,302 5,739
„ Belgium 1,150 4,877
„ France 945 3,634
„ Other Foreign Countries 2,'_'47 6,853
Total to Foreign Countries 0,880 24,809
To British Possessions 210 424
Total 7,090 25,293
This, therefore, leaves for home consumption the
large amount of 19,392 cwts. of the value of
94,634/.
We also give the quantities and value of wax
imported in the year 1887, together with those of
the two preceding years : —
1885. 1886. 1887.
38,295 cwts. 30,826 cwts. 26.488 cwts.
149,253;. 126,377/. 119,927/.
The amount and value re-exported during the
same years were : — ■
1885. 1880. 1837.
10,328 cwts. 10,718 cwts. 7,096 cwts.
36,706/. 39,73]/. 25,29:;/.
BEE JOUKNAL.
[December 24, 1888.
We gather from the above figures that there exists
a great demand for wax ; and this demand proves
that, notwithstanding all the advances which have
been made in the arts and sciences, and all the
progress that has been made in chemistry, no sub-
stitute has yet been discovered for bees-wax ; and it
is a question to which a reply should be given by the
intelligent British bee-keeper, to what extent his
attention should be directed to the greater produc-
tion of wax, more especially in the light of a
disastrous season like that through which he has
just passed, — a season in which his exertions for the
produce of honey have been baffled and foiled by
influences over which he has had no control.
HUNTINGDON BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION.
For some time it has been somewhat apparent that
the Hunts Bee-keepers' Association had not achieved
the object for which it was inaugurated. And after a
season of no profit to bee-keepers, it was generally ex-
pected that the Society would fall through. A meeting
of the Association was held at the Fountain Hotel,
Huntingdon, on Saturday afternoon. The Right Hon.
the Earl of Sandwich occupied the chair. There were
also present A. W. Marshall, Esq., T. Coote, jun., Esq.,
the Rev. C. G. Hill, and several others, more or less
interested in the object of the Association. The prizes
awarded this season were distributed, and the Secretary,
Mr. C. N. White, proceeded to explain the position of
the Society. The object of their existence, said lie, was
to show to cottagsrs and labourers how to increase the
produce of honey. But there they stood still. The
cottagers wanted some assistance in the sale of their
produce.
The Earl of Sandwich suggested that the agricultural
labourer was welcome to take advantage of the oppor-
tunities given by Societies in a great variety of ways.
He hoped they would, at least, see that the Society was
working for their benefit.
Mr. While agreed that it was difficult to do anything
for them. Bat their erf orts for the agricultural labourer
had not been to any extent in the direction they had
been to others. When the Association was started, the
main object was to get to them first.
Mr. J. H. Howard said it was evident that the
labourer had been left far behind. The work of the
Society had fallen into the hands of those for whom it
was not intended.
Mr. Coote thought that one reason of failure was
the difficulty experienced in placing the produce in the
market. He would suggest that there should be a depot
at the principal market towns in the county where the
cottager could sell his honey.
The Earl of Sandwich thought the cottager did not
care about the matter.
Mr. Coote thought they would care about it if it was
pointed out to them in the light of a means for additional
income.
Mr. White said they had to consider whether they
were carrying out the purpose of the Association. It
had been said that they were making such rapid strides
that the labourer had been left behind. They should be
kept up with him. They, as members of the Association
should have been with him helping him along. He was
convinced that if a depot was formed it would be a
thorough success. It was not necessary that it should
be a great expense to the Association ; but if it were, it
should be incurred, and the annual show left altogether.
He had suggested that the County should be amalga-
mated with Cambridgeshire. He thought that the two
counties working together would produce an excellent
result, The University alone would probably take pretty
December 24, 1888.]
THE BKITISH BEE JOURNAL.
623
nearly all the honey made in the two counties. Let the
depot be established, and let the shows go ; and if it
were the wish of bee-keepers in the county, it would be
well to consider whether it was advisable to amalgamate
the two counties. The Cambridgeshire Association was,
he thought, in a somewhat similar position.
The subsequent speakers approved the idea. Ulti-
mately, a committee of six gentlemen was formed to
take the necessary steps in the matter before the meeting
in January, and to make an appeal for funds.
It is generally hoped, adds our correspondent, that they
will be successful, and that the Association will maintain
the position in the county.
(tarespoittoita.
Tlie Editor does not hold himself responsible for the opinions expressed
by his correspondents. No attention will be taken of anonymous com-
munications, and correspondents are requested to write on one side oj
the paper only, and give their real names and addresses, not necessarily
for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Illustrations should
be drawn on separate pieces of paper.
Communications relating to the literary department, reports of
Associations, Shows, Meetings, Echoes, Queries, Books for Review,
£c, must be addressed only to *The Editor of the "British Bee
Journal," c/o Messrs. Strangeways and Sons, Tower Street, Cambridge
Circus, W.G.* All business communications relating to Advertisements,
£c, must be addressed to Mr. J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts (see
2nd page of Advertisements).
*»* In order to facilitate reference, Correspondents, when speaking of
any letter or query previously inserted, will oblige by mentioning the
number of the letter, as well as the page on which it appears.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS AND THE BRITISH.
[1929.] I have read with much interest the discussions
on this subject in the British Bee Journal, and as one
who held the office of Hon. Secretary for over ten years
iu one of the first County Associations I feel great
interest in their welfare. It is much to be regretted
that the relations between the County Associations and
the Central should he strained in the slightest degree.
Much, no doubt, remains to be done, both by the Central
and County Associations ; but the want of funds is a
great barrier. Great schemes may be formulated, but
they cannot be put into practice for the want of the
sinews of war to push them through the length and
breadth of the British Isles.
Reforms may be needed, but in our desire to advance
this and that pet scheme (for the most part untried), let
us be careful and not sweep away the platform from
which so much good has emanated. The old ship has
weathered many storms, but it does not follow, because a
plank here and a rope there wants repairing, that the
craft is unfit for use, and must, as some would have it,
be broken up and replaced by another of an entirely new
design.
County Associations have many obstacles to steer clear
of. Some counties may with advantage be divided into
two or more Societies, aud in other parts it is found well
to unite two counties under one head. District clubs
have been known to work considerable good, and always
go hand-in-hand with the county organization ; but in
some counties this Home Rule has been the cause of the
collapse of the entire machinery. Unity is strength, but
the occasional failure of philanthropic schemes through
want of concert among those starting and working them
reminds me of the story which once happened to a pair
of trousers. The young man to whom they belonged
had purchased them for his wedding, and on the eve of
that auspicious day he discovered they were too long by
two inches. He told his mother and two sisters, who
said, ' They must he shortened,' and said no more to him
just then, nor to each other, all being busy. But in the
course of the evening his mother went upstairs, cut off
two inches, hemmed the trousers, aud put them back in
the drawers. At supper-time his eldest sister remembered
his request ; she stole away, and removed another two
inches, aud returned without saying what she had done.
Bedtime came, aud the younger sister bethought herself
of his difficulty, and the trousers were again diminished
by two inches. We can imagine the result when they
came to be put on. If his mother and sisters had con-
sulted together what mishaps might have been spared !
County Associations have carried out part of their
original programme, the bee-tent is well known in many
districts ; but because driving bees and transferring
combs have been thoroughly illustrated, it does not
follow that the bee tent has become obsolete. There are
the higher branches of scientific apiculture yet to be
taught, and the minds of the rural population are now
educated, aud can follow advanced suggestions, which
would have appeared worse than double Dutch ten years
ago. Two or more shows iu the year are good, as they
create healthy rivalry, but prize schedules require
revising.
Referring to county representatives aud their relations
to the British Association, a slight modification is
required; but if the two representatives from each
affiliated Association are to be ex-qfficio members of the
central body — why, the very thought of it is sufficient !
Every one knows the evil of a large committee, and if
affiliated Societies are to be multiplied, and their repre-
sentatives are (with the Committee of the Central) to
form one body to carry out the work of the parent, a
block must arise.
The British or Central Society's Committee consists of
men who have done for so many years their best to
advance the interests of bee-culture, generally, on phil-
anthropic motives. The bee-keeping fraternity cannot
but feel grateful to them for their zeal aud the good
they have accomplished. Their duties consist of looking
after the interests of their members, coupled with those
towards the affiliated Societies; assisting those in their
infancy in a greater degree, and doing all in their power
for the remainder. County members get very nearly the
same advantages as the British members, but they cannot
expect the same. If the affiliation fees were five
instead of one guinea, things might be different, and
the counties might claim the right of saying how the
funds should be spent for the good of the whole.
The quarterly meetings were instituted for the various
county representatives aud the Central Committee to
confer together, to compare notes, to show how this plan
of action had failed in one county, and how that scheme
had proved a success in another county ; to have papers
read on various subjects, &c. These national represen-
tative gatherings would be for the benefit of bee-keepers
throughout the land ; as by the interchange of ideas, and
the experiences of all, would create confidence in bee-
keepers, illustrating to some the folly of carrying out
this experiment, or the benefit derived by continuing
another plan. All must hope that whatever is decided
on will be for the mutual welfare of both the County
Societies and the British Bee-keepers' Association. — ■
Wm. N. Griffin.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS OF TIIE B. B. K. A.
[1930.] The writer of letter No. 1905, who, I think, un-
necessarily shelters himself under a nom de plume,
disagrees with my remark that correspondence in the
Bee Journal exhibits the fact that there is ' something
wrong' in the connexion between the British and
County Associations. He says he has failed to find
anything showing that the relationship is ' unduly
strained;' so have I, and I should regret to find the
relationship in a condition that could fairly be thus
described. I will only quote, in reply, from two com-
munications on the subject. At the close of his letter
(1860) Mr. Seager says, ' I should be exceedingly sorry
if any action on my part tended in any degree to hinder
the revival of good feeling between the parent Society
and those in affiliation with it/ and Mr. Woodley (1801)
says, 'I think no one will question the fact that the
624
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 24, 1888.
interest of the County Associations in their worthy
parent has been yetting somewhat cool of late years, and
vice-rersd. I imagine the parent lias not shown that
active interest in her children she did some few years
back.'
Now to my mind these two quotations do suggest
Borne thing wrong, and that is all I stated. But I think
it would be far better for (1905) — I would much rather
refer to that gentleman's name — instead of denying the
existence of friction between the British and County
Associations to assist in removing the cause.
I have now to reply to (1905's) query as to whether I,
as a County secretary, have had a deaf ear turned to my
suggestions. To that I reply emphatically No ! and I take
this opportunity of thanking Mr. Huckle and the B.B.K. A.
Committee for the manner in which all my communi-
cations, except one, have been dealt with while I have
acted in the capacity of County secretary. And now
that the treatment of the County Associations by the
B.B.K.A. is being brought into the controversy, I will
mention the exception and the only cause of complaint
I have personally to bring against the B.B.K.A. Com-
mittee. Last year when I found that the interest in
our Association was beginning to flag, 1 acceded to the
request of the editor of the Hunts ( 'ounty News, and
wrote and illustrated a series of articles of Modern Bee-
keeping gratuitously, with the idea of benefiting our
Association. To illustrate at my own expense would
have been a rather heavy item, and one I could not add
to the expense I then incurred as secretary, so I applied
to Mr. Cowan requesting the loan of blocks of certain
illustrations in Modern Bee-keeping. Mr. Cowan, who
was then starting for America, informed me that my
communication would be laid before the B.B.K.A. Com-
mittee, and that he had no doubt my request would be
granted. Judge of my surprise when I was informed
that ' applications for the use of blocks have been so
numerous that the Committee have (in the interest of
the work itself) been compelled to retain them.' I
thought then, and I still think, that when 1 was en-
deavouring at some considerable expenditure of time
and money (with a limited exchequer) to benefit our
Association, I ought not to have had the cold shoulder
given me by the B.B.K.A. Committee, at any rate, on
so small a matter.
(190o) next takes exception to my recommendation that
half the B.B.K.A. Committee should consist of represnt-
atives of County Associations, and speaks about five
County Secretaries being members of the B.B.K.A.
Committee at the present time. When I wrote my
letter I was perfectly well aware of the composition of
the B.B.K.A. Committee, but I should like to see those
County Secretaries or other members on the Committee
as the direct representatives of County Associations.
I was greatly pleased to see the prominence given
in the Bee Journal to the article in the Record by Mr.
W. B. Carr, and I trust that his advice to avoid ' a
policy of exasperation,' and to 'bear and forbear,' will
not be ignored. I do not, however, see what valid
objections can be raised to such men as Messrs. Lees
McClure, Grimshaw, Webster, and Woodley, being on
the B.B.K.A. Committee as representatives of the
County Associations, with the power to speak and
vote in all matters relating to County Associations,
if not on all matters before the B.B.K.A. Committee.
I for one should be sorry for the effort of reformation
to be the cause of losing the services of those gentle-
men of position and influence by whose exertions we
are almost wholly indebted for the present state of
apiculture in these islands, and I cannot think that the
concession would have that result.
Let the controversy be carried on in a determined but
temperate spirit, and I am sanguine of a result satisfac-
tory to all parties concerned.— C. N. White, Some/sham,
Hunts, Dec. 15tA, 1888.
COUNTY ASSOCIATIONS AND THE B.B.K.A.
[1931.] I notice from your issue of the 13th inst. that
Mr. A. D. Woodley [1909] has been kind enough to
acknowledge the effect of (as he terms it) the sting of
my communication inserted in a previous issue. I
venture to hope that he will apply the remedy of mem-
bership ; ho will find it the best remedy for his present
affliction.
Mr. Woodley has in previous issues made references
to the constitution of the Committee of the Central
Society, which may be very well passed by ; his state-
ment, however, in your issue of the 13th should receive
some attention. He states that the County Secretaries
now forming part of the Committee 'are on that Com-
mittee by virtue of their private subscriptions and per-
sonal influence.' Nothing of the kind ; they are on that
Committee by virtue of their readiness to serve a cause
which they consider to be for their country's good, and
by the votes of the members of the British Bee-keepers'
Association. — A Member of the Centiiai. and of a
County Association.
NOTLS ON BEE HIVES.— SECTIONS.
[1932.] In looking over the article on ' Glass Sec-
tions,' in the Bee-keepers' Record for December, by Mr.
William Raitt, I beg to point out that the first glass
sections I described in the British Bee Journal last April
were a kind that could be very readily made and tried
by almost any bee -keeper without altering any existing
apparatus. I intended, among other reasons, these
simple glass sections to demonstrate the attractiveness
and great beauty of glass sections ; time and experience
would prove their worth.
I cannot understand what Mr. Raitt means by saying
he discarded glass sections years ago; yet he calls upon
readers to witness that he claims to have used glass
sections ten or more years ago, and that he can prove it.
Perhaps Mr. Raitt will please give the exact meaning
and weight, of his statements, because I understand that
discarded things do not invalidate ' patents.' I can
assure Mr. Raitt that I knew not, at the time of sending
the description to the B. B. J. last April, of any person
having used, or ever having proposed, such a device. I
certainly do not wish for any honour for myself which is
due to Mr. Raitt.
I might here say that last Saturday I received a photo-
graph of a glass section labelled 'The Hallamshire Glass
Section '—this is similar, if not exactly identical, to the
section I have described. The only difference that I can
make out is the ' glazing glasses ' are fastened on with
wire, and that there are passage-ways, or 'pop-holes,' at
each corner; while my sections are almost invariably
without ' pop - holes,' not any wire is used, but the
'glazing glasses' are fastened sufficiently for all purposes
with invisible glass-cement.
I understand from a friend, who has kindly and care-
fully looked over the back numbers of the U. B. J., So.,
for me, that the only new feature is the exceedingly
simple, quick, and secure method I have described of
placing or arranging the glass slips until the comb-work
is sufficiently done to allow the wooden section to be re-
moved ad lib.
Mr. Raitt dislikes the section I have described !
' There is nothing like leather.' Probably we may see
the cause for dislike when the two are placed side by
side ; at present I can say all who have seen thv sections
I have described and presented to them have pronounced
them to be the ne plus ultra of sections — all, excepting a
gentleman in Cornwall, who has not yet reported, and I
am certain some have seen both kinds in question. For
my own part I might say I should never put on my table
a wood section with a piece of glass for a bottom bar,
and I believe no one would who had the choice from
these two kinds.
December 2-4, 1888.]
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
625
I believe riot many will admit that an extra thickness
of ^ °f nu 111C'1 1° tue ins'de of a section will make much,
or any, difference to the prevention of ' pop-holes.' I am
quite positive and certain with the Ileddon frames,
which I have mentioned in my ' Notes,' and which I use
for sectional honey, that no better finish could be ob-
tained with a glass bottom-rail or bar alone. There is
not any difficulty with the top and bottom of sections —
and for the sides I have pointed out how these may be
entirely filled.
Now, although it is easy to make glass sections that
can be handled when empty as safely as one-piece wooden
ones by means of glass-cement, gummed paper, &c, this
cannot be done as quickly : and 1 wish to leave it to the
generosity of British bee-keepers to name their sections S3
they please, if any name is necessary for glass sections.
I wish to add, if the very simple plan I have described
will enable any one to obtain a few pence more for each
section I shall be fully satisfied and very pleased. — T.
Bonner- Chambers, F.L.S., Tn-f Eyhvyt, Caermoi,
Montgomeryshire, December 6th.
PORTRAITS OF BEE-KEEPERS.
[19:i.'3.] It has frequently occurred to me to ask you to
add another acceptable feature to the many already ex-
isting in the weekly pages of the Journal, and I have
at last resolved to do so without further delay. Now,
what I want is a series of portraits of the founders of
the British Bee-keepers' Association, published as an
adornment and permanent record in our bee paper. A
similar series is being issued in several special magazines
that I might name, and the bee-men should not be behind
the times. Give us likenesses of Mr. Peel, Mr. Neighbour,
Mr. Abbott, Mr. Cair, Mr. Raitt, and many more, and,
above all, of the President, ever foremost in all good
works. For my own part I would value them, and I am
sure so would every other reader of your publication, and
I have often wondered why, when the ' pieturs' of two
foreign bee-keepers — both American — have already
appeared, there should have been no thought of, or place
found for, any of our celebrated and leading British bee-
keepers. Are we to suppose that the young men whose
likenesses have already been inserted in the Journal aro
the foremost and greatest of modern bee-keepers the
wide world over? I thought Langstroth and Root
would have been two to be so classed on the other side
of the ' herring pond.' But it is not too late to supply
the deficiency, so I hope you will soon make a start.
"What interest there would be in (say) a portrait of Mr.
Abbott, the founder of the Journal, with engravings of
some of his best known hives and peculiar inventions,
and then in a few weeks to do the same for another of
our British bee-keepers. This could be interspersed with
occasional cuts from photos of some of our most pictur-
esque and well-arranged British bee-gardens, showing
the hives and surroundings just as they are. Of these
you have already given some, and we want more. Those
who live far and remote from other bee-keepers, and
have no chance of seeing how other folks arrange their
hives, would welcome such illustrations. — II. W, Lett,
Aijhadery (llebe, Loughbrickland, co. Down.
[We are very willing to entertain the suggestion above
given, and from time to time we propose to give in-
sertion to the portraits with biographies of some of our
leading bee-keepers. — Fd.]
WASPS' NEST.
[19:14.] In an open cow-shed, about ten yards only,
from the back door of a house in this village a wasps'
nest was discovered hanging from the roof between two
rafters. It appeared to be large and strong ; being in
rather a difficult place to take, it remained undisturbed
for two or three weeks, after it was first seen until thev
became rather dangerous. I, with a friend, offered to
destroy it ; and if any one who reads this happens to find
one hanging just above his head when milking his cow
or feeding his horse, and puzzled to know how to pro-
ceed, let him take the following receipt : — Two veils,
unless you go alone, then one will do, only one person
alone would but make a poor do alone ; two veils, one
uncapping knife, one syringe, and a little parallin in a
bucket, and the close woven sack-bag ; and as these
yellow jackets have a funny knack of creeping up one's
legs, it would be as well to put your trousers in your
sucks, and your elastic bauds on your sleeves. We will
now suppose it to be dusk, and you and your friend with
your weapons of war are on the spot read}' for tha
fray. Choose the one that has the most courage, and ask
him to stand under the nest and hold open the bag. I
need not warn you there must be no rat-eaten corners,
or even a mice-hole iu it, or the victory will perhaps be
on the wrong side ; but the man of the bag will be
impatient soon, for he can see the yellow jackets on
sentinel all around their citadel : Your turn now comes —
takeyoursword (uncapping knife); and having encouraged
your comrade to stand firm for your own comfort, slice
off the nest with one cut, into the bag it will fall, which
close quickly and tie, and you have them safe and sound.
The parallin and syringe now come into play upon the odd
few that are left sticking to where the nest was, and on
the morrow it will be difficult to find above half-a-dozen
flyers about. Plunge the bag over-head in water
and leave it all night; and if you find a few able to
creep, but not to fly, in the morning after a night in the
water, don't be very surprised, as I fancy they drown
slowly. In my case many were alive, but perhaps a por-
tion of the bag got above water, and the bees— wasps I
mean,climbed above water as well. This nest was quite
a curiosity, being, what I should say a large one
measuring 14 inches across. I took a bell-glass that onci
was tilled with honey (not this year) and which weighed
I think about twenty pounds. I thought of hiving this
nest in it, but found to our dismay it was far too small.
— J. W. I'ilankley. Dent on, Grantham.
P.S. Now, Mr. Useful Hints, please tell us how often a
wasps' nest is once formed in a round ball shape, it can
b9 enlarged to this size without being pulled down and
rebuilt, and also please give us a hint of what material
is used for its construction, some say paper here. This
looked more like the touchwood I use in my smoker.
[ Wasps' nest are generally found underground. They
are "f an oval shape, and frequently measure from six-
teen or eighteen inches long by twelve or thirteen broad.
The substance of which these nests are composed is the
fibres of wood detached from posts and rails and window
frames. When the wasps have amassed a heap of the
lilaments they moisten them with some viscid glue from
their mouths, and kneading it into a kind of papier tti&clte
with their jaws, take it to their nest. This mass is re-
duced by them to laininaa of the requisite thinness for
the building of their nests. The construction of the nest
is a severe labour, and occupies those engaged in it
several months. The architecture of a wasp's nest is an
interesting study and will well bear comparison with
that of the inhabitant of the bee-hive. — Ed.]
BEES AS FOOD.
[1935.] I have a question to ask about bees being used
for human food. In Science Gossip, Vol. ix., p. 50, a
Mr. Henry A. Aulde quotes a writer (Knox) who, he
says, ' tells us that bees are eaten in Ceylon.' Now, can
any one give more information on this point ? Is it the
larva or the fully-formed insect, that is recognised as an
article of diet ? It has occurred to me that in these days,
when complaints are made that the price of honey is too
low to make it worth while producing, that it would be
an excellent plan to create an appetite and liking for
026
THE BRITISH BEE JOURNAL.
[December 24, 1888.
bees as an addition to the delicacies set on our tables al
meal times. And rearing bees for the bees sake would
be all the go, and with the facilities of the Parcel Post
what family need be without bees to their bread as a
wholesome, nutritious, and toothsome relish, all the year
round ? It is prejudice that prevents our experimenting
and adopting blessings lying at our feet. — II. \Y. Lett.
[Some of the tribes in Central Africa are reported to
be in the habit of eating the larvre of bees. — Er>.]
PHOTOGRAPHIC GROUP OF BRITISH
BEE-KEEPERS.
[19-'j6.] In the early part of the year an announce-
ment appeared in the B. B. J. from Messrs. Abbott
Bros., Southall, London, asking bee-keepers to send their
photos to form a photographic group, which the above
firm undertook to produce from the cards sent, and I
' learn from the best authority that a large number
were sent. As I begin to fear that the whole thing-
was a hoax, possibly the firm I have named will say if
the group is in course of preparation, and if so when we
may expect proofs or copies ready, and the probable
price of same; such information will oblige — One who
sent A Photo.
[We have ourselves no doubt of the bona fides of the
Messrs. Abbott in requesting the portraits of bee-keepers
to be forwarded to them, but we are afraid that they
have not received the requisite number for their photo-
graphic group. — Ed.]
SHALLOW FRAMES.
[1937.] In your issue of November 22nd (No. 1894),
your correspondent wishes to hear from the correspondent
who advocated frames of half-standard size, but does
not mention number or name, and as no one else has
answered him, I do so, as I gave (in a back number) a
description of a frame I used. If your correspondent
refers back, he will see that it has If in. wide top-bar,
with ]-in. space between, made by nailing J-in. pieces of
wood on opposite sides at the ends, same as wide-
shouldered frames, which makes the combs too deep for
the queen to lay in, so are only used for extracting. If
he fills the frame with thick worker foundation, and
does not put too many on till they are worked out, he
will find that they will not want numbering (better not),
as the uncapping-knife will hist slide down each edge of
top-bar, and unseal the combs without shortening them,
and they will fit anywhere. It often happens in practice
that the bees do not fill all the frames at the same time,
so are not all sealed when you wish to extract. I have
had frames sealed in the centre of three tiers of frames,
whilst the outside frames at top are not sealed. And as
for convenience, those filled but not sealed ought to be
put in the top crate, unless extracted, which I never do
till the bees seal them, with empty frames at bottom.
They must be interchangeable, or they lose their chief
value; and if he has extra frames, so that he can close
the hive at once, and use those from first hive to put
into Xo. 2, and so on, he will find it very convenient.
If he would ask questions, I should know better what to
answer. — Alpha.
(£cjkfcs farm % Ipbcs,
Thornton, Poulton-le-Fylde, December 21st. — On two
days of last week bees have been out ; rest of week
damp. On 18th several children had roses and wall-
flowers in their button-holes at school. One day's frost,
14th. Thermometer 50° in daytime, and about "%' to
40' at night and early morning. Can't remember so
mild a time. — Jxo. Jos. J agger.
NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS & INQUIRERS-
S. A. — Mobbing. — We are continually giving cautions
against spilling syrup about the hives; it is sure to
excite any bees that may be flying about to commit
robbing. The probability is that the robbers pro-
ceeded from some neighbour's hives.
T. M. — Dysentery. — This disease prevails only in winter
and the early spring months. It is caused by feeding
on unwholesome food, damp hives, and improper venti-
lation. We would recommend as a remedy a change
of hive and a supply of wholesome food. The frames
should be scraped clean, and a frame or two of sealed
honey given at the sides of the cluster. Attention
must be paid to proper ventilation.
The Schedule of Prizes ut the Royal Agricultural Show,
Windsor, will be given in. our next issue.
Cases for the Journal, price one shilling, may be obtained
from J. Huckle, Kings Langley, Herts.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. XVI.
PAOE
PAGE
PAGE
The Apiary of ' Amateur Expert '
3
Spoon for pouring out molten Wax
186
A Bogenstulper ....
376
Pollen-grain from a Pumpkin
Abbott's Wax-smelter
186
M. Biihue Lauban's Horizontal
Blossom
13
Hive, with Alighting-board
194
Honey-extractor
389
C. N. White's Cottager Champion
Mode of giving Sugar-cake .
194
M. Peter Wagner's Uncapping
Hive
35
Top-bar with Saw-kerf
210
Machine
390
Geometrical Construction of the
Wiring Frames : 1 and 2 .
210
Antenna; Cleaner ; Leg of Honey-
Cell of the Honey-bee
40
Tool for scraping Propolis .
2L5
bee
414
Sketch of Hive ....
GO
Glass Sections ....
216
Driving Bees ....
474
Captain Hetherington's Queen-
Fixing Foundation
217
Section of Bottles
479
cage
70
Apiary of George E. Hilton, Fre-
A fast Feeder ....
480
Abbott's, Bros., Method of fixing
mont, Mich. ....
247
Half a Glass Section .
490
Comb-foundation
72
Portrait of George E. Hilton
247
Braula Ca?ca ....
492
The new Langstroth Hive .
112
Frame with Comb
252
Winter Protector
537
Cowan's Convertible Makeshift .
112
T. Louth's Extractor for Sections
263
Stomach Mouth of the Bee
569
Nails and Brads ....
127
Swarm -catcher ....
269
Entrance : Barricade .
573
Ward's grooved Section
134
J. M. Hooker's Metal Supports for
Hive for breeding Queens .
577
Feeders : Bottle in position, Bottle
Sections .....
284
Bee's hind Leg ....
588
and Shovel ....
138
Case with Sections
300
Bee's front Leg ....
599
Kaynor Feeder ....
138
Case showing Separators
300
Portrait of Prof. A. J. Cook
600
Queen Nursery ....
177
Howard'sFoundation-fixing!Block
324
J. W. Blankley's Queen-cage
604
Fixing Foundation
179
W. B.Webster's Swarm-catcher .
354
Glass Section ....
619
Wax-sheet Guide . . .
185
C. Bedshaw's Boyal Nottingham
Frame with Sections .
619
Guide-block ....
185
Hive
357
London : Printed by StrangewaY3 & Sons, at their Printing Office, Tower Street, Cambridge Circus, W.C., in the Parish of St. Gilos's-in-the
Fields, m the County of Middiesexi and Published for the Proprietor by Kent k Co., 23 Paternoster Row, in the same county.— Dec, 24, 1888
A